What I ate... (Sunday 5/3)

I'm back for another round of WIAW!  Thanks, as always, for hosting, Jenn Laura!

Yesterday (Sunday) was a random day of eating for me, everything started off pretty normal with my usual egg white pizza and some peanut butter oatmeal...

Recycled picture, but you get the idea..

I've had a lot of people ask me what I do with my yolks since I only buy whole eggs - they go to the dogs!  Egg yolks are full of nutrients and are great for their coats - plus they are a cheap way to bump up the calorie count of their dry food, and they absolutely love them!  Lily is still on a diet so she only gets 2, but Miss Bella desperately needs to gain some weight so she gets the rest!

 I spent the next few hours doing my weekly meal prep and doing some chores around the house (my usual Sunday routine - super exciting!).  My next meal is where things got weird - in preparation for an epic leg day, I had some Ben & Jerry's PB Half Baked and 2 scoops of Cellucor whey protein. And by 'some' Ben & Jerry's I mean the whole pint, obviously...  This is a limited edition flavor and is my current favorite - I hope they keep it around!

Pre-workout meal of champions!

I drank some C4 about an hour after my pre-workout feast and headed to the gym for a 2 hour leg day!  I guess between the C4, ice cream, and it having been well over a week since I had a quality leg lift I was just ready to go in there and kill it!

I followed my lift with 2 more scoops of Cellucor Whey (unpictured) to try to keep my muscles fed and provide them with the protein necessary to recover properly.  I love Cellucor's products - they have been a favorite of mine for years! If you want to try some for yourself, you can use code NBLYFIT at checkout (only through Cellucor's website) for 25% off your entire order!  The code never expires, so feel free to use it as often as you'd like!  Plus, if you give them your email address you will also get free shipping - that's tough to beat!

I went home and had some work to do on the computer, and enjoyed an Isopure drink while I hammered out some inventories - these are pretty expensive so I don't drink them often, but after all that ice cream earlier my appetite wasn't quite back yet, and I knew I needed some more protein so this worked out perfectly!  This has no fat or carbs - and no weird stuff in it - just protein!  The flavor is really good too and it doesn't weigh you down like some protein shakes can.

A couple hours later I finally got hungry again - I made a dinner consisting of brown rice, peas, chicken, and goat cheese, eaten tupperware style.

Hi, Lil!

And thats it - thanks to proper planning and utilizing IIFYM, my daily total was only 3014 calories (98 fat, 241 carbs, 274 protein) - not too shabby considering almost 1200 of those calories came from ice cream!  Hopefully it will help me gain some weight (spoiler alert - it didn't).  Check back tomorrow for a bi-weekly update and a sneak peak of my most recent posing practice (it's been almost 2 years since I've had posing practice - it was... interesting.).

Five Things Friday (4/17)

It’s been quite awhile since I've linked up with Clare for a Five Things Friday Post, but this week there is just too much I am loving not to share some of them!

First of all, I am LOVING warm weather!  Summer comes early in Georgia (MUCH earlier than I’m used to, being from Pennsylvania) and I couldn't be happier!  I think a trip to my favorite flip-flop wall is definitely in order.

Secondly, I am super excited for the upcoming travel plans we have!  This time next week, we will be with John’s parents, taking in my favorite view, with my favorite people!

AND we just booked our flights to PA to see my parents at the end of May!  I cannot wait to see them – since I moved we only get to see them about twice a year and I am so looking forward to getting back up there!

Third, CELLUCOR!  I am lucky enough to be working with this amazing company now, and as a result of that I get to offer all of YOU 25% off your entire order at cellucor.com by using code NBLYFIT at checkout – you will also get FREE SHIPPING if you sign up for their email list.  I absolutely love their products and have been using them for years – they are a great company and have some really incredible products, and I am so excited to be working with them.

Their preworkout, C4, is fantastic – and they have some of the best tasting protein (and fun flavors)!  My favorites are Peanut Butter Marshmallow, COR-fetti, SMORES, and Molten Chocolate – they have some other great flavors (Red Velvet?!) that I am looking forward to trying in the future.

They have also just recently launched a whole new line of products, I haven’t gotten to try any of them YET, but I have heard only good things – and based on my experiences with Cellucor’s products I don’t doubt that they will be great!

