GOAL REACHED!!!!

I forgot to post this on here earlier buuuuuut I REACHED MY GOAL OF 1 MILITARY PUSH UP!!!! :)

Actually, I did 2!!!!!  Check it out!!!!

I did a set using the push ups handles and a normal set with my hands on the ground.  You can see that I went for a 3rd push up during both sets but failed.  Failing is OK.....but after you fail you have to pick yourself back up and keep working hard!  Eventually I'll be able to do 3 pushups, then 5, then 10!!!

So, ladies, IT IS POSSIBLE to do push ups again after having a preventative double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery!!!!  I did these push ups almost exactly 6 months after my reconstructive surgery!!  So, on those days that you feel weak and tired and are getting down on yourself because you're not where you used to be just remember to keep working towards your goals and to keep pushing through those tough days and DONT GIVE UP because YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!! :)

As always, feel free to email me any questions at paigefitness.connect@gmail.com
You can also follow me on instagram as I post daily workout ideas, videos and motivational quotes!!
Instagram username: Fitness.Paige

Strength and Tightness

As our house projects have slowed down a bit, I've been able to focus on my strength more.  AND I got a job as a Personal Trainer at the local health club here in Sonora!!! I've also got my home training center coming together nicely....so it's pretty exciting and busy around here all of a sudden!!

Today I'm going to focus on strength training.  For those of us who have had the PDM surgery and final reconstruction the days of finding our 1 rep max on the bench press are over (if you were working on that before, which I was).  Unfortunately, the trauma and damage done to our pectoralis muscles from the surgery is enough to ensure we never get to lift so heavy on the bench press that we find our failure weight.  I'm kind of ok with this for a couple of reasons:

1. I don't really care too much about getting my chest puffed up and super buff
2. Bench press was never my favorite exercise....so it's sort of a blessing in disguise!

However, as women, we should want to maintain and increase our strength so that we can be independent if need be and strong enough to lift things correctly without injury.  Working on chest strength is a part of this.  But, we can do it without performing the bench press exercise!  Here are a few other ways:

• Plank
• Modified push ups
• BOSU push ups
• Tricep dips
• Commandos
• Supine skull crushers (triceps extensions lying on the ground)

These are the exercises I have been focusing on the past few months to try and get back my chest and arm strength.  Here are a few of the exercises shown in the following video:

"Arms" Circuit

Modified pull ups and modified push ups using a BOSU

I have also been working really hard on my flexibility because after I work out my chest I notice that the same day and the day after, especially, my chest feels VERY tight!!!  So, I have been using a PVC pipe to do stretches called "shoulder dislocators."  Funny name I know, but it's because of the ROM you need to perform it!!  I just started being able to do these again in January, so it took me almost 4 months to get back to that flexibility I had pre-surgery!!!

Currently my workouts consist of a good mix of high intensity training (HIT) and strength training.  I am incorporating Kayla Itsines Bikini Body Guide (BBG) into my weekly routine as well!!  That really helped me get back some of my cardio endurance because it is a high intensity workout!  My current schedule is this:

Monday - Legs or BBG

Tuesday - Back and Biceps

Wednesday - BBG

Thursday - Yoga or Chest

Friday - Legs and Shoulders OR BBG

Saturday - Walk or Rest

Sunday - Rest

It's a good schedule for now and I'm hoping to maintain it because I am noticing an increase in muscle definition and an improvement in my overall well being (less tired, deeper breathing, clearer mind).  And for those of you who have had the surgery you know that being under anesthesia for a long time (I was under for 8 hours!!!! eeeek!!) can seriously effect your brain and body chemicals and function!!  It has been 5 months for me and I am feeling more normal now than I did back in December!!!  I think that it will most likely take one full year to feel fully normal psychologically and physically.  The chest tightness is something that I may never get used to or enjoy, but that doesn't mean I won't stop working on my chest strength....it just means that I will work hard at it AND work hard on my chest flexibility as well!!

Remember, for daily motivation follow my instagram: Fitness.Paige 

If you have any questions please feel free to email me at PaigeFitness.connect@gmail.com and I'll get back to you as soon as possible!!!!

WE ARE STRONG!!!  WE CAN DO THIS LADIES!!!!!! :)

New Year, New Foobs

2015 has begun and that means lots of people making resolutions and goals they have every good intention of keeping.  Unfortunately, most of us end up not being able to keep these or reach these goals.  The problem?  Creating unrealistic, unattainable goals.  Here are a few tips for making new years resolutions/goals that you CAN achieve!!!

1. Write down everything you'd like to achieve in the year
2. Write down how you're feeling currently
3. Review both lists
4. Cross out any goal or resolution that makes you feel bad or guilty or defeated
5. Check the goals that are left and follow these guidelines:
• is it realistic?
• is it attainable? (like, for reals??)
6. Make sure the big goals (e.g. I will lose 25lbs) are broken down into segments (see below for examples)
7. Be detailed with your goal setting.  Give specific numbers and time frames.
8. Remember, don't do anything that won't make you feel good.....Always:

Photo from Instagram user @kayla_itsines

If you're goal(s) or resolution(s) is impossible or unrealistic, you will get discouraged and feel defeated along the way which makes you want to forget all about your goals!  If you choose realistic goals that YOU know YOU can achieve you will feel AWESOME and accomplished!!  For example:

• Discouraging goal: I will lose weight
• Realistic goal: I will lose 5lbs by February 15, 2015 by walking for 30 minutes 3x/week and going to a body sculpting class 2x/week.

Did you see what I did there?  I broke down the big goal that can seem daunting and made it more realistic and attainable!!  I even went into details of HOW to lose the weight.  The next step in this goal is to check your schedule and see when you can fit in the 3 walks each week and actually WRITE them into your calendar.  The same goes with the body sculpting class...check your gym schedule and decide which 2 classes/week you want to dedicate yourself to going to and WRITE them in your calendar!!!  Another hint for sticking to it???  FIND A WORKOUT BUDDY!!! :)  Having someone to keep your accountable and having a friend to workout with makes it SO MUCH BETTER!!  Not only will they make you go to the class when you're not feeling like it, you'll have a blast catching up and growing that friendship :)

Here's another example of a daunting goal in the opposite direction:

• Discouraging goal: I will gain weight
• Realistic goal: I will gain 5lbs by March 1, 2015 by heavy lifting 5 days/week doing legs on Monday, Back and Biceps on Tuesday, Core on Wednesday, Chest and Triceps on Thursday, Legs on Friday and going for a walk or doing a fun activity on Saturday with a rest day being on Sunday.

Personally, my biggest goal this year is to do 1 push up, just 1....but that 1 is going to be a full on military push up.  After both of my surgeries, my poor chest muscles (pectorals major and minor) have taken a real beating and even though I do work on push ups occasionally, I find that it feels awkward and uncomfortable to do push ups now and that discourages me.  So, I have to break it down so it doesn't intimidate me:

• I will do 15 incline push ups on the lower squat bar rung (my nautilus squat rack at home) by January  20, 2015.

My Nautilus squat rack.  I do the push ups with my hands 

on the barbell while it's on that lower rung.

And the turquoise walls!!!  I just love them :)

• I will do 10 modified push ups on my knees by February 15, 2015.
• I will do 1 military push ups by April 2, 2015.
• AND I CAN DO THIS!!!!!

So, when you do set your 2015 goals (if you set any), remember to set goals that will make you happy and feel better and stronger!!  Remember to make them attainable and realistic and write down details of how much, by when and how you're going to get there.  With these tips, you should be able to write some awesome goals and then CRUSH THEM!!!! :)