My Fitness goals

Setting goals gives me a long term vision and short term motivation. Sounds like I know what I’m talking about, right? ha ha.

Seriously though. It focuses me in a way and helps me organize my time to make the most out of what I’m working towards. It needs to be challenging but achievable. I track my workouts whenever I do them and post my weekly workout schedule for the previous week on my blog each Monday morning.

Sometimes it’s tough. I always need to remember you’re only one workout from a good mood. I cannot stress that enough. I’ve had a few hard days, and just heading into work out and finishing it up makes me in such a better mood. Working out also keeps me much more alert and I really do have much more energy when I work out throughout the week, than on those weeks where I skip.

My favorite photo I’ve taken of the Boyfriend at one of his many races.

It doesn’t hurt that I have a boyfriend that works out (even more!) than I do – so I almost get a sense of regret if I don’t work out as often as I had planned. Seeing him strive, reach his goals through hard work really pushes me to be a better person in life. Stay motivated, and to stay on track.

I always like to keep up on my weekly fitness plan and say that I’ll go workout so many times per week, write down my workouts on my blog, so I can keep track of my workouts and what I’ve achieved that week.

I am not a professional athlete or anything, so I of course do it for the pure bliss I get from going to workout classes, or climbing.

It’s good to keep my goals realistic. For instance, instead of saying “I want to lose x-pounds by x-date” probably isn’t the best way to go about it. Instead, start thinking more along the lines of “I will run 3 times this week for x-minutes, and next week I’ll run 4 times for longer x-minutes.”

Goals that I have accomplished, which currently keeps me completely motivated is competing and doing well in climbing competitions.

This photo is a few years old since I haven’t been in a top-rop climbing competition and placing second in the Women’s division.  I have to say, I felt like I crushed it that day. I remember it so well. In fact, this photo of me was published on the front page of my local newspaper back home in Newfoundland. The first place woman who beat me, had her hand better secured on the exact same hold as me. We fell in the same spot on the 2nd route we had to climb, because we both made it to the top of this crimpy route. Man. Just typing it makes my fingertips  sweat!

One of my favorite photos of me bouldering (a different style of climbing) back in December.

Here’s a more recent photo of me, climbing a 5.10 (rating of the route) at the local climbing gym here in Ontario, that I go to.

However, I do have goals that I’m working towards getting better at my hand stand push ups, and to climb much more often than I’m doing now. I ended up taking the entire summer off. I think the last time I climbed was when I was with Stephanie. It seems way too long ago :( I’m actually thinking of recruiting some GTA bloggers to come out here and try indoor rock climbing. People like Morgan, Jess, Robyn, Angela, and Krysten! Wouldn’t that be fun!?

So, I’d love to know what some of your goals, or what goals you’ve already accomplished in your life time. Have you ever ran a marathon? Tell me about it in the comments, or share it on Under Armour’s What’s Beautiful contest for women.

Under Armour Women are encouraged to share their fitness journeys and receive free gear, and support from Under Armour along the way. Super exciting right? All ya gotta do it share some goals you’re working towards or already accomplished. So easy to enter!

The 10 women with the most awesome #WhatsBeautiful journeys will win a trip to Florida (omg I’ve never been) to the Under Armou Women’s Camp Sweat, where you will train with the BEST. AHH!!

I already know of a few people who should definitely enter. Leanne from Fresh Season, and definitely Jill from Bluegrass Belle. Whattta ya think ladies? You going to join in on the What’s Beautiful fun?

What’s Beautiful entrants are eligible to win prizes. Contest is open to residents of Canada and the USA, however you have to be older than 13 to enter.

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Let’s talk boobs

That’s right folks. This blog post is going to be all about boobies — more specifically taming them.

For me, it’s difficult to make the time to do all the exercising activities I want to in the run of the week, and since I’m not willing to do it in the morning I’m left with working out after work, or on the weekends. I find that most people stick to what they love, whether it be running or going to the gym. Not a lot of people cross train, which I think is important to prevent injury. I learned that the hard way two summer’s ago when I busted up my ankle at soccer.

My battle as I said, is trying to find the time to do all of the sports I enjoy. I received an e-mail recently from my former soccer team mate asking me if I was going to jump on board and sign up for outdoor this season. After a weeks thought, I declined. The primary reason that I decided not to go into it this year was I felt like I wasn’t bringing anything to the team last year. I wasn’t pushing it hard on the field, I generally wasn’t happy even being on the field whatsoever. Legs (my favorite nick name ever) lost her mojo.