If you are looking for high-quality, cheap (hello 25% off) supplements to aid in your fitness journey, check them out!  And if you have any questions about any of their products, let me know :-)

Fourth – Counting Crows is touring again! They are easily my all-time favorite band, and I have seen them live more times than I can count.  I missed them last year, and was bummed, but am already looking at tickets for this year.  And an added bonus? They are touring with Citizen Cope, one of John’s (and my) favorites – they always tour with some amazing people, and this is no exception.  I can’t wait to see them!

And last, but absolutely not least, is this guy.  

Tomorrow marks 18 months with John, and I just have to take a second to get a little mushy.  I love this man with every ounce of my being – he is my very best friend and my other half.  He is so good to me, and makes me happier than I have ever been – I am so blessed to have him in my life.

I love you so much John, thank you for everything you do for me – for always loving me even when I don’t deserve it – for showing me that there is still hope for love when I thought there wasn’t – for making me a better person – for taking care of me and for always being there, no matter what.  You have made the past 18 months the very best 18 months of my life, I can’t wait to see what the next 18 months, years, and lifetimes have in store for us.

Ok, that’s all I have for today – I hope you all have a great weeked!

What are some of your favorites lately?

What I ate... (Tuesday, 4/14)

Since my WIAW posts are usually WIAS(Saturday or Sunday), I figured I’d do one today showing my meals on a weekday instead – typically my weekday eats are the same all week – the only thing that will change is the post workout meal (depending if it is a day off or not) and my dinner.  I like keeping my weeks structured because it makes my life easier (less thought = easier in my world) and by keeping my meals a little “cleaner” during the week, I can afford to slide a little more on weekends without suffering too many consequences.

I wanted to make this kind of a “day in the life” post too – I love reading other about other people’s days so maybe someone out there wants to read about mine? Maybe? Well, here it is anyway:

5:30 AM wake-up call!  I actually set 2 alarms prior to this (5 and 5:15) but 5:30 is usually the winner – sometimes 5:45 if I’m feeling really risky.  I get up and get ready for my day – wash my face, get dressed, straighten my hair, grab my meals from the fridge (thank God for Sunday meal prep – I could never prep my meals everyday – kudos if you do though!), and wake the Princess up to go out before I leave for the day.

If she had a choice, she would not move from this bed for 23 hours out of the day...

 6:30 AM out the door.  It takes me about an hour to get to work, so I have to be out the door no later than 6:30…

7:30 AM arrive at work - turn on my computer, dread opening my emails, and get on with my day.

8:30 AM breakfast!  During the week I don’t eat breakfast first thing in the morning, I usually don’t have an appetite at 5:30 or the patience to make food – 8:30 is a good time for me, gives me a chance to fully wake up and actually get hungry before I force down a meal.  Breakfast during the week is not typical: tuna, brown rice, and peas – with Roasted Red Pepper Italian Dressing.

Noon  lunch!  My second meal of the day is broccoli, more brown rice, chicken, and Roasted Red Pepper Italian Dressing (I love that stuff).

2 PM  we usually try to take a walk sometime around 2 – we walk for half an hour or so around the site – it is a great break after having been in the office for 6 ½ hours already, and from spending most of that time sitting in front of a computer.

3:30 PM my third meal of the day is my pre-workout meal, eaten about 2 hours before I will start lifting.  Chicken, sweet potatoes, parmesan cheese, topped with Sriracha sauce – this is my absolute favorite meal of the day.

4 PM leave work, head to the gym.  I have another hour drive ahead of me, so I won’t get to the gym until right about 5.  I drink my pre-workout on the way, usually around 4:45.

5 PM arrive at the gym – change into my workout clothes, and lift!  Yesterday was shoulders and some ab work – my workout lasted about an hour and a half and immediately after I was done I drank my post-workout shake: Cellucor Corperformance Whey & pure Dextrose Powder.

Dextrose (aka glucose) is a simple sugar that is easily and quickly absorbed by the body, making it a great post workout choice – it helps to replenish glucose lost during exercise so that your muscles can recover and GROW.

