NEVER GIVE UP!!!

I can't believe I did it. I set a goal, I worked towards it and BAM...I accomplished it. I had my doubts along the way and even in the weeks leading up to the competition I questioned myself...Can I really do this? Why am I doing this? Am I really cut out for a fitness competition? In moments of weakness like that I just prayed for God to guide me and give me the strength and the confidence to finish what I started.
I have been extremely open and honest on my blog. I want this to be raw and real and I don't want to sugar-coat anything. So, I am going to tell y'all about the last few months leading up to my competition and about what I had to face...
As you all know, when I started this blog I talked a lot about my husband, Jud. I even wrote a few blog posts about him working out and his progress when I was training him. You may have noticed that my posts about him stopped a few months ago. Well, the reason for that is because we just recently went through a divorce. Just a couple of months before I was going to step on stage for my first competition, divorce papers were filed and Jud moved to Boston. Obviously, I'm not going to go into details as to why, but for all those wondering why I don't post about him and why my name changed back to Brittany Horton...now you know.
So needless to say, this year has been the hardest year of my life. When all that went down I wanted to quit. I wanted to hide in a hole and just give up, but you know what...that would have been the easy way out and my daddy taught me to NEVER take the easy way out. When something bad happens, you have 3 choices...You can let it define you, let it destroy you, or let it strengthen you. I don't go down without a fight. I put my faith in God and fought like hell to prove to myself that I am strong and I am capable of accomplishing anything I set my mind to.
People ask me why I'm so honest on my blog...well it's because I want people to know that I am human. I will never pretend to be someone I'm not or pretend like my life is perfect. I write this in hopes that I will inspire others...even if it's just one person. I'm here to tell you that no matter how hard life gets, you have to just keep the faith and know that things will get better. Feeling sorry for yourself won't get you anywhere. No matter how terrible your situation is, you have to find a way to rise above it. Put those gloves on and be a fighter!!!
I am SO GLAD I followed through with my goal. I have never felt so accomplished. Even though I didn't win 1st place, I felt like a winner. It was so amazing! I absolutely loved my first competition so much that I will be competing in Nashville in October. I am hooked! I will keep y'all updated on my progress for the next show! :) Thanks again for checking out my blog! XOXO


Yours in Health,


Brittany

1 week!

1 week until my first show! I am so excited & anxious. I can't believe it's finally here!

Post workout pic

Post back & biceps workout Saturday! Feeling strong and ready for stage! :)

3 weeks!!!

3 weeks out! I went to Memphis over the weekend, but still managed to squeeze in my workouts! :)

Progress pic

It's taken a lot of work, but I am really happy with the progress on my shoulders. I've always wanted "the cap" and I'm seeing some good definition & separation. Yay!

Progress pics

January 2012- fluffy! haha!

March 2012

May 2012

Ok so first of all, excuse the pj's. I decided to take some progress pics and didn't feel like changing. Ha! As you can see my abs have come a long way, but I still have a ways to go before the competition. I have lost 2.5 inches in my waist my abs are tighter than ever. I honestly don't want to have a 6-pack, but want to have a toned and tight tummy, so I am pretty happy with my results so far. I have noticed the greatest difference since I started cutting my carbs and upping my cardio. I try and get my cardio done in the morning on an empty stomach...it really helps with the cutting phase. 

Kale chips!

Kale Chips...My new favorite snack! Cut the rib off the kale. Break into 1 inch pieces and spread onto baking sheet. Sprinkle with olive oil and a little salt. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes until crispy! Let cool and enjoy! ;)

WARRIOR DASH 2012

A couple of clients and I did Warrior Dash this past weekend. It was AWESOME! We had an absolute blast & we got DIRTY!

BEFORE WARRIOR DASH

AFTER WARRIOR DASH- WE DID IT!!!

Supplements

I order all my supplements through bodybuilding.com!

Progress pics!!

March 15, 2012

April 5, 2012

April 5, 2012

Here's the progress I've made on my arms in 3 weeks! Although I have a lot more work to do, I am pretty excited about my progress. I can see a lot more definition in my shoulders and triceps. I used to make fun of people that took pictures of themselves flexing in the mirror, but it's the only way for me to post progress pics! hahaha! I guess I could get my husband to take my pics, but he would totally make fun of me! :) I told y'all I would be ready for the "gun show"! lol!

