Cardio Takes a Beating

If you know me at all, you know that I have always hated cardio. Whenever cardio made its way on my plan I tend to fight it. Cardio to me is dreaded, until now.

Just recently I had to find a way to get through the cardio sessions that faced me leading up to my next competition. I knew that if I wanted to become better, I was going to have to get through each cardio session without any skipping.

Leading up to a cardio session I would negotiate with myself, "maybe just 10 minutes less" or "maybe I can cut the sessions in half". Knowing that I couldn't make excuses for myself, I sought out ways to make the dreaded cardio tolerable.


YouTube- Search Motivational Speech

First, Lindsay Messina suggested that I listen to motivational or self improvement speeches. IMMEDIATELY I noticed a difference. I think it was because my mind was focused on the words and not the time left on the read out. Also, I love self improvement and finding ways to improve myself or impact the lives of others. Listening to motivational speeches through YouTube was proving to be an excellent way to fight back and take cardio head on. Jump on to YouTube and search "motivational speech".

Second, I started to associate a reward or positive outcome with finishing cardio. During cardio when I was ready to give up, I reminded myself of the feeling of accomplishment that came from completing cardio. I focus on controlling the feelings associated with activities I don't necessarily enjoy.

Believe in Yourself

Finally, I took the time to have comfortable clothes and shoes. Good shoes for cardio really work wonders. For running, I invested in a great pair of Asics that were meant for running. It immediately helped with any discomfort I was getting in my legs, mainly my shins. It is important to wear the right clothing. If you don't already wear a sports bra to the gym, you should stop and get one ASAP. Comfortable workout clothes really help you get in your workout and maximize your efforts. The right top, I prefer a tank top and the right bottoms will make all the difference.

Some of my favorite places to pick up workout clothes are Target, Marshall's, and TJ Maxx. They have great quality workout clothes, fun colors, and they won't break your bank. I always find fun sports bras and sports tops for the gym. A little tip for when you are picking out your bottoms, stretch the fabric (while they are on the hanger) in the booty and see if you can see through it. If you can, chances are they are going to be see through in the gym. I am a stickler and very picky when it comes to picking out great bottoms. My absolute favorite crops are from Lululemon, but they are a little bit of an investment for me.

Hopefully these tips not only help you conquer cardio in the gym, but every workout in the gym. Full effort in the gym is very important and it is fully possible when you have the right tools.

What things help you maximize your time in the gym?

To, Too, Two, and 2

To, Too, Two, and 2... although I know they all mean something different, they all sound the same to me and at this point the sound of TWO makes me think of only one thing...

We are TWO weeks out from WBFF LA, April 26th

Countless hours of meal prep, gym time, posing practice, and self-empowerment all to improve myself for this stage. I would honestly be completely fibbing you if I told you it was an easy road to this point. My mental and physical strength have been tested, shifted, and downright challenged in this process. The most rewarding part of this journey is the fact that I am still standing.

When life comes at us in all kinds of directions, when life challenges us beyond what we think we are capable of handling, it is up to us to persevere. I promise you, there is no greater feeling than coming out on the other side of your challenges, looking back with pride when you see what you have overcome, and looking forward for the next challenge.

My story is probably no different than a lot of people's. When I was a young girl and growing up through high school, I had some of the biggest insecurities and an overwhelming fear of judgment and failure. I never felt comfortable in my own skin, I never felt like I fit in, and I was constantly looking for some one's acceptance or approval. Looking back now at my story I am proud of where I was and where I am, but at the time it meant terrible heartache, depression, and sadness.

A year ago I had amazing mentors and friends that started to enter my life and change me from the inside out. If there has been one thing I have discovered in this journey, it is that the INSIDE is more important than the OUTSIDE. There is nothing you can do on the outside to make you feel confident, strong, or empowered if you are not CONFIDENT, STRONG, or EMPOWERED on the INSIDE!

For six months I have trained and worked hard to get to this point... TWO WEEKS OUT!
I still train 6 days, I am hustling cardio, I meal prep, and I practice my posing until my feet give up. I have turned myself inward, I listen to my heart, and I strengthen my mind daily. At this point... that is the plan...

With two weeks out from the stage I have already started to map out my post-show goals. I have put pen to paper and I am developing some of my STRONGEST goals and plans I have ever had. My POWER GOAL is to give back, empower other women, and impact the lives of other women. Men are great too, but I just have a desire to see women change and grow the same way I have over the last year or more. The world is bound to be a better place with stronger, empowered, more confident women!!

