Happy New Year

 

Happy New Year!!

May you have a heart of courage, a mind of strong will, and may the desires of your heart come to pass. May this new year bring challenges and triumps to make you stronger; laughter and tears to make you humble, and sunshine and rain to make you grow.

The best is yet to come.

Happy New Year!!
In Love + Fitness

Q. Olivia

Monday Motivation: Reality Check

Happy Monday!!

We are in the first full week of May. I'm astonished at how quickly time passes, but grateful for the opportunity to reflect on my accomplishments thus far.

The challenge (and motivation) for this week is to look back at May 2014 (a year ago). Where were you in life? How far have you come since then.

Robin Sharma (a really cool motivational speaker from Canada) made the statement: "Don't live the same year 75 times and call it a life." What is he saying?

We make goals; some of them we achieve, some we do not. Our days are pretty much the same day in and day out. What do we need to do to make last year better than this year? To make today better than tomorrow?

What do we need to do today, to make our 75-year old self proud of us? Kill the comfort zone. Do something amazing.

Make it a Marvelous Monday!

In Love + Fitness,

Q. Olivia

Monday Motivation: Sweet Exhaustion

Happy Monday Friends,

Can you believe that it is the last week of January? So much has happened this month, but I have already identified areas in my life that I need to apply more dedication, commitment, and focus.

One of those areas I overcame this morning. While I made it to the gym, it was definitely a struggle that I almost lost due to a deadly combination: a warm bed + a 12 hour drive from Kansas to Houston yesterday. Knowing that would be an "easy excuse" I opted to charge my phone in the bathroom overnight so when the alarm went off, I would have to get up to turn it off.

Once I am out of bed, I cannot go back to sleep (know thyself).

Despite my body (and mind) being confused as to why we were moving at 4:45 AM, it was worth it... it always is.

As I sit here, drinking my whey protein and flipping through various pictures and quotes that inspire me to be better, the one above rings true and loud, particularly today. Staying in bed was my top draft pick this morning. Sure, I would have received 2 more hours of sleep (cue the Hallelujah Chorus), but I would not have been any closer to my goal. And then I would have woken up, got ready for work, and spent all day wishing I had gone to the gym.

Why wish, when you can simply act?

Find smalls ways every day to motivate yourself into action. Exhaustion can be a beautiful thing.

Embrace it.

In Love & Health,

~ Q. Olivia

P.S. The following image is proof that I went to the gym this morning... and regretted nothing :)

Leg Day

January Fitness Challenge

In the past few years, social media has been flooded with 30-day fitness challenges, and they have become all the rage. They are a great way to encourage people of all fitness levels and abilities to put their skills to the test and motivate them to get up and be active.

As with any challenge, results vary, but may include weight loss, muscle toning and strength, or simply pushing someone to take those first steps to a healthier lifestyle. These challenges are especially fun with an accountability partner or workout group to help you complete the challenge.

Although I have been working out quite regularly, I figured I would start the year off with a great challenge that tackles all of the body parts that I want to improve (glutes, abdominals, and arms).

The 30 day challenge I am participating in is called "Guns, Buns & Abs."

Since there are 31 days in the January, and only 30 days of this challenge, I decided to start today, so that I could end on the last day of the month. Here is what the challenge consists of:

The Guns, Buns & Ab Challenge has been circulating on social media for a while now, so it is uncertain who originally created this challenge, but if you know, post it below so the creator can get mad credit. I love this challenge because the reps go really high, and I love pushing myself to the limit. The great thing about the high reps is that you do not have to finish the entire set at one time, you can split them up if needed. You do have to complete all the scheduled reps for the day, no carrying reps over to the next day.

My goal is to finish each day within 20 minutes. The first couple of weeks I know I can complete the daily activities within that time, but as it gets closer to the end you will notice the reps get into the 100's and 200's. Those will be much more difficult, but by then, hopefully I am also stronger.

The first day was success. It did not take me long. A short video is posted below. I am going to take video of myself daily to make improvements on my form, but I will not post a video every day (besides, you do not want to see the faces I make when I workout).

I hope you can join me on this challenge. If not this one, select one that is more suited for your goals.

In Love + Fitness,

~ Q. Olivia

Happy New Year

Wishing everyone a prosperous and blessed New Year. May you be successful in all of your endeavors. New beginnings are so beautiful. This is your year to be great.

