Never Miss a Monday Pt. 4

Okay, okay so I missed a monday last week. I was driving back from Colorado which was an 8hr trip so needless to say I was thrown off of my whole routine. I for one am a creature of habit. Although I can adapt when there is change, I prefer to be consistent in the things that I do, it just makes things a lot easier. This past week was a bust. I was on spring break and I didn't do a damn thing all week that was particularly productive. I kind of am disappointed with myself for not having continued the workout and fasting routine I have been doing the past few weeks. All that hard work and lbs lost were for nothing because I gained it all back this week. I won't be completely hard on myself because this semester has been very stressful and having a week to literally veg out and do nothing felt pretty good. There were no obligations or commitments to deal with. I know that had I also gone to the gym I probably would have felt even better, but I didn't and that's ok too. Monday is the start of a new week and I am ready for its challenges. I am going to hike up my big girl panties and just throw myself right back into it. No excuses, back to my routine and structure. This week I am going to try and incorporate push ups into my routine. We used to have to do them alot in the Navy and it's just one of those basic things that you should master.  I like to practice them because you can clearly see and feel your progress the more you do them. Also this week I am going to try to ease my way back into eating vegetarian. I truly and honestly feel a huge difference in the way my body feels and reacts when I don't eat meat. I have way more energy and I don't feel like taking a nap after I eat or feel super bloated after a meal. Well I bid you all good luck this week in any and all of your endeavours.  I am so hyped and ready for this new week! 

Shantece G.

Music:

  1. Beyonce - Upgrade U
  2. Notorious B.I.G. - Juicy
  3. Jax Jones - Instruction Ft. Demi Lovato & Stefflon Don
  4. Wiz Khalifa - Letterman
  5. Alien Antfarm - Smooth Criminal

Workouts:

Like I said, I am going to incorporate push ups into my routine this week. I will add this set of three different push ups at the end of my workout. I'm going to attempt 10 of each. I might have to end up doing them from my knees depending on how terrible I've gotten and /or how tired I am after the workout. 

 

So this would be your standard push up. Hands and arms should be positioned about under your shoulders. I tend to bend my elbows outward, but I am going to practice keeping them close to my body as shown here.  (10x's)

So this would be your standard push up. Hands and arms should be positioned about under your shoulders. I tend to bend my elbows outward, but I am going to practice keeping them close to my body as shown here.  (10x's)

These are Wide-grip push ups. I honestly like to do these better. It just seems easier for me. Either way it hurts different muscles than just doing regular push ups. Make sure your arms/hands are positioned wider than your shoulders.  (10x's)

These are Wide-grip push ups. I honestly like to do these better. It just seems easier for me. Either way it hurts different muscles than just doing regular push ups. Make sure your arms/hands are positioned wider than your shoulders.  (10x's)

These are so much fun, and such a challenge. Diamond push ups are awesome! You basically create a diamond shape with your hands which creates a close-grip form. This also targets different muscles. These are not easy for me at all, but I do like to …

These are so much fun, and such a challenge. Diamond push ups are awesome! You basically create a diamond shape with your hands which creates a close-grip form. This also targets different muscles. These are not easy for me at all, but I do like to keep my feet apart when attempting these because it makes it slightly easier to manage your balance.  (10x's)

Recipe:

Since I am trying to get back to eating vegetarian again, I thought I would find a tasty recipe to go along with it! I personally like tofu and don't mind its texture. I think for most people trying this recipe will give them a different perspective. Enjoy!

Coconut Tofu w/ Spicy Sauce

Recipe Link: https://www.seasonlycreations.com/coconut-tofu-with-spicy-sauce/

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Never Miss a Monday Pt. 2

Another Monday is slowly approaching again. I used to dread mondays because it meant that my freedom was gone and I had to go back to the rigmarole of working again. Now that I'm a student the lines of freedom and responsibility have blurred and my weekends are now spent doing homework and studying. So to me the weekend just isn't as exciting to me anymore. With the new outlook I have on life, Mondays are starting to look more appealing. It's the start of a new week, it's a way to sort of cleanse your mind of the past and start fresh again. Last week I didn't meet my gym goal of doing my fasted cardio for 5 days, all though I did do more than the week prior, so win? But I'm not going to dwell on that. I have a new week and new goals to achieve. So  here are this week's challenges. 

Shantece G.

Music:

  1. Darude, "Sandstorm"   (What a throwback!)
  2. Azealia Banks "212" ft. Lazy Jay
  3. J-Lo "Booty" ft. Pitbull
  4. Papa Roach "Last Resort"
  5. Jason Derulo "Swalla" ft. Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign

Workout:

So, I really like the fasted cardio and I'm going to continue doing that again this week. My goal is to actually get through all 5 days this time. I am also adding upper body workouts into the mix. I will incorporate the following 4 exercises every other day on top of my fasted cardio. This week I'm also going to be joined by my boyfriend which is great! I think that having the right kind of support and structure is key to meeting your health goals. 

 

Bench Press 4x10 with challenging weight

Bench Press 4x10 with challenging weight

Bent over rows 4x10 with challenging weight

Bent over rows 4x10 with challenging weight

Dumbbell curls 4x10 with challenging weight

Dumbbell curls 4x10 with challenging weight

Tricep pull downs 4x10 with challenging weight

Tricep pull downs 4x10 with challenging weight

Recipe:

I love soup and I love curry so when I saw this recipe I knew that I had to try it. There aren't any really crazy ingredients to find and I hate complicated recipes so this one should turn out all right. It's vegan and paleo friendly to boot so that's always a plus. 

 https://reciperunner.com/thai-sweet-potato-carrot-soup/

THAI SWEET POTATO CARROT SOUP

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