Stay tuned for big announcements on what is next! As always, I appreciate any and all of the support I get from all of you! Your thoughts, sharing my posts, supporting me on social media or in person... it all adds up and it doesn't go unnoticed!

Follow my Instagram (@anna_lavonne) for daily posts and updates!! See you soon!! TWO WEEKS OUT!!

3 Weeks Out- WBFF LA

Today marks exactly three weeks until my feet hit the stage in Los Angeles for my next WBFF competition. 

I decided yesterday to document my journey in writing hoping that I can later look back and see exactly where I have improved. Often times I forget that the journey to the stage is not just about how physically fit you are. My mind has completely taken a 180 degree turn and improved tremendously since my last show. I truly believe my decision to invest in great mentors and the time I have invested in improving my own thoughts has been the reason for my success.
If you would have talked to me 6 months ago when I stepped off stage at my last competition, I would have told you my biggest focus would be improving my glutes or improving my abs. Along the way in the last 6 months I realized that no matter how physically fit I became... no matter how much I grew or how lean I became, I knew it would not be enough for my next strut on the stage.

My mind is what has improved and when I sit down and start to think about it, there is not greater improvement I would want to have up on that stage. When I learned to let go of negative self-talk and when I stopped placing importance on the opinions of others, I began to grow faster than I could have ever hoped for. It became more about what I could do as an individual to impress myself rather than impressing someone else.
I do not know what the outcome of April 26th will be, but I know my #1 goal is to beat myself when I am up on that stage. I know the last time I was on stage I was not confident, I was slightly unsure and insecure. This time I have taken any and every step possibly to improve the way I feel about MYSELF! I journal every day documenting my progress... I stop myself when I begin to think I CAN'T or maybe my dream is unrealistic. I have set my mind up to think

WHY NOT ME?

The dream of holding a pro card with the WBFF...
WHY NOT ME?
The dream of becoming a mentor and inspiration to other women...
WHY NOT ME?
The dream of being on the cover of a magazine...
WHY NOT ME?
When I start to ponder my dreams and think they may not be possible, I immediately think WHY NOT ME?!

Along with strengthening my mind, I have invested in improving my walk. We hear it all the time as competitors... your walk will make or break you... right?! So I made the decision to improve my walk as best I could. I have made it my goal... by the time my feet hit that stage on April 26th, my walk will have improved so much that the judges think "is that the same girl from the October show?". That is honestly my goal! My goal is to step out from the old me and be the new me! I am determined to WOW my judges!

With 3 weeks left I know there are going to still be quite a few improvements and I am so excited to see what happens. I started writing in my journal about 3 weeks ago and I am already impressed with my own improvements... I can't imagine what is going to happen these next 3 weeks when all of my effort is strategically planned out! The plan is to give 10% more than what I gave before (thank you Lindsay Messina for that goal)... 10% more than what I gave in the past.... 10% more than what my body or mind feels like giving... 10% more than normal for 21 days! Let's see what's possible!!!!
Thank you to everyone who supports me on this journey!

Fabulously Fierce

I am a true believer that women should learn to love themselves first before they embark on any other journey. I see so many women that ooze with insecurities, jealousy, envy, and self doubt. These are all traits I struggled with on my own and I learned very quickly if I wanted to make a difference in the world or become successful, I had to rid myself of these traits.

The journey first begins with learning who you are, what you desire to do with your life, and creating a plan to make it happen. So many times goals are written down, yet there is no true plan to make them reality. We dream of one day becoming the Owner of our own company, but we roll out of bed and hit the grocery store in our pajamas. We have the goal to one day be loved by a kind heart that sees our inward beauty, but we don't even love ourselves for who we are.

Do you know where you are seeking your validation from? Is it yourself or is it from social media and other people?

If you need to, give up social media. I have seen so many people lately consumed with seeking validation through social media. I also feel that it is contributing to envy and jealousy amongst women which I find so heartbreaking. Stop scrolling social media comparing yourself to other women or becoming consumed with who likes what at what time. It is silly to when you really think about it, but it has become the way of our world lately. It drives me crazy...

"I didn't get enough likes, so I took it down!"

There seems to be so much self worth and validation placed on the likes and comments that are receive in social media. If you post from your heart... if you write from your heart... if you speak from your heart... there should never be a reason to remove it or apologize.

