Motivation Monday 13: Compete Daily

Today's motivation should make you laugh. At least I chuckled out loud when I saw this photo and read the caption. I am competitive by nature. I hate losing, I hate being in last place, and I hate not giving my best effort.

While I am not encouraging you to compare yourself with others, a little friendly competition never hurt anyone... except the times when injuries may have been sustained by the weaker party :)

I compete against the person next to me on the treadmill. Yes. I try to increase my speed and maybe my incline. I imagine it is the two of us in a race, going head to head, in an effort to see who can cross the finish line first.

I compete against the person on the running trail. If I see them ahead of me, they become my target. I kick it up a gear with the goal to reach that person before they turn a corner or stop running. I desire for my feet to step where their feet are stepping. And then I desire to set the pace for them.

I compete against the person at the weight machines. I desire to lift more, condition harder, and do more reps. I desire to have the perfect form. To execute each movement with fluidity and purpose. I desire to have an excellent lift session, not just a good one.

Most importantly, I compete against myself. Each day I know I can run further, lift heavier, push harder, and execute stronger. No one can beat me, unless I let them. And the only person I allow to beat me, is myself.

Competition is good fuel for the athlete, the artist, the musician, the scholar, and the dreamer. Compete with yourself everyday. You will always win.


In Health,
~ Q. Olivia

Motivation Monday 12: Set A Date

I have an exciting announcement. A date has been put on my goal sheet. I have selected a fitness competition in Houston to debut my new figure. On September 15, 2012, I will take the stage for the first of many bikini/figure competitions.

When you have a goal, dates are always important. With a goal, you know what you are aiming for. In the last few months, I have set small goals, meet with various personal trainers, and conducted my personal research.

The time has come. The time is now. My journey began a few months ago, but now the hard works starts today. I am so excited and I believe in myself now, like I never did before. I am looking forward to starting me new 12-week intensive program, followed up with competition classes and posing!!

With a date on the calendar, it all seems so real. Always, always... finish the goal you set out to do. Sometimes we fail, but never quit. We ALWAYS finish.

More information to come. Make it a productive fitness week!!


In Health,
~ Q. Olivia

Workout Wednesday: Terrific Triceps

For women in particular, the arms and upper body is where we lack in strength. When some women hear I am working towards being in a bodybuilding competition their eyes get big. When some of my clients workout and I encourage weights, they inform me that they do not want to get "bog like a man."

SLOW DOWN. It would take years of intense training before you looked like a man. I love working out my arms, it makes me feel powerful in the gym and of course results in shapely shoulders and well-defined arms.

One of my favorite arm muscles to hit at the gym are the triceps!! Here are a few that I incorporate on my arms days:

BENCH DIP

A detailed, artistic version of the workout :)

I love the bench dip because while the target zone is your tris, it also works those awesome chest & shoulders. Doing a series of these in between other arms workouts or even on a leg day will get that flab under your arms firm in no time!!


PLANK PRESS

Use 2-5lbs weights the first time to get your body
adjusted to the plank press and practice perfect form.

This workout is fabulous because it hits your shoulders, back & abs in addition to those triceps. How awesome is that. This is probably one of the most fun workouts that attack my tris.

TRICEPS DUMBBELL EXTENSIONS

This is by far my favorite triceps workout. This is an isolation workout and really focuses on the triceps muscle. So few exercises allow the triceps to be the primary; usually it is the secondary muscle in workouts like push-ups.



So try these out and see how you like them. I know your arms will thank you. It is almost summer time, your arms deserve to be seen lean, sleek, and sexy.

In Health,

~ Q. Olivia



Motivation Monday 11: The 4%

Hello friends!! Long time no blog. I just realized that I had not blogged since the second week in March. I do hope everyone was able to enjoy National Nutrition Month, and ate super healthy everyday. I know I did not. Haha!!

Life caught up with me and no blogs have been written for almost a month. Tsk, tsk. I have been preparing to share some exciting news which will be revealed in 6 days, so stay tuned.

Now for the motivation. I saw this image on Pinterest (my new social medial outlet) and fell in love with this statistic. Seriously. A one hour workout is only 4% of my day. I literally have NO excuse. All the whining and complaining about how I do not have time to get in 30 minutes of cardio or a quick 25 minute conditioning went out the door when I saw this.

Just remember, we make time for the things that are important to us; and my health is definitely at the top of my list, so I suppose out of my 24-hour day, I can commit one of those hours to fitness. Which is exciting if you think about it.

We all have the same 24 hours. What will you do with yours? Besides making excuses.

In Health,

~ Q. Olivia