Over the past couple of months prepping for the 2013 San Diego Highland Games has allowed me to train hard, lift heavy and eat more. All in which are amazing, but after the Highland Games I started stepping on the scale to see what I had gained (which I rarely do). Why would I think it's necessary to check my weight or think I need to lose weight. Well, society says so. Women are forced to think rail thin and model like is what we are suppose to look like. My entire life I have had an athletic type body. Playing softball, gymnastics, dance, cheer and horse back riding developed my muscles at a young age. I will never be rail thin and I'm 100% happy with that. So, why weigh myself? why care about the number? I somehow think if the scale says I weight 150 lb. I'm good and it makes me happy but, if it's higher, I think I need to drop a couple pounds. This is bullshit thinking. I'm happy and proud of my body, the number on the scale doesn't matter. If you work your ass off in the gym and eat clean 80% of the time, sounds like you are doing your best and shouldn't worry about the number on the scale! This is my farewell, sayonara to the scale! I'm not stepping on the scale the rest of Summer! You should join me!

I started kettlebell training in March 2012 to lose some baby weight and get back into shape. I made my goal to hit the gym three times per week and never miss a training day. Between being a mom/wife, working 40+ hours a week and training for the Highland Games, I always manage get my ass to the gym. My training days are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and once on the weekends. I typically train 4-5 hours per week. Don’t say you don’t have time, you sound silly!

Staying consistent and accomplishing my fitness goals have made me better in all aspects of life. Over the past year, I’m able to move better, increase flexibility, lift heavier and sculpt my body. I’m going to break down a few tips that helped me get on the right track and stick to it.

1. Select the same training days and make them a PRIORITY every single week. It’s important to be consistent! Sometimes, life happens and you need to reschedule your workout but don’t make it a habit. (If I miss a training day, I make it within the same week). Most important rule!

2. Most effective workouts: Being a busy working mom you need to utilize your time and get the best work out in the shortest amount of time. You need to choose the most effective work outs to get the best results and not waste hours in the gym. My favorite exercises involve using kettlebells and bodyweight. You can use one kettlebell for a quick complex or do multiple exercises. Follow up your work out with conditioning. My personal favorite is hill sprints! Check out this article on some quick fat torching work outs! http://www.hollymersy.com/1/post/2013/05/got-20-minutes-3-fat-torching-workouts-for-busy-people.html

3. Set Goals: If you are just starting out make some basic and long term goals. My first goals were to hit the gym three days a week and do a pull up. I accomplished my basic goal of hitting the gym and seven months into training I was doing pull-ups!

4. Believe in yourself:  Get motivated and believe in yourself! YOU are the one who controls your results. Work hard and your body will reward you. Group classes at Ambition Athletics are great because we motivate and support each other.  Group classes or boot camps are great for learning and getting a quick work out in.

5. Eating Habits: Check out my “Zero to one hundred” blog on clean eating. Clean eating is a very important part of the puzzle. Start with baby steps. No soda, sugary juices, alcohol and cut back on coffee creamer. http://527053849852482930.weebly.com/1/post/2013/04/zero-to-one-hundred.html

6.  Support: If you are in a relationship, it’s very important your spouse understands your commitment and helps support you throughout your journey. If your other half is eating fast food every day it’s going to be difficult to maintain your healthy eating with constant temptation around. Discuss and make positive changes within your household. It will truly benefit your entire family.

7.  Balance: Once you start your journey into becoming a strong and sexy momma you will develop your own balance to all aspects in life. Being a parent/wife, working, training, fun, etc. Create a healthy balance so you don’t get burnt out or overwhelmed.

We are powerful women and can do anything we put our minds to! June is buddy month at Ambition Athletics in Encinitas www.ambitionathletics.com. Want to be my training buddy? Come get motivated and train for free during the month of June. Email me for more details [email protected]

Some of you may know I entered into the Rock 105.3 bikini calendar contest a few weeks ago. The popular San Diego radio station requested ladies to submit a sexy photo to be entered into the bikini contest. After photos were submitted, listeners, friends and family had one week to vote online for who they wanted to see in the Rock 105.3 bikini calendar (all proceeds go to the LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA SOCIETY) Donate here http://pages.teamintraining.org/sd/rnr13/alongf. I shared my link to vote everyday and my wonderful close friends and family did the same. The top five ladies with the most votes would get a spot in the bikini calendar with Ashlee from The Show. Long story short, I WON!!! I got a call on Monday, April 15th, letting me know I was in the top five and the photo shoot would be on Saturday, April 20th. (I almost cried and peed at the same time!). I was freaking out! I only had 5 days to get toned and tanned. Luckily, my body was already in shape but just needed a few adjustments. I Immediately started writing down a game plan to ensure I looked amazing for the calendar. Here's how it went:

