Mind-Body Connection

I have had some problems getting the muscle growth I want when working out, especially when it comes to symmetrical growth. Lack of muscle growth can happen for various reasons - diet, improper form, not working out enough, etc.

I’ve talked about this problem before in my blog. My main issue right now is symmetry. My right side, which is my dominant side, isn’t progressing like the left. How that happens, is really a mystery. You would think the dominant side would be more muscular. I, first, noticed it in my quads. My right leg just looked fat and the left was toned. Then I noticed it in my arms and calves. Disproportioned body parts are normal. Please understand that. None of us have perfectly symmetrical bodies. If you do, you’re a friggin’ unicorn!

If you are into bodybuilding, having less muscle growth on one side can become a problem to conquer. There are ways to help muscle growth and look symmetrical:

1.) Do a couple more sets on the side of the body that isn’t getting enough muscle growth.

2.) Work out each side independently.

And I was, recently, introduced to 3.) Use the “Mind- Body Connection”.

The Mind-Body Connection is the art of focusing your mind precisely and accurately on the exercise and, more specifically, the body part you’re working on. This will maximize the benefit of your training session, minimize injury risk and is a greater stress reliever.

The “Mind-Body Connection” method is used in other wellness workouts such as yoga/pilates, muscle relaxation, relaxation breathing, mental and physical rehabilitation.

Before I began using this method, I never felt like I worked out hard enough. I would be sore the next day but I felt like something was missing. Just because you’re sore the next day, that doesn’t mean you had an effective workout. Sure, you may have some results but it’s important to maximize your results and you can do that by using the Mind-Body Connection method.

This is how it works. If you are working your quads, visualize in your mind the quad contracting with full range and controlled motion. Then proceed with the exercise. Stay focused on the quad. Don’t let your mind wander to another subject. Go slow. Don’t jerk the weight. Feel the muscle relax as you release the weight. Didn’t do it right? Start over until you get it right.

Be patient with yourself. It takes some practice. I have a short attention span sometimes so it was pretty hard for me at first. I do better in an empty gym so I like to do my weight training in the middle of the night. It fits my schedule since I work evenings too. No one hogging the machines and you have the whole place to yourself!

I’m sure this can work for cardio too. You can try this meditation during a long steady cardio session or even HIIT. I’ve tried it to ease my shin pain during HIIT. Don’t get me wrong. Pain means you need to rest. Listen to your body when it’s in pain.

If you’re looking for quality workouts from here on out with maximum results, try this out!

My Complete “Trip to California” Fail

I made my somewhat last minute arrangements to attend my cousin’s wedding a couple weeks ago. I was super excited to see her and my other cousins and family. I was elated she was getting married to her honey. It was a beautiful wedding. At the Flower Farm in Loomis, CA. Silky chickens, hilarious and in mating season - picture chicken porn up-close and personal. (I’ve been scarred for life!) Fragrant flowers everywhere. Cabins for the bridal party. The short ceremony was outside on the lawn. A little warm outside. The audience was a mix of both sides’ family and friends including the bride’s father’s fire department family. The groom and his groomsmen wearing suspenders and flat caps. The bridesmaids danced down the aisle to Abba’s “Dancing Queen”. The bride’s niece was dressed in a lavender princess dress and was accompanied by the bride’s youngest son with a sign, “Hey Dad! Here comes our girl!”. She looked timeless and incredibly beautiful. The ceremony was officiated by a close family friend, a firefighter. I was glad to be a witness to such a wonderful union. We walked a short distance to a cocktail hour by the koi pond. There was fruit infused water and pink lemonade, an array of fruits and a few other refreshments waiting for us before we went into the reception venue. Upon entering the reception hall, they had a photo booth outside – so much fun! Dinner was a trifecta - prime rib, herbed chicken, and tilapia. Sides were asparagus, mashed potatoes with caramelized onions and salad….all buffet style served by hired servers. The bride and groom danced to Jason Mraz’s “Lucky”.  The father of the bride (my uncle) and bride performed a memorable dance to Tim McGraw’s “My Little Girl” and then broke it down to “Tequila”….and then my uncle sang Billy Idol’s “White Wedding Day” to her. I got it on video. Our families danced the night away and we enjoyed a sweets bar. It was a time to remember with family and new friends made.