Are you seeking validation through a friend, a personal trainer/coach, your significant other? YOU are the one that validates that YOU are good enough. Others should be an addition, not the whole picture. When you are seeking approval or validation from others and you haven't first discovered your own SELF approval, you are caught in a never ending cycle.

Take a look in the mirror and tell yourself who you are, why you are proud of yourself, and how you are going to change the world with your talents. Do this daily...multiple times a day. I promise you are sure to develop more confidence, soon the actions and opinions of others will not longer negatively effect your thoughts. You will begin to pour happiness and love in to YOUR own life and the lives of others. Slowly you will begin changing the world.

Take the time to talk to yourself... LISTEN! You have to find who you are before you can expect anyone else to love you for who you are. Write it down!! Yes, I am saying to talk to yourself in a journal. In a journal there is no judgement, but you can begin to determine WHY you feel, think, and act the way you do. You can create a plan for your future and accomplishing your goals. In the same journal, you can have positive, reaffirming conversations with yourself and maintain your self empowerment. My journal is my quiet place and the time I get to spend each day writing out my thoughts is important to me.

Coming from a girl that struggled her whole life with self esteem issues, insecurities, doubt, and fears... simply writing in my journal daily has completely changed my life and has corrected all of those nasty traits I had grown to dislike about myself.

Discover who you are... become empowered!! You don't need anyone else in this world to validate you, just YOUrself!!

I am Empowered

I am learning that there is great power in believing in yourself and not seeking the approval of others.
For so long I had this backwards. I always stressed over what others thought...what are they saying about me...what do they think about what I am doing...what if they think I am not capable.
Fear of what others think has to be the strongest wall that we build in front of ourselves.
I decided a couple weeks ago to truly focus in on self improvement, positive self-talk, and truly getting to the bottom of what my greatest fears were.
Through various exercises, writing, and meditation I have been able to weed through what is reality and what is false or made up in my own head.
My goals of being a professional in the fitness industry are greater than wanting to change bodies on the outside. My passion is in changing and teaching other women how they can believe in themselves and how they can throw out the need to have approval from others.
While I am still perfecting this skill and improving my self-power (something I think will forever be a work in progress), I have committed to making a change!
Here are two things I really think are a good start in the right direction for anyone-
1.) Stop caring what others think, you are driving yourself mad!- I say this with sincerity, stop caring what others think. What I am trying to truly say is, stop letting the opinion of others get in the way of your success and your self-improvement practice. When you start to think WHAT IF...WILL THEY... I AM NOT SURE IF... stop yourself and count to five. Second, give yourself five reason why you should... why you are sure... and why YOU want to do whatever it is you are about to do.
I did this today with my blog post.... WILL PEOPLE THINK I AM SPEAKING OUT OF TURN! Well, I desire to share my story during the entire process and everyone has a BEGINNING. I am sure that I need to write this post to inspire other women to believe. I want to share my journey in hopes that I can teach someone else along the way.
TRY IT!
2.) Be a woman of your word!- When you are who you say you are and you follow through, you eliminate one more step in the QUESTION MYSELF game. Follow through and be a woman of your word. Try your hardest and when you tell someone you will do something, complete it with 120% passion and committment. There is nothing worse than relying on someone that ends up letting you down, so don't allow yourself to be that woman. When you are a woman of your word, you stand tall and you are proud of what you can accomplish. When I follow through on what I say I will do...be it for myself or someone else, I feel empowered, I feel great, and I feel like I have given back to someone. TRY IT!
:-)

Let Them Eat Fats

My meals throughout the day include...

A balance of lean protein,

complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats.

 

Most people understand the first two pieces of my balanced meal, but the healthy fats is where I find I get the most questions.

 

In a world where we are raised to think fats are the enemy and shelves are stocked full of fat-free food options, it seems odd that the word would fat make it in to the same sentence describing healthy, balanced meals.

 

It is as simple as saying not all fats are bad, rather the choice and types of fats we consume is what makes all of the difference. Trans fats are our unhealthy fats and generally get blamed for weight gain. Baked goods, fried chicken, and candy bars are just a few examples of foods that contain trans fats.

 

Monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, and omegas play a huge role in our bodies and are consider good, healthy fats. Flax seed, nuts, avocados, fish, and olive oil are just a few examples of healthy fats. Consuming these healthy fats (in moderation) daily can help manage our energy levels, control weight, and improve our mood and mental focus.

 

Try swapping fried chicken dinners with grilled fish

Or

how about trading in your favorite bag of crunchy chips for a hand full of mixed nuts?