1. NO Dairy, sugar, fruit, nuts, butters or salt.
2. Weights, weights and more weights. (I hit Ambition Athletics everyday http://ambitionathletics.com/)
3. Extra cardio after every training session.
4. 1 Gallon of water a day (very minimal water the day of shoot).
5. Black COFFEE.
6. MRM Protein and BCAAs

I know that sounds crazy, and everyone said "Felicia, what the hell are you eating"? I ate lean protein, veggies and small portions of sweet potatoes. I drank a ton of water and had three different kinds of gum in my purse at all times. I also drank a MRM chocolate protein shake with water every morning and continued to take my MRM BCAAs during every training session.

During my week of preparation, I got to pick out a super sexy bikini ($200) from Diane's Beachwear, free of charge. Diane's sells the sexiest bikinis! On Friday, April 19th, I took the day off from work to train for a few hours and relax before the chaos of getting ready began. I got my nails/toes done, spray tanned (awkward experience) teeth whitened and had my hair touched up. I felt ready to do the damn thing!

Day of photo shoot 4/20/13: I had to be in La Jolla by 3:30 pm for hair and makeup. Luckily, I was able to bring my support system (Holly) to keep me grounded and under control. I wasn't nervous until I stepped onto the beach. It was probably the most beautiful day of the year and in an epic location. Clear water, cliffs and a ton of surfers! After my hair and makeup was done by the beautiful Brittany Michele http://brittanymichele.com/, it was my turn to shoot! Jay Warren was the photographer http://www.7aphoto.com/ and he is nothing short of freaking awesome! I'm no model, so his help and guidance was exactly what I needed. Ashlee from "The Show" on Rock 105.3 was there to meet all the ladies and help with lighting. I love her so much (my bitch)! Ashlee is running in the Rock 'N' Roll half Marathon on June 2nd to help raise money for the LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA SOCIETY.

I can't wait for everyone to see the finished product! It's going to be a Damn, SEXY Calendar! The kind of calendar you post in your garage and stare as you walk by when you're working on your car or motorcycle. Don't forget to click the link in the first paragraph to donate. Anyone who donates $10.00, gets a calendar! http://www.rock1053.com/pages/TheShow.html?article=11208304 

After the shoot, I went straight to Burger Lounge in La Jolla and grubbed on a huge grass fed beef cheeseburger with French fries and onion rings.

My husband tells me all the time "Felicia, you go zero to one hundred"! This is 100% true! Once, I get an idea in my head it's happening no matter what. When I started kettlebell training in March 2012, I never knew how full blown addicted I would be! I have been attending classes at Ambition Athletics for over a year and I'm constantly pushing myself to hit PRs (personal records) and get stronger. Besides my training being on point, another huge aspect of training is eating. If you would have asked me two years ago, what is the most important aspect of losing weight? I would have told you spending hours in the gym, followed by "I don't have time for that". My biggest struggle through the past year has been dialing in my diet. It's still a work in progress, but I'm about 90% sure what works for me. I prep my meals the night before so I don't have an excuse not bring my breakfast and lunch to work. I bring plenty of food to keep me satisfied throughout the day. When I walk out the door in the morning I normally have the following in hand:

Monday-Friday Food:
-Cup of oats mixed with one scoop of MRM Chocolate Protein Powder.
-50 ounces of water (refill as needed).
-Black coffee mixed with milk or coconut oil.
-One Tupperware filled with baby carrots, cucumbers and red peppers.
-Hummus or yogurt dip.
-One Tupperware with meat (ground beef, turkey, chicken, fish or steak)
-Hard boiled eggs when I don't have meat.
-Lara Bar.
-String cheese.

Bottom line is, I couldn't go "zero to one hundred" when dialing in my diet. I started off slow with replacing empty calorie drinks with water or unsweetened tea. My second step was buying more fresh produce and protein. Thirdly, I began paying close attention to the ingredients on packaged food. If I can't pronounce it, I'm not eating it. 

(I'm not a trainer or nutritionist, but this is what worked for me). Cheers!