Yours in Health,

Brittany 

Battle Ropes!!

Overcoming obstacles...

"Wanting something is not enough. You must hunger for it. Your motivation must be absolutely compelling in order to overcome the obstacles that will invariably come your way." -Les Brown

I have faced some pretty huge obstacles the past couple of weeks. I cannot go into detail, but let's just say that some major changes have taken place in my life. If I am completely honest with you all, I have fallen off the wagon...just a tad. No, I haven't stuffed my face with cheeseburgers or anything...it's actually worse than that. Due to the stress that I have faced I haven't gotten much sleep and I haven't had an appetite at all, so I haven't been eating much of anything. I was beginning to feel sorry for myself and let my obstacles overcome me, rather than overcoming my obstacles. It's really easy to just feel sorry for yourself and hide in a hole isn't it? 

Anyone that knows me knows that I am a huge daddy's girl..I mean I'm the youngest of 4 children and his baby girl, so I really can't help it. He is my hero and he gives THE BEST advice..and the best hugs. Two pieces of advice he gives often are, "Sooner or later, everybody shows their true colors." and "You can either get over it, or die with it on your mind." -Bud Horton :) 

 I went to him for advice on how to handle my current situation and I must say that if weren't for him, I would be a wreck. He gave me great advice and it was so assuring just to know that I have an amazing support system behind me. I decided that I can either feel sorry for myself and let all my hard work just go to waste (which is the easy way out) or I can use this obstacle in my life as motivation to get further ahead and be more successful than I've ever been. I chose the latter. 

I only have 14 weeks until my first fitness competition, so I have to take the bull by the horns and get to work. I must say that having the support of you all that read my blog has been such a huge help as well. I have put my goals, dreams, aspirations out there and you all keep me accountable to follow through with everything I've said I'm going to do. I have already loaded up my iPod with a whole new playlist and I CANNOT WAIT to hit the gym today! I may scare someone in the gym, because I am going to take out a lot of stress and frustration on some dumbbells! :) 

I just want y'all to start looking at obstacles the way I do now and the way I will from here on out...Look at is as a learning experience and as a motivator to push yourself to the next level! Everything I have faced the past couple of weeks has only made me a stronger and better person. I know what I am capable of and what I can achieve if I just stay focused on my goals and completely trample any obstacle in my way. If I were to just sit around feel sorry for myself, now what would that prove to anyone? 

Yours in Health,

Brittany

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33

Be Kind!!!!

The other day I got in a pretty heated debate on Facebook. I'm usually not a very confrontational person, but when I am passionate about something I will jump right in and state my opinion. I have a friend that I went to college with who is also a personal trainer and I love keeping up with him on Facebook and following posts about his studio. He is changing a lot of lives and doing amazing things. Anyway, there was a picture on Facebook that he came across and he shared it on his own personal page. Here it is...

Now, some people looked at this picture and got offended. They took it as my friend being "insensitive". I looked at it and laughed, because I have totally made some of these excuses before. Especially the birthday excuse...I have a huge family so it seems like every weekend we are celebrating someones birthday and I take that as...ooooh it's a party I can drink wine and have cake! ;) But back to the matter at hand, I can understand how some could get offended by this photo. Weight gain is not always a direct result of over-eating. There are numerous problems/issues that can lead to weight gain or keep one from reaching his or her goal weight. It also does not take into account WHY some people over-eat. There are obviously personal issues that may cause one to over-eat as a coping mechanism. I was really amazed, however, just how heated the debate got over this little photo. It sparked my interest so much that I posted it on my own Facebook page to see what my friends would think about it. I posted the photo and simply asked..."Does this photo offend you?" The comments I got really surprised me! So I came to the conclusion...making assumptions about WHY one is overweight is highly offensive to some...especially those who have battled their weight their whole life. But my final conclusion is this great quote..."When you "ASSUME" anything, you make an ASS out of U and ME!" I had someone respond to one of my comments and said, "I mean, Brittany, have you ever even had to battle your weight?" I guess I can see how it would be easy for one to make the assumption that I've been slender my whole life, but as you have read in my blog that is definitely not the case. The person that made that comment had no idea about the battles that I've had to face when it comes to my weight. Which reminds me of another quote...