 

I love to consume my healthy fats in the form of oils, especially coconut oil. I not only enjoy coconut oil for the energy it gives me, I enjoy the beauty benefits that have come along with consuming it. Healthier skin, nails, and hair have been a result of consuming coconut oil on a daily basis. I enjoy adding coconut oil, Udos 3-6-9 Omega blend oil, or flax seed oil to my meals throughout the day. 

 

I shy away from nut butters because they are too difficult for me to stop eating and I feel that there are processed additives in most nut butters that I don't care to eat daily. Besides, if we are being honest it is really difficult to eat just ONE leveled tablespoon of peanut butter or almond butter. When we start eating past the recommended serving size, it quickly defeats the purpose of eating for balance. I know a lot of people love nut butters and add them to their diets as healthy fats. I would encourage you to thoroughly read the label prior to consuming. Check for added sugars, processed ingredients, or even sugar alcohols. Sure nut butters are great as health treats, but I notice a significant difference in how I feel and look when they are removed from my diet and replaced with other options.
 

I add my coconut oil to my food after it has been heated. I simply measure out a tablespoon or two of coconut oil, place it on top of my warm food, and it quickly melts in to my food. You can mix coconut oil or UDO's 3-6-9 Omega blend oils in your favorite protein shakes or oat meal. Flax seed oil makes for a create salad dressing when paired with balsamic vinegar and Mrs. Dash salt-free seasoning. They even have flavored flax seed and omega blend oils for those of you hesitant of adding these beneficial oils to your diet.

 

What healthy fats will you be adding to your meals this week?

 

Don't forget to follow me on Instagram for daily posts :-)

@anna_lavonne

  

What Character do you Play?

A couple of weeks ago on my Instagram I wrote a post asking my followers,

Would you be friends with you?!

I continued with my post describing my question in further detail. Some might answer, "yes, well of course... I would be friends with me" and others might answer "probably not."

I seriously think everyone should consider this question. Would YOU be friends with YOU?!

Would I be friends with someone that continuously second guessed herself and wasn't confident in her talent or abilities? Would I be friends with someone that feared what others thought?
The answer was no, which prompted change in my life.

Here is why I began working for change...  

I will tell you, there is nothing more uncomfortable for me than being around a woman that is insecure. I see it in women of all ages, shapes, and sizes and I refuse to become that type of woman.

I love being around confident, motivated women. Business women, hardworking moms, confident wives... It is inspiring.

I am not a fan of being around women that talk bad about other women in the room or are complete (as I call them) Eeyores. Isn't this true for all of us?! There

 

Eeyore- always down and doubtful

  OR

Pooh- jolly, content and happy with what he has

 

Own your ability to be the better CHARACTER in your story!!

It's empowering when you are around a secure women that has a plan and has something to teach you. I love learning from these women, but I do not like being around women that constantly bad mouth. Whether they are bad mouthing another women, gossiping, or bad mouthing themselves, it is not fun!

Does this mean you can't be a friend when someone needs a pick me up or swift motivational kick in the bum? Absolutely not, but don't be the friend that is consistently a downer or talking about other women.

I am far from perfecting this skill, but in the weeks since posting this question I have learned a lot. I have created a plan for myself to become empowered, secure, confident, and successful. I plan to share these ways and ideas as I learn them, but for now I will say stop the poor self talk. Stop talking poorly about other women, including yourself.

For the longest time (I'll be honest), I thought positive self talk was cheesy. You know the line they say to tell yourself in the mirror, "I am beautiful, I am strong, I am worthy!". I used to think, "Oh yeah right, let me talk to myself, about myself in the mirror for 15 min each day!"

I was wrong. It is so empowering and it truly does work. You stop the negative thoughts that most all of the time are unrealistic and you begin seeing yourself for who you are and can be.

After a while the positivity runs through your body and you too become lighter on your feet. You are who you are, either you improve yourself in a positive way or you begin to accept what you have. Embrace YOU and be empowered by the sole fact that you can become anything you dream of.

The women we love and look up to most in the public eye are typically women that are confident and secure with themselves. You too can be those things, you just have to tell the negative thoughts to take a hike and talk to yourself like you are your own coach. If you coached a team of 12 young girls, you wouldn't tell them they couldn't, wouldn't, or shouldn't! You would tell them YOU CAN, WORK HARD, BE YOU... Speak to yourself this way... you are your coach... you have more power than you know!

Control your thoughts and control your character!!