Soccer used to be “my” sport, until I discovered CrossFit that is. Climbing is still hovering in a close second place, but since I’ve been climbing since 1994 I feel like it will always be there and it doesn’t need to be a front runner. I’m juggling between getting in enough days at the CrossFit box, and climbing. Some days I’m sore from CF, and can’t climb. Oh, it’s a vicious cycle.

All three of these sporting events have something in common. No, not indecent exposure, in fact it’s the opposite. If you’re female, you’re probably going to want to wear a bra while working out, right? Tank top, optional. At least at the places that I seem to frequent. Don’t worry Mom, I wear clothes over top of my bra’s.

Or bra’s over top of my clothes. Because you know, that’s normal. It was for a Breast Cancer cause I organized. Most women nowadays wear bras, unless … you don’t need/want to. That’s cool. But I like to wear them all the time, especially when exercising. Let’s take running for example. We do a lot of sprints and 1km loops around the block at CrossFit. Wearing a supportive bra when you’re going all out trying to catch the person ahead of you, you’re going to not want to have any bouncing issues. Not like it happens to me with the size I am.

A few weeks ago I was in contact with a representative from Under Armour and got the chance to review a brand spanking new bra from them, the Armour Bra.

The most expensive bra I now own. It better be good! It retails for $69.99.

I can’t believe I’m modeling a bra on my website. But hey, it’s pretty full coverage and you’re not seeing much. I cropped it because you know, you don’t want to see too much sexiness going on here. Ya know what I mean? Uh huh. That’s what I’ll keep telling myself. This is a family safe blog after all.

All of the Armour Bra’s are color coordinated to the cup size. B cup’s are blue. C’s are pink (I kinda want the pink!!).

So, what do I think of the Armour Bra? The compression bra was something I thought I had to get used to but it wasn’t bad at all. I have a few sports bras which are difficult to get off over my shoulders but this one isn’t thanks to the adjusting band on the back like a regular bra. While I felt secure in the bra I didn’t feel like it had an exact fit, and I can’t exactly pinpoint why. Under Armour has amazing potential and already works for so many people. I’m an in between size and it’s difficult to get things to fit me properly. I measure at 33 inches around, so I went with my safe bet at a 34B. Apparently (and I believe so because I own both sizes) 32C and 34B are the same bra cup/size as one Victoria’s Secret consultant once told me. So I’m not sure if I would’ve done better with the 32 or not.

Inside the bra there are modesty cups, which are removable for quick drying if you had a hard workout session. I definitely took advantage of that feature after a few CrossFit WOD’s and had swoob (sweaty boob) happening. Doesn’t everyone? Too much information? Sorry. I’m like that.

I ended up wearing it to CrossFit a handful of times and I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m not a 100% on this $69.99 bra. The most irritating thing about it is the height of the back straps. I’m pointing to them in the second photo of where I had the issue.

I was doing a workout which consisted of a lot of push-presses, toes to bar, and box jumps. Any time I jumped up to the bar and started doing T2B’s I had to step down and readjust the bra to pull the straps back almost like I was re-adjusting my shirt so the seams would sit in place. I’m not sure if it’s because I got a size that didn’t fit me perfectly (but I’m pretty sure I know my bra size). The back strap around the base of my neck rose up making me feel like I was hunched. It was a strange feeling and I tried wearing different tank tops with it, and I still had that same issue.

That doesn’t mean that I’m not going to ever wear this bra again. I loved the coverage, and it stayed in place when I was jumping on and off the 20 inch boxes when doing the box jumps at CrossFit, the tata’s felt secured that way. The bra is seamless so no irritation or rubbing on your skin when moving about and sweating. It didn’t give me mono-boob. You know that typical sports bra look where your boobs look smooshed together? They didn’t look that way with the Under Armour bra. They separated and looked as if I was wearing a regular bra. It’s the little things that matter. It had me feeling assured, except for that riding up issue. But those exercises don’t happen very often at CrossFit, so maybe on the days I know we’re doing more strength or cardio and not doing pullups or toes to bar exercises, I can sport it.

Thanks again to Under Armour letting me have this opportunity to review the new Armour Bra!

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