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting at hard battle." -Plato

 Making an assumption that someone is overweight because they eat too much is just as bad as making an assumption that someone is thin because they have an eating disorder. I also had someone make a comment to me and suggest that all I do is workout and care about what my body looks like. Ummm really? Yes, I workout...but just because I work at a gym doesn't mean that I get workout all the time. I wake up at 4:15 AM some mornings to train clients and most of my day is spent training and motivating OTHERS, not myself. I have to muster up energy and motivate myself to workout just like everyone else. It does not come easy for me. And yes, I care about my physique, but that's not the main reason I workout. I workout for my HEALTH! I have had several people close to me battle and die of cancer, so I choose to exercise and avoid crap junk food to keep my body healthy from the inside out. So, the main point that I'm trying to make is BE KIND to one another. Don't assume and judge someone strictly based on appearance. You have no idea what that person has been through. That lady in line at the store that you were making fun of for being so skinny may be battling a serious disease...that guy from high school that you ran into that has put on weight may be coping with the loss of a loved one...The girl that you think is "obsessed" with working out is probably really obsessed and you are just jealous because you're not. ;)Which reminds me of another great quote, 

"Obsessed is a word the lazy use to describe the motivated."

When you judge and make fun of others you are only showing your own insecurities and you should probably spend more time and energy working on yourself  than worrying about someone else. Also, I just want to point out that I don't force anyone to be my friend on Facebook or read my blog, so if you don't like my posts or if my motivational quotes and pictures take up your precious newsfeed, then delete me. No sweat off my back, I promise. I write this blog and post those things to help others...I know it's working because I have people write me everyday telling me how much they enjoy following my blog and how much I have helped them. To those of you who have supported me and sent me the sweet comments, THANK YOU! It means the world to me! I am so so grateful to have a job that I enjoy and I absolutely love sharing my passion for health and fitness with you!

Yours in Health,

Brittany

SKINNY vs. FIT

I absolutely love this! If you are envious of that skinny girl...keep in mind that she may be skinny, but that doesn't necessarily mean that she is healthy and FIT!  If you want to be FIT and toned, you have to build muscles....to build muscles, you have to lift weights. Like my girl Jamie Eason said, "You can't tone what you don't have! If you're afraid to build muscle, then I'm afraid you will always be chasing what you'll never have. Being thinner does not equal being toned."

Healthy Recipes

Here are some of my favorite recipes that I have discovered on Pinterest!

Source: steamykitchen.com via Brittany on Pinterest

Source: simplyrecipes.com via Brittany on Pinterest

Source: neverhomemaker.com via Brittany on Pinterest

Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing! Yum!

My husband absolutely loves ranch dressing, but I don't let him have it anymore. The other day when I was in the grocery store, I ran across the ranch dressing powder mix and all of the sudden a light bulb went off...Why not mix the ranch dressing mix in greek yogurt? Well, I did and it was so delicious! It is much creamier than regular ranch dressing, so it's great for dipping veggies! :) Enjoy!

Rachelle's Kroger Adventure

So, I got a bright idea to start taking my clients to the grocery store as an extended service. I really like to go above and beyond for my clients and make sure I give them all the tools to succeed inside, as well as outside the gym. A couple of weeks ago I went on my first grocery store trip with my awesome client, Rachelle. I think it was Rachelle's first time in a grocery store... I introduced her to a whole new world. haha! Now, if you look at Rachelle you probably wonder why on earth she needs a trainer. The girl looks amazing, but she just wasn't getting proper nutrition. Rachelle used to shop at Dollar General and just buy milk and cereal. :) True Story. Now she knows how to grocery shop, plan ahead and eat clean! She is already seeing amazing results from it... she feels better, she has a ton more energy and her body fat percentage is super low (like elite athlete low!:). Below I posted a couple of pics from our trip to Kroger. We had a blast and I am so proud of her for sticking with her nutrition plan. YOU GO GIRL!

