Tasty Tuesday and Dreaming of Big, Beautiful Biceps!

Last night's meal was grilled/broiled turkey steaks, steamed green beans, boiled polka dot corn on the cob and salad with fresh bean sprouts.
After pounding the turkey steaks, I marinated in a bit of olive oil, lemon juice, heaps of oregano, minced garlic and a sprinkle of salt and pepper for about 1/2 an hour. I cooked on the oven griller for 10 minutes each side...probably should have only done 5 minutes after turning over; they were tasty but a teensy bit dry. I served the steamed beans with balsamic vinegar, and since I'm not currently training for a comp-drizzled a bit of my fave ranch dressing on the salad...YUM!

Another thing I'd like to share today is one of my fave inspirational pics.......Melita Jagic:
I know many figure and bodybuilder folks have already seen this pic and know of Melita Jagic..she is just such an inspiration! And, I love her biceps (not to mention her abs & thighs!) That is my goal this year....whether I decide to compete next year or not-I’ve been working very hard at improving my bis. They are definitely a weak point for me....not just in looks but in strength as well.

Todays workout....
BACK:
Pull-ups (which I have not done in months due to a bum pec/shoulder thing-so these were super shabby!) I managed a max of 4-OMG...and that was really pushing it....that was the second set-I only could eak out 2 on the lst and 3rd set.....Just goes to show if you don't use it, you lose it- but I’m back on the program to get back up to 7 or 8. Consistency is the key!

Seated lat pull downs-I did 5 sets of 12 on these.

Seated pulleys- 4 sets of 12

Close grip pull downs -4 sets of 10

BIS:
Preacher curls with dumbbells...3 sets of 8

Curl bar curls-3 sets of 5 at what felt fairly heavy-but I know I’ve gone heavier in the past-it was only 15kilos!....I’m working on them!

TRIS:
Bench dips (12) superset with dumbbell skull crushers 4 sets

Rope tricep pull downs 4 sets.

I must have done something right-because my back, bis and tris are all just the right amount of sore today....gotta love that!

Have a great day!

Contemplating the All Females for next year.....

Well, I think the comp bug as finally struck again! I didn't think it would happen...but damn-It did! With all the blogs about this years comps, and with us working at getting our PT business started-I'm getting quite amped and seriously contemplating a comp for next year. Right now I'm thinking INBA All Females since it is such a huge and increasingly popular show-and looks like a hell of a lot fun!

I have quite a bit of time to think about it as this years event just happened last week; but it's in the old brain now....will see if it stays!

Hope everyone is having a fab weekend...I know I am! We got our new treadmill yesterday-our first piece of equipment for the studio, and today is going to be working on the herb garden as well as working on some online training programs for some gals back in the states.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Cheers all!

My first attempt at pickled cucumbers

Our good friends that have a wonderful garden gave us a big bag of cucumbers the other day...they just had so many they needed to get rid of them! (lucky buggers with real green thumbs!)...so, since we can only fit so many cucumbers into a day, I decided to try and make some dill pickles-I just did this jar up today (it's the only jar I had so doesn't really make much)....they have to set for a week; I'll let you in on the recipe if they turn out-it's sooooooo easy, I'm afraid they might not turn out-LOL! The only problem was that I didn't have any FRESH dill...I just had to throw in dry...but I put in lots of garlic-so, we'll see!

Other pics today include last night's salad-which of course has fresh cucumber in it as well as freshly sprouted bean sprouts from my own counter top. These are so easy and super healthy as the seed produces heaps of vitamins in order to sprout. And so easy- I just soak the seeds overnight, then put them in my little sprouter...rinse once a day...and within 2 or 3 days....I got me some super healthy salad toppings! Also pictured is the avocado oil & vinegar dressing I made...I got the recipe out of the June US Oxygen magazine.
1/4 C avocado oil
1 TBS rice vinegar
1 TBS honey
juice of one lemon
pinch or 2 of sea salt.
Personally, I will leave the honey out next time....too sweet for me!

Last pic is one of the many friar birds that visit us every morning and feed off of our Grevillia tree. It's the greatest pic, but there you go...


I'm on chest, shoulders & bis tomorrow....As many gals out there...I LOVE SHOULDERS!!!
Have a good one!

Beautiful day in FNQ!

Before the wall came tumbling down:


After:


Hubby hard at work (he didn't even realise I was shooting this picture!).....


Before clearing.....

After clearing....

Front yard today....mid winter and 25 degrees C...or 77 F for you imperialists!:


It's all coming along nicely....will keep you posted as we progress! Shed should be underway shortly..which means everything from the garage will be put into the shed AAAAAAND we can start converting the garage into the studio! YAAAAY!

“Trust yourself. Create the kind of self that you will be happy to live with all your life. Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement.”

—Golda Meir (1898-1978); 4th Prime Minister of Israel

TASTY TUESDAY!