7 PM I am finally home!  I hang out with John and Lily for a few minutes before I run upstairs to shower – then I either spend the next couple hours doing chores, or lounging around with my man and the princess.  Last night in particular I spent most of my time making sure John was OK – he came down with the flu and it hit him pretty hard, poor guy :(

Around 9:30 PM I eat my final meal of the day – eggs!  I love having breakfast foods for dinner, and dinner foods for breakfast – is that weird?  My last meal of the day varies during the week and will usually be something I make for John and I, but anytime he isn’t hungry (like last night, since he was sick) or if he is working, I make myself eggs for dinner.  I love this meal so much!  6 egg whites, 2 whole eggs, cheddar cheese, sugar free ketchup, toast, spray butter, and jelly.

And that’s a “day in the life” and WIAW - for yesterday.  I really enjoy doing reading these from other people, and I think they’re fun to do myself, so look forward to seeing them a couple times a month!  Thanks again for hosting, Jenn!

Oh, and before I go (if you follow me on IG or Twitter you probably already saw this), this happened a few days ago... And MAY lead to more things happening, in 12ish weeks...

My Daily Supplements

A supplement is defined as:
· a thing added to something else in order to complete or enhance it.
· a substance taken to remedy the deficiencies in a person's diet

Supplements are not “magic pills” by any means, but when added to a proper diet and exercise program, they help to fill in the holes that even a good diet can miss – and help to give you an advantage over your health and fitness goals.



I take quite a few supplements – ranging from a general health viewpoint to bodybuilding goals to things like hair and skin health, I wanted to give you a look at what I take everyday, and what the purpose behind each supplement is.



Every morning I take 2 things – the first is Yohimbe, I take this on an empty stomach first thing in the morning, Yohimbe is shown to support fat loss, increase blood flow in the body, and support energy levels. The second thing I take is a multi-vitamin, in this case, One a Day Women’s Active Metabolism – I take this with my first meal of the day – it has an assortment of vitamins and minerals necessary for active women.



Every night I take a larger assortment of pills – I tend to take a majority of my supplements at night as it is said that by taking them at night you are giving your body a better chance to fully absorb them, I’m not sure if that’s true or not but I have stuck by it for years!

-Fish Oil is an Essential Fatty Acid (EFA) – one of the biggest benefits found in supplementing with EFA’s is heart health, but other benefits include: nervous system health, brain, eye, and joint health.

-Acidophilus is a probiotic which is ‘healthy bacteria’ found in your intestines and aids in digestion and the proper absorbtion of nutrients from the food you eat – I highly recommend this especially for those on higher protein diets, your insides will thank you!

-Calcium Magnesium & Zinc – this is a great product that gives you 3 incredible minerals together (you can buy them all separately too): Calcium promotes bone health, Magnesium aids in the contraction and relaxation of muscles, and Zinc is essential for protein and carbohydrate metabolism as well as immune system health.

-Biotin plays a key role in the growth and maintenance of hair, skin, mails, and bone tissue and also aids in the metabolism of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.

-Osteo Bi-Flex (or any blend of glucosamine and chondroitin) is, in my opinion, essential for anyone training with weights. Weight training can take a toll on your joints and this is a great product that may help save your joints!



I need to take a second here to mention my current favorite fat burner; Commander by 1st Phorm – this is a great product if you are trying to lose some extra weight – it helps to lessen your cravings and gives great energy without feeling jittery – and there is no crash! If you have taken fat burners before, you know how bad the crash can be – I have tried a lot of different fat burners over the past few years and this one in my new favorite!



I cannot express enough the importance of a good protein supplement – these are great for when you are running a little short on your protein goals for the day, or for immediately after a workout – I will always promote whole food over protein powder, but we have to be realistic and know that sometimes all you have time for (or all you really want, for that matter) is a shake.. I can’t tell you how many times I haven’t had an appetite, but knew I needed to get more calories in – shakes are perfect for this. They are also a great option to add to a meal like oatmeal to get some extra protein. I go through phases with protein (as you can see), but everything shown is fantastic and highly recommended!

I love a good preworkout too – after working all day I don’t get a chance to workout until sometime around 6 PM, and by then I need a little extra kick to get me going – everything pictured is great (I go through a lot of these too – obviously) – and as for the caffeine pills, I will take one of these before a lift if I am out of pre-workout, or whenever I need a little oomph during the day!



That’s everything for today – a look at my pill-habit ;-)

If there is anything you guys want to hear more about please feel free to let me know, I am always up for suggestions!