(My mom and I in the photo booth.)

I did all kinds of planning for my trip a week in advance. I made a meal calendar for the four days I would be traveling to California. I went grocery shopping. I did my food prep. It was time consuming but it was the only way I would succeed, assuming I even had a chance. I mean the weekend was filled with wedding festivities, my family is part Mexican, and it was a Cinco de Mayo weekend. I was still prepared and ready to embark on this little adventure. Sneaky son of a….! It was a big test. I FAILED. Miserably.

I had all my meals with me minus 2 meals because I knew I would be eating the dinner at the wedding and I was able to have a cheat meal on Cinco de Mayo. I did need to go shopping for a couple things at the grocery store for breakfast items – tomato, avocado, berries and oatmeal. No biggie. I handled that after the gym on Saturday. I was set for the rest of my weekend. Wrong! Keep reading…..

While I was there, I googled the closest Anytime Fitness. 5 miles away from my aunt’s house – perfect! I did 2 cardio sessions - 30 minutes of HIIT. Once on Saturday morning and once on Sunday morning. I didn’t weight train because I was having pretty bad body aches. I had already done one full body session earlier in the week. I’m supposed to do 3 a week though (1 upper body, 1 lower, and 1 full body). Seriously though, my chronic body pain has been pretty bad lately so it’s been keeping me from actually getting to the gym to get those weight training sessions in. It is so difficult to get out of bed. It takes me at least 30 min to an hour to get up after my alarm goes off. I end up falling back asleep so I have 2 alarms. Because of this problem, I have been doing midnight weight training workouts after work – much more effective because I am in less pain by that time. However, I don’t have the energy I used to get from working out first thing in the morning. I get my cardio in after work or when I get up and just jump on my flimsy elliptical I have in my bedroom. I thought I would get a weight training session in while I was in CA but that didn’t happen. Just in too much pain. Doing the HIIT was pretty intense on my body. It was a miracle I was able to endure 30 minutes of it.

On Friday, my travel day, I did okay at first. Ate my first two meals as planned. We got to our hotel and we tried to check in only to find out we didn’t have a reservation. The hotel was booked. We weren’t staying there. We researched hotels in the area. Many were booked or just disgusting. I had to eat so I had the chef warm up my food I brought. We headed to my aunt’s house where we stayed the rest of the weekend. I hurried to get ready to go out with my cousins. It was the bride’s “last night out”. We went to Red Lobster. Grilled salmon, asparagus and a couple of shrimp from the shrimp cocktail. I had to have the cheddar bay biscuits. I see bread and I have to have it! I have no willpower when it comes to bread! It’s my kryptonite…especially those biscuits! Afterward, we went to the casino and the bar threw itself in front of me. I had a celebratory lemon drop shot with my cousins and then I had 2 grape vodka/sprites. Then I lost $20 on the Wizard of Oz machine. :(

Saturday, I ate a great breakfast according to my meal plan. Was fine until I got to the wedding dinner part. More drinks. Scarlet Letters (Amaretto and cranberry). THREE! A glass of white wine and ½ a glass of champagne for the toast. I went light on the food. Sorta. I had asparagus and chicken and very little mashed potatoes. Then, they opened the sweets bar after cake cutting. HAVE MERCY! You don’t even wanna know!.....but I will tell you. Crème brulee, raspberry fudge, sour balls, marshmallows, peanut brittle, mini cupcakes, M&Ms…I didn’t have everything though.