In Love + Fitness,

~ Q Olivia

November

Tasty Tuesdays Snack Edition: BodyKey Popcorn

Sometimes healthy and flavorful snacks are hard to come by. We have to remember on our journey to health and wellness, we do not have to sacrifice taste. I have heard so many of my clients and friends tell me that when they fall off the wagon and they binge on unhealthy foods, it was because their taste buds were craving something sweet or salty (or both). Before they knew it, they were surrounded by bags of chips, sleeves of cookies, and boxes of cupcakes.

The idea is that if your mind is thinking that you are depriving it of "goodies" you are more likely to have binge episodes; instead find healthy alternatives for your snacking.

Personally, when I snack, I prefer the salty over the sweet ones. So before changing my nutrition, I would indulge on chips, pretzels, and popcorn. Fortunately, I have found a healthy alternative that works for me, and gives me the power to skip the chip.

Product: BodyKey Slim Popcorn


Benefits: Single-serve pouches assist with portion control (110 calories per pouch). There is a touch of sea salt and the popcorn contains green tea for a bit of added energy in your mid-day slumps.

A bonus is that it is cooked in a light sunflower oil, which promotes healthy skin, hair and nails!


Nutrition Facts

Calories	110	Sodium	95 mg
Total Fat	7 g	Potassium	0 mg
Saturated	1 g	Total Carbs	10 g
Polyunsaturated	0 g	Dietary Fiber	3 g
Monounsaturated	0 g	Sugars	0 g
Trans	0 g	Protein	2 g
Cholesterol	0 mg
Vitamin A	0%	Calcium	0%
Vitamin C	0%	Iron	3

Of course, since this is my blog, I get to self promote. You can get this amazing product through my website. You can message me for details or just visit www.amway.com/riversempire to order a box of these delicious snacks. I promise, you will not be disappointed.

Bon Appetit!
~ Q. Olivia

Motivation Monday: Habits Become Character

It is said that it takes 21 days to make an action a habit.

Eventually that habit will become a part of your character.

Today's motivation is a simple reminder that the only way to win, is to be consistent and persistent.

Victory does not happen in a single day.

From the outside, it may look like the champion who wins a fitness competition or a boxing match had victory in that instant, but the victory came long before that time.

It came when they were training, sweating and sacrificing.

Many people think that you are failure if you lose, when in reality, you do not fail at something until you quit, which is why persistence is the key to victory.

Even the great inventor Thomas Edison knew that persistence was the only way to achieve greatness. When talking about his discovery of the light bulb, he said, "I did not fail. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."

Are you willing to find 10,000 ways that may not work in your life? What if you have stopped after only trying something 9,999 times? The world is full of people who gave up on themselves, not realizing how close they were to success.

Never quit. You never know how close you are to success.

Anyone can find the courage to do something once, but what about he persistence to do it again the next day? What about every day for a year? What about longer?

Your challenge this week is to find the one or two things that you will do everyday, no matter what. It can be in any area of your life. Just be persistence, and see your life change.

In Fitness + Health,

~ Q. Olivia

Motivation Monday: Every Step Counts

There is a quote attributed to Buddha that says, "There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting."

Most of us have goals, ambitions, and dreams that we start and are eager to finish;  but at some point we take our eyes off how far we have come and start focusing on how much further we have to go.

We must remember that every success, no matter how insignificant, is crucial in our accomplishment. Every step towards our goal; however slight the step may be, will eventually lead us to the end result. We have to remember without every step that we have taken, we would never be where we are right now.

This is why it is helpful to have a journal (paper or online) to track your progress. Seeing your progress before you eyes can be an essential tool in allowing you to see what you have done up until this point.

Every workout, every health-conscious meal, and every denial of an office donut should be a moment that you take pride in yourself. Do not wait to celebrate until you hit your target weight, your preferred dress size, or run that destined mileage. Be proud of all of the small steps.

If you are not happy on the journey, you will not be any happier once you arrive at your destination.

Be proud of every step.

In Fitness + Love,

~ Q. Olivia

Finding Home

Any young lady who grew up dancing has seen the movie "Center Stage," starring Peter Gallagher, Zoe Saldana, and many others. I have seen the movie several times myself and a special scene never ceases to tug at my good ole' heart strings.

This scene shows one of the dance students, Eva, practicing late in the evening and working on perfecting her technique. No one else is around until Juliette, one of the dance school's instructors who Eva bumps heads with from the beginning, walks by the practice studio and sees Eva rehearsing after hours. Eva has been known to be the tough girl from the inner-city who appears to have a really bad attitude, but actually has some of the best technique and passion for dance.