Abs are made in the kitchen!

BEFORE

4 WEEKS LATER

Let's talk about belly fat...I have had numerous people come to me asking how to get rid of it. The answer is simple...diet and cardio. Some of my clients are usually surprised when they come to me complaining about this problem area and I don't have them do hundreds of crunches and sit-ups every session. Ab exercises are great to strengthen the core, however, they do not get rid of the layer of fat over your abs. So, instead of spending a ton of time on the floor doing crunches, I take my clients through circuits and cardio intervals. I also find other ways to focus on the core by having them stand on a bosu or sit on a stability ball. I write up prescription cardio programs for my clients and have them do cardio as their homework. All of the work in the gym is awesome, however, you will not see the results you want without the proper nutrition. Abs are made in the kitchen! By sticking to a clean diet along with my workouts, I can see drastic results in my abs. I can't believe I am posting my progress pics, but I  figure I can TALK about my results all day, but I want y'all to actually SEE what a difference a clean diet (no cheating and no alcohol) can do. The before picture above was taken January 1st (I let myself get a little fluffy over the holidays. ha!) and the after picture was taken exactly 4 weeks later. I have always had a flat stomach and pretty strong core, but I've never had a 6 pack. Although I still have a lot more work to do, I am excited about my results so far. I have lost 2% bodyfat and 6 inches (1 inch in my waist) since January 1st.  I used to train my abs every night for about 15 minutes, but honestly I have not done a whole lot of ab work lately...those results are from proper nutrition. I have also been taking CLA (conjugated linoliec acid) which has helped me burn the fat around my mid-section.  Now that my bodyfat is almost where I want it (2% more to go) I am going to start doing more weighted ab exercises to hopefully define my abdominal muscles...I've found 2 abs, but I have 4 more to find! haha! I will be posting some of my favorite ab exercises in the following weeks. I have some crazy workouts coming and I am pumped! :) 

Below I have posted a few of my meals from the past couple of weeks. I will also post some of my favorite recipes. Remember: Eat clean, get lean! 

Spinach Salad w/ Chicken, cucumber, apples & celery served with chick pea and cranberry quiona

Baked Chicken, "mashed cauliflower" & a  spinach salad with cucumber, celery & avacado 

Grilled chicken spinach salad and a baked sweet potato

One of my favorite snacks- Baked sweet potato bites

Jud and I make our chicken in bulk on Sundays. We just use any Mrs. Dash salt-free seasoning and he grills tenderloins and I bake some chicken breasts. I keep spinach and fresh veggies in the fridge to throw salads together during the week. 

*Baked Sweet Potato Chips: Cut sweet potatoes into about 1/2 inch slices. Place on aluminum foil and sprinkle with cinnamon and stevia. Bake at 350 for 35 mintues. Let cool and place in individual ziploc bags for a quick snack on the go. (I got this recipe from Natalie Hodson on facebook. http://www.facebook.com/NatalieHodsonOfficial It's a good one)

*Mashed Cauliflower: Cut up 1 head of cauliflower. Place in ziploc steamer bag and microwave for 5-6 min. Place in food processor. Grind it up then mix in unsweetened almond milk, pepper, and garlic powder. It taste just like mashed potatoes.


Yours in Health, 
Brittany

Get back in the game!

I know some of you may be wondering why all of my posts lately have been about my husband. On Valentine's day Jud and I will celebrate 4 years of dating and on February 19th we will celebrate our 1 year wedding anniversary. When I met Jud he was living in Jackson temporarily for his "off season" from baseball. He was playing for a team near Boston called the Brockton Rox.  Jud played ball at Delta State and then went on to play for the Colorado Rockies and then played for a Canadian-American league. Jud and I had to endure a long-distance relationship while he went off to play baseball. It was pretty obvious that his number one passion was baseball and he was damn good at it. His passion and drive is what made me fall in love with him...not to mention his positive attitude, his witty personality and his handsome self in a baseball uniform. When our relationship started getting more serious, Jud decided to hang up his cleats and move to Jackson to coach baseball. Shorty after, he proposed