It's time again to dish out Tasty Tuesday. It's been a while, but since I havent' really cooked for over a month-I'm keen to try out lots of new, healthy dishes and am more than happy to share what I find!

This is out of Tosca Reno’s EAT CLEAN DIET COOKBOOK….
so, I won’t be providing the recipe—but just suggesting that you try it out if you have this book. This was super yummy and super easy…..Black bean and rice salad on page 99. 5g Protein, 4g Fat, 193 calories
YUM! I served this with turkey steaks that I marinated in cumin with a drizzle of olive oil…plus some sliced avocado.


I brought a few cans of black beans back from the US because I cannot find black beans here is Aus. Does anyone know where I can find black beans here in Australia?! Either canned or dried…I’m all ears people! If you cannot find black beans either…you can substitute the black with kidney beans.

Yesterday was my first day back at the little gym close by….just reinforced our desire to get our own equipment. I did manage a decent work out, though, as there is a punching bag in the gym-so I super setted punching with another back exercise-I love the punching bag! It is so much fun! That is definitely on the list for our PT studio!

Today I did a regular 30 minute jog followed by a stretch/meditation session. I’ll be working on the property today….picking up palm fronds, trimming herbs and maybe some trees-just digging in to get this place in shape. It’ll take a while-but at least I won’t be able to say I’m bored and have nothing to do-LOL!

Enjoy your day....I know I will!

US visit 2009-picture time!

Thomas family after the girls' dance recital:



My baby brothers:


Multnomah Falls with Jeannine:


Lake Simtustus Oregon:

The Folks:

Marcy's Dirty Thirty Pin Up Party:

Home

Hey all!

Well, I'm back in Aus. Had a wonderful visit with friends and family in the states, but it was wonderful to be back in my own bed last night. I'm a bit jet lagged, of course-so woke up between 3:30 & 4am this morning. But slept really well.

I strayed from my clean eating a bit during my visit (and it was fun!)...but still managed to get some good workouts and jogs in; I'm now looking forward to getting back to my normal routine.

Hubby has been working on the house and property since I've been gone; torn down a-wall we hated between the living and kitchen area, slashed the front acreage, ripped out a few trees, and prepped for a shed! There is still heaps of work to be done though and I am ready to dig in! Besides cleaning house.....(men just don't quite do it right) and ridding the shelves of all the dust (from tearing down that wall), there is still lots of clean up outside, plus getting a veggie patch going, we still need to buy some things for the house...and of course-converting the garage into a personal training studio.

Lots of work ahead!
I will post some pics of my trip over the weekend after I've had a chance to download them from my camera. Many have already been posted on my facebook page for those of you hooked up there...we had a few wild times-LOL!

Need to catch up on a few blogs!
Cheers and have a great weekend!

Hello from Oregon! (and a note on gym meat heads!)

Well hey all! I have some time to kill today so thought I'd say HI! Been having a great visit in the states. Tomorrow marks 2 weeks. And I have hit the gym about 5 times, plus gone for lots of walks and a few jogs....My hammies are actually quite sore from a really good jog on Wednesday and then a great leg workout yesterday.

It's so funny coming back to gyms in the states. I'm sure it's similar at city gyms in Aus but because we've worked out at small gyms ever since living in Aus (or our own home gym set up), we mostly encounter an older crowd of people just trying to be healthy rather than meat heads trying to prove how much they can lift. It's really funny actually, the way they talk and walk-I forget all that and get a yearly reminder on these visits to the states. It does kind of explain why people get turned off by going to gyms; it can be intimidating when you don't know what you're doing and you see these guys walking around acting so territorial-like "why that woman in my gym?"...you almost expect to see them start peeing on the equipment like a wolf. It's good for me to get these reminders so that as we get our personal training business going back in Aus-I know how many people can feel walking into a gym set up for the first time-they want to learn but are a bit scared.

So, been visiting lots of friends and family, been doing a bit of drinking and socialising. I am on vacation after all! But, keeping it all in balance with mostly healthy eating and the jogs and workouts. Other than fighting allergies for 2 weeks straight, I feel pretty good!

Got a camp trip planned for next week and some more shopping and a couple more parties after that; it's looking like a continuous good trip!

Have a great weekend everyone! Pics after I get home!

MOVING!!

again LOL!
We have cleaned out and smoked out the new place...got rid of all the bad energy and have started moving our stuff in. It feels heaps better-and now we are both once again eager to renovate and give it a fabulous lift!

I will be offline over the next week as we will be moving and hooking up with a new internet provider.

And 2 weeks from today I will be in the states visiting friends and family...Can't wait! These two weeks will be jam packed with busy-ness....love it! And while I'm away, hubby will be kept busy with lots of projects to get the outside of THE PROPERTY ready for gardens etc. Plus, I think he will try to squeeze in starting our workout studio...(crossing fingers!)

So, stay tuned as over the coming months I will have lots of pics of my visit in the states as well as our progress with the house.

Cheers all!

Strength & Flexibility in Action....