Sunday was Cinco de Mayo and I said to myself, “Self, you need to get back on your meal plan. SELF!” So I ate another great breakfast. It was my high carb day so I was happy to eat oatmeal and strawberries. This was also supposed to be my “one cheat meal” day. We had leftovers from the wedding. More Scarlet Letters. Jello shots. Chips and guacamole/salsa. All the yummy stuff Mexicans eat on Cinco de Mayo.

Monday, I was on my way back to Texas. I ate my low carb breakfast before I left my aunt’s house. Had my snack at the airport and then I boarded the plane. I was ok until the second stretch. I asked for tomato juice – the Bloody Mary mix and the attendant gave me an actual Bloody Mary. Free. I wasn’t gonna turn it down or tell her she made the wrong drink. LOL Airfare is already overpriced. I drank my free drink!

Then I went to my friend’s bar when I got off the plane. Didn’t drink at her bar but when she ended her shift we went to another bar and I had my last Scarlet Letter.

I knew I failed the rest of my trip so it was whatever at that point. I’d start over the next day. I am actually surprised I didn’t gain more weight while I was there. But the weight scale is a tricky thing. One day you will be 2 lbs heavier than you were the last time you weighed yourself and the next you’ve lost 2 lbs and a couple more. My weight hasn’t fluctuated at all since I started carb cycling. Luckily, I am back down again after a couple days of being back home. Still have 8 lbs to lose before June 1^st. I am back on my training plan full force. No cheat meals this week! I don’t deserve it. BAD D’ANNA! LOL I even did 2 rounds of cardio in a 12 hour period. I won’t do that every day but I felt like it needed to be done. I’ve done plenty of reading. It is recommended anywhere between 30-60 minutes a day 5-6 times a week accompanied with resistance weight training for weight loss. (Note: Please do your own research. I’m not an expert and I don’t personally recommend any training plan.) My trainer has me doing 2 days of HIIT and 3 days of long steady cardio aka the elliptical. That’s 5 days of cardio a week.

Some important things I learned through this trip….

1.     Don’t rely on cardio to do all the work for you. You still have to eat clean. Nutrition + Working out = Real Results!

2.     You can’t just do cardio and expect real changes to happen either. You have to lift some weights too. Resistance training is pretty important. Please read this article when you get a chance:

“When Does Cardio Become Too Much of a Good Thing?”: http://www.lifetime-weightloss.com/blog/2013/5/4/when-does-cardio-become-too-much-of-a-good-thing.html?utm_source=WL&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=20130505~Flourish~WLIN3045&utm_content=MX~T0&utm_term=

3.     Stick to the meal plan. If you stray away from it, it’s going to bite you in the ass. I gained weight after the 4 days I was gone. It was only 2 lbs but for a girl that is trying to gain muscle and lose fat, that was a little disappointing. I only have myself to blame. I put those delicious alcoholic beverages and sweets into my mouth. I absolutely love bread! And I couldn’t resist it on my low carb days when everyone else was eating it. DANG YOU, BREAD, FOR TASTING SO DARN DELICIOUS! There is a reason I don’t buy it. Even the Ezekial bread. I can’t have just one piece! So ridiculous!

4.     "If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!" - Benjamin Franklin. Well, you can plan all you want. I did crazy OCD-level preparation for this trip. If you fail to stay focused on what needs to be done in order for that plan to succeed, there is always the consequence of failure. It’s inevitable. You have to execute the plan…every detail! I learned to be detail-oriented in the Air Force. I still have that value instilled in most aspects of my life. However, it still is easy to deviate from a well thought out plan. I didn’t follow my plan and my results will reflect it. There may be obstacles but it’s up to you to stay focused on the prize.

5.     Stay focused.

Wow, I was really honest there. That was exhausting. LOL

Thank you to any and all my readers. I really don’t know how many people actually keep up with my blog or my FB blog page. It’s more of a diary, hence the subtitle “Diary of a Lazy Girl on a Mission to Get Healthy and Fit.” Anyways, thank you for reading it. Please feel free to comment.