After watching Eva practice Juliette tells her, "No matter what happened in class... in performance, last week, five minutes ago... if you come back here, you'll be home."

The here Juliette was referring to, was the ballet barre. It has been many years since I have been in a ballet studio, but I remember it always being a place of comfort, a place of peace, and a place that I could pour out my emotions. As young dancers, we were always told to "leave your soul on the dance floor." Never hold back and have no regret. 

I no longer dance, but I train my body, and the gym has been my place of solace, relief, and joy. I can walk in with the weight for the world on my shoulders, and leave knowing that I left it all on the gym floor.

Every time I return to the weight rack and pick up the iron, I am home.

In Fitness + Love,

~ Q. Olivia

Workout Wednesday: The Burpee Challenge

Happy New Year Fit Friends!!

As always, I am constantly looking for new fitness models, personal trainers and other fitness icons to follow on social media and learn from about different exercises and nutrition options. Just a few weeks ago I discovered personal trainer, Yvette Salva who has a great blog and Facebook page. She came up with a challenge that is perfect to kick off our new year right called The Burpee Challenge.

Now, I know we have seen tons of those challenges on Pinterest regarding 30 days to a toned tummy, amazing arms, and cute quads. Some of them are silly, but a lot of them are quite challenging; and you can easily go through the challenge together.

Now, I know many of you have seen or heard of the burpee. It is a wonderful exercise that has been deemed a ruler over all others. It is intense as it combines push-ups and squat thrusts and works the entire body. These little boogers are great for conditioning the body, burning mad calories, and it requires absolutely no equipment.

Some people perform an actual push-up and some people just get in the push-up position. The "how to" photo incorporates the push-up which will work your arms and core even more, but usually, I skip the push-up and simply return to the squat position before jumping up. With the challenge I may try out the push-up from time to time as I do want to strengthen my arms. You do it however you want.

With all that being said... today is the first day of January which means the Burpee Challenge starts right now! Join me in the challenge. Keep me posted on your progress!

We've got 5 burpees on the calendar. Do them full out. Ready... set... go!

In Fitness + Health,

~ Q. Olivia

Welcome 2014

Happy New Years Friends!!

I just wanted to take some time to wish you all a marvelous New Year.

May 2014 be filled with prosperity, love, laughter, joy, peace and purpose.

A new year means new possibilities, new adventures, new travels, new memories, new life moments, and new resolutions. Most people know I prefer the word goals over resolutions because of the low rate of success in achieving resolutions (8%). Still it is one of our biggest traditions and I too participate every year.

As I did last year, I have organized my 2014 goals in eleven basic categories (because I can be OCD). Many of them are continuations or repeats (if I fell short of the goal) from last year. So here we go...

Reading
1. Read 10 Entrepreneur Books
2. Read 5 Pleasure Books "For Fun"

Financial
1. Complete the 52-Week Savings Challenge
2. Continue following a monthly budget and using the envelope system

Cooking
1. Cook through an entire cook book
2. Complete a raw or clean recipe challenge every month

Fitness/Exercise
1.Complete in a bikini/fitness competition (REPEAT)
2. Continue with weekly meal prep
3. Exercise 5x/week
4. Run a 5K every quarter
5. Drop 10% body fat
6. Continue with this awesome fitness blog :)



Marriage
1. Pray together daily
2. Weekly date nights
3. Affirm my husband

Home Life
1. Create a cleaning schedule for the week
2. Quarterly Super Clean Day to discard junk and clutter

Work
1. Improve on leadership skills
2. Run the best department in my agency

Volunteer
1. Continue working with BBBS
2. Youth Group volunteer

Spiritual
1. Individual Bible Study
2. Join Women's Guild

Personal
1. Write more letters to family and friends
2. Continue sending cards for special occasions, birthdays, anniversaries, etc.
3. Take a few dance classes
4. Spoil my future niece/nephew
5. Get a passport and travel abroad

Business
1. New Business Cards
2. Attend 3 Vendor Markets
3. New Monthly Customers & IBOs
4. Platinum Level

In this last year, I enjoyed myself and working towards many of my goals. Though I fell short, there was much that I was able to accomplish. I learned so much and feel I have grown, though I have much further to go. One big thing I learned about goals this year was that "We first make our habits, and then our habits make us." It takes 21 days for a action to become a habit, and then the habit makes us. Our business team has complete the 21 day challenge four times this year to assist us in becoming more committed and consistent with our goals. It has been awesome having an accountability system and I highly recommend that for 2014. Find someone who also is serious about making life improvements and ask them to be your accountability partner. Every resolution or goal may require a different accountability partner, but it will make a world of difference as you move forward.

