Shooting for a Third Time

Hi Gang!

After going back and forth in my brain (for real it was like a ping pong tornament), I decided to give a 3rd show a try and looks like I’m competing June 1st as originally planned. Some say I’m crazy, but really I don’t seem to care. I just like to say I’m dedicated to this sport 🙂

I won’t bore you with details, but it is a smaller show and I’m competing with Mary again! I’m going to give it my all these next 2 weeks and hopefully I will be stage ready in time. I know I’m coming in with a softer look this go around, but apparently the judges shoot for that anyway. Round 3 I’m coming for ya!

On Thursday evening I was at the gym and in an effort to get back to doing longer cardio sessions, I hit the step mill first thing to ensure I could get it done without waiting for a machine. 45 minutes later I thought I was going to fall to the floor. I think it was two fold; not being completely recovered from this cold, and the other part was the humidity in the gym. I looked like I had jumped in a pool and I couldn’t even lift afterwards. My bicep session turned into me doing 3 little exercises at half effort, and then a 20 minute ab session. My goal over the next two weeks is to be consistent with getting ab workouts in just like any other muscle on the body. I really need to strengthen them, why wait till the off season? If you guys have any great ab exercises let me know! I DESPISE crunches so I’m constantly looking for new ideas.

Yesterday I went to work (yes on a Friday). I was not pleased getting up in the morning. First of all it was POURING and the wind was nasty. Second, you guys know Friday mornings are my favorite time of the week for quiet “Minnie and Phoebe time”. That was taken away from me this week, but hey gotta pay those bills!

After work and some errands, I did some grocery shopping before a later than usual gym session. I actually went to the gym at 8pm at night. Usually if I don’t make it there by 5:30 at the latest I call it a day. I filled up my water with a little pre-workout and decided to give it a go.

The gym was VERY empty and the few people that were there kept to themselves. It was like a dream. I didn’t have to fight for cardio equipment or cables, I just did my thing. I think I fell in love with a new time slot. Weekend nights at the gym! Turns out most people have lives and are out doing things… imagine that!

It was time to hit my shoulders again. Here’s the workout I did, it’s to help those shoulders grow:

• Upright rows, 40 lb bar, 15 reps x 5 sets
• In between each set of the upright rows, 10 squats holding the bar in front of the chest (will work shoulders)
• Alternating front raises with 15 lb dumbbells, 20 reps x 4 sets
• Seated dumbbell press, 20 lb weights, 12 reps x 4 sets (really pushed it on this one!)
• In between each set some lower ab work (Pilates V ups but on a bench for 10 reps)
• Cable diagonal shoulder raise (pull cable from bottom across the body to an upright row position), 40 lbs, 10 reps x 4 sets
• In between each set cable wood choppers (ab exercise), 20 lbs, 12 reps
• Smith machine shoulder shrugs 105 lbs, 12 reps x 4 sets
• Dumbbell lateral raises, 12.5 lbs, 10 reps x 4 sets

My cardio: 20 minutes on the spin bike, 14 minutes on the step mill 🙂

Good news is I’ve been working SUPER hard on my e-book and I really think I will have it finished at the end of this month. Hopefully I will have it finished in the sense it can be purchased, but I still need to format and figure out all the bells and whistles to get it out there to the public. I have done some research on that aspect of it, but every time I do I get sidetracked and end up working on that part for a few hours when I should’ve just sat down and typed the actual book. So goal is to wait on the finishing touches until it’s ACTUALLY FINISHED! Sounds like the smart thing to do eh?

Oh and since you know I’m always doing 10 things at once I started on E-book #2. Yeah I know, I haven’t finished #1 yet, but I have good ideas and those cannot wait!

So onto my weekend I go. Busy things planned in just 2 short days off work, and some MUCH needed family time since I was sick this past week. Phoebe and I missed our G-Mama, Pop Pop and Shelby! Plus a lot of meal preps and workouts. I’ll be back in a few days once I get some more work done on my book 🙂

Have a great weekend!

XOXO With a Cherry On Top,

-Minnie