2013 Life Lessons

• Remember that this is your life to live. No one else can live it for you.
• Do what you love, and do it often.
• Life is short, so live your dreams.
• See yourself living in abundance and you will attract it.
• Set a goal to achieve that is so big and so exhilarating that it excites you and scares you at the same time. The goals must be so much in line with your spiritual core that you cannot get it out of your mind.
• Everything you are seeking is seeking you in return; therefore, everything you want is already yours. It is simply a matter of becoming more aware of what you already possess.
• Be thankful. Not just in November, but every day of every month.
• Explore. Go explore a new city, try out a new habit, and discover a new talent.

You are worthy of every dream and goal that you set for yourself. Make 2014 the year of victory and success. I believe in you!

Dream Big,

~ Q. Olivia

Merry Christmas + Merry Fitness

Merry Christmas + Happy Holidays

May your Christmas Season be filled with love, joy, laughter, prosperity, and health.

Enjoy the day with family and friends. Remember our servicemen and women who cannot be with their families today. Say a special prayer of thanks for them.

Finally, have a great day of relaxation and hit it hard in the gym tomorrow.

Lee and I are planning on doing our Annual Rivers Christmas Light Run through River Oaks. Nothing intense, just a light jog while enjoying some Christmas lights!!

Wishing you all the best this beautiful Christmas Day. Jesus is the Reason for the Season!

In Health, Fitness + the Christmas Spirit,

~ Q. Olivia 

Motivation Monday: Never Settle

I am sad to report that we live in society that settles. In the last two years since I have been in Houston (and even in my return visits back home to Missouri), I have spoken to so many people who seem content in complacency. Raised by my independent, strong-minded mother, settling was never an option. Not in our words or actions.

Obviously, I do not believe that I am alone in the fact that I had parents who encouraged me to live life, push myself, and never settle; but I am more aware that as we get older and leave our childhood behind, we settle deeper and deeper.

Remember when you were a kid and you thought anything in this world was possible, simply because you believed? We had the wildest dreams of being astronauts, doctors, and ballerinas; even a princess seemed like a rational career for some of my girlfriends at the age of 5. Young boys in my class wanted to be superheroes, police officers, or pilots. And when someone shared what they wanted to be, in a unified chorus we would all say, "Cool, I want to do that too!"

When did we stop wanting those things? When did we stop dreaming and start settling? When did we stop living?

Not soon after we are encouraged to be imaginative and dream big, we then learn as we grow up that imagination is not for adults and that dreaming is not productive. Sometimes we even get in trouble for day dreaming or having "foolish and outlandish" ideas. We are told that we need to be rational and realistic. The very same people who told us to dream big dreams, years later tell us to stop. So, we do.

And now I pose a question: Who told you that you had to settle?

Although I am only in my twenties, I have learned quite a bit through my life experiences. One great lesson that I learned was that the minute you settle for less than you deserve, you get less than you settled for. One you drop the standards of what you want in your career, in romance, in your fitness goals, and your success, it is easier to drop the bar a little lower... and a little lower.
You promise yourself that you will not ever go below a certain level, but then you find yourself lowering the bar once again.

As I continue on pursuing my goals for fitness and health, I have had to be conscious not to settle for mediocrity. Sure, it might be easier to eat this quick unhealthy option over preparing healthy meals, but what is the outcome? It may be easier to cut myself short a few reps with the barbell, but what do I gain? It may be easier to finish my cardio a few minutes early, but what is the point? Why not just give it my all? Why not just commit and do it right?

So I asked myself the other day, "Who told me that I could not compete in my first figure competition?" Not Lee. He is 100% in my corner and has even changed a few of his eating habits to support me. Obviously not my trainer Wes, he believes that I can do it, and offers great advice and coaching. Not anyone in the gym. Not anyone in my family.

No one told me that I could not do. Except one person. Myself. Because when I fail to push myself and settle for less than the best, I am the only one telling me that I cannot. Today that changes.

Never settle for less than you deserve. Demand the best and accept nothing less.

In Fitness + Health,
~ Q. Olivia

Motivation Monday: Interest vs Commitment

As a small business owner, I love quotes related to mentorship, leadership, and business management; and Kenneth Blanchard is an expert in those areas. The above quote showcases the difference between interest and commitment, and the results of those differences.

Someone can have an interest in a variety of topics, hobbies, and subjects, but a person who is committed in those areas treats it differently. I have an interest in fitness and health; but I am committed to competing in a figure competition and helping others with their goals.

Interest is reactive. Commitment is proactive.
When you are interested in something you sample it, try it out and play around with it. When you are committed to something, you take solid action steps to move toward the desired outcome. When you commit to something, you have an expectation of results, not just a wish.

The day you choose to draw a line in the sand, set your priorities, and refuse to allow anything stand in your way, you are on your way from interest to commitment. If you desire to achieve excellence, you must be committed totally and completely.

Commitment stems from discipline and passion.
Both are required to succeed. Discipline pushes you over the difficulties on your journey towards your goal, and passion drives your actions from the heart. Once you connect your goal to your heart, your life changes, your attitude towards the situation takes a 180* turn, and your feel complete in your daily actions towards the goal. For me, there is nothing better than working out, eating clean, and sacrificing my guilty pleasures, because my heart knows what I want and I get pleasure when I move forward.

I challenge you to ask yourself how committed you are to your goals, your dreams, and your success. Whether in business, fitness, or personal growth, asking that question will help you determine your next steps. As we move into the "Resolution Season," I encourage you to buckle down and decide what you want for your health, your life, and your family.

Interest or Commitment. What team are you on?

In Fitness + Health,
~ Q. Olivia

December

Welcome December. Hello to chilly air, frosted windows, seeing your breath, early sunsets and gorgeous starry skies. Hello to gloves, sweaters, pea coats, hats, scarves and boots.

Hello to snowflakes, snow angels, sledding, and skiing. Ice skating, snowball fights, icicles, and building snowmen. Hello to the first snow fall of the year, so pure and perfect.

Hello to thick socks, warm blankets, cuddling, pajamas, hot chocolate, and sitting in front of the fireplace.

Hello to twinkling lights, Christmas music, snow globes, carolers, watching a Charlie Brown Christmas, decorating the tree, and wrapping the perfect present.

Hello to wreaths, tinsel, untangling lights,  pinecones, garland, glitter, candles, ornaments, and paper snowflakes. Hello to candy canes, secret Santa, holiday parties and tacky Christmas sweaters.

Hello to driving around looking at lights, holiday parades, everyone dressed as Santa, stockings, holiday crafts, and the twinkle in a child's eye.

Hello to holly and mistletoe, holiday traditions, baked goods, eggnog, and the sweet aroma of gingerbread, cinnamon, peppermint and vanilla.

Hello to the Christmas Spirit, joy, love, peace... and magic for those who still believe ;)

Hello December.

Tasty Tuesdays: Spicy Shrimp + Brown Rice Stew

So I posted a picture of my dinner from last week and I got several requests for the recipe. As most of you know, I am new in the kitchen since I have started training, so I do not claim to be a chef by any means. I only know what I like and make attempts to serve myself a healthy creation.

Due to this fact, I am also not one to have an actual recipe, I just go with the flow and make enough for my husband and me... so please excuse the lack of correct measurements.

Make to your liking. I hope you enjoy my Spicy Shrimp & Rice Stew!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Bullion Cubes (Chicken)
• 2 Cups of Water

1. Make the broth by simply boiling the 2 cups of water and dropping in the the two bullion cubes (one cube for each cup of water used)

• 1/2 teaspoon of Crushed Red Pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon of Black Pepper
• 1 lb of Shrimp
• EVOO

1. Season the shrimp with the pepper blend. Sauté the shrimp in a skillet with vegetables of your choice. I used:

• Half of a Red Bell Pepper (diced)
• 1 Serrano Pepper (sliced)
• 1 Can of Spicy Diced Tomatoes
• 1 cup of Dice Onions

Mix all ingredients from the shrimp mixture into the chicken broth. Simmer and serve over brown rice.

Bon Appétit,

~ Q. Olivia

Motivation Monday: CHANGE - Butterfly Effect

"Change takes time." I constantly have to remind myself of this seemingly obvious truth.

Change is good. Obviously there can be bad changes, but for me, most change is great and exciting. I welcome it with open arms.

For some, change sounds scary and uncertain, but all change means is to make something different or to become something else. Change is different for everyone, but everyday we should strive to make a change, to become different, to become better.

Last week, I made a change. I officially began my competition prep with my trainer Wes. We had been training occasionally off and on and getting my mind wrapped around the idea of healthy nutrition and fitness. As of November 4th, training has commenced.

For those who do not know, I can be quite impatient. So of course, after one week, I wanted to see some results (which has not happened). The waiting part is the hardest in all of my changes, but it is also when I am the strongest.

During the wait period, we learn things about ourselves that we never knew. We may become weak at some point, but we learn the true meaning of endurance, focus, drive, and perseverance.

Anytime I think of change, I am reminded of my dad talking to me about the life of a butterfly and the similarities between them and humans. Butterflies are beautiful creatures, seemingly delicate, but very strong despite their small size.

As we all learned growing up, the life cycle of a butterfly consists of four phases: eggs, caterpillar, chrysalis, and then the butterfly. The fourth and final stage is when the butterfly is most noticeable to us. It has colorful wings and flutters among the flowers on beautiful Spring days. Of course, before that so much happens that we often do not see.

For me, phase three is the most incredible phase. It is the changing phase and the biggest determining factor of how the butterfly will look and function for the rest of its life.

The life cycle of the butterfly has been a great mystery for those in the sciences. No one knows exactly how the caterpillar changes its form in such a dramatic way, but according to researchers there are clusters of cells called imaginal buds which comes from the word "imago," referring to the adult phase of the butterfly. Imaginal buds also means "to imagine" and psychologists use the word imago to mean an idealized image of a loved one, including self. So the imaginal buds contain the blueprint for a butterfly its entire life, meaning that even while it is a caterpillar, it is "imagining" being a butterfly. It is already in its DNA.

For me this a great lesson. Although I am not where I want to be, I know within me I have the blueprint to be a competitor in fitness competitions. So while I am eager to become the bright, beautiful butterfly, I know that I must first endure the changes in my own phase three.

My dad used to tell me the familiar story of the young boy who saw a butterfly hatching from its cocoon. The boy noticed that the hole was too small for the butterfly to get out, so he attempted to help the butterfly by cutting the cocoon with scissors, allowing the butterfly to easily escape the cocoon. The butterfly was swollen and had shriveled wings. Days went by but the butterfly's wings never dried out, and it could never fly. Why? Because it never struggled.

A butterfly's struggle to push its body through the tiny opening forces the fluid from the body of the creature and into its wings. After the wings dry, the butterfly then can take flight. Without the struggle, the butterfly will never fly as it was created to.

In the same way, without struggles, we will never become what were are destined to be. Allow yourself to go through change, and allow that change to truly mold and shape who you. In fitness, in your career, in your marriage, or any area you know you need to make that change.

Start today.

In Fitness + Health,
~ Q. Olivia

Monday Motivation: Kill It

Each time I step into the gym, I always take time to reflect or audibly state my goals. I definitely believe in setting your goals and keeping them in front of you at all times, whether visually or on a card that you repeat. It sounds cheesy, but it works.

When we are constantly reminded of something, it is difficult NOT to accomplish the task, or at least work towards it daily. When I do this, my workouts are automatically more aggressive, more precise, and more enjoyable. I complain less and usually make it a point to complete one more rep; to squat deeper; to squeeze harder.



The key to a killer workout? Have a plan. 98% of the time, I walk into the gym knowing exactly what exercises I am going to perform and what machines I am going to use. I usually have them written down on a index card, or even listed out on my phone. If you have a workout plan that you are doing it, follow it. Most plans that professional lay out work for a reason. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

Now trust me, there are occasional moments when I do not plan my gym time, and although I have tons of workouts in my memory album, I meander around wasting time trying to figure what to do next. I look confused as if it were my first time in the gym. Even worse, my momentum and intensity never reach peak level.

Without a certain amount of intensity, you will never see results. On those days, I don't even break a sweat. I always make it a priority to break a sweat during a workout. My goal is to always walk out of that gym knowing that I owned those weights. Knowing that I killed that work out.

Be guilty of killing every workout, no matter what. Give it your all, all the time.


Until Next Time,
~ Q. Olivia

Motivation Monday: Champions

Another Ali quote to start the week off right.

"Champions aren't made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them - a desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have the SKILL, and the WILL. But the WILL must be stronger than the skill."

I had a workout with my Coach, Wes Simon on Sunday and as I finished a rotation of exercises, he said, "Remember, that girl next to you is working harder than you."

A champion is born when the decision is made to win. Right now I am my biggest competition. But as soon as I become the best ME that I can be, all of those ladies lined up on stage next to me will be my competition.

Train like a champion. Live life as a champion.

In Health + Fitness,
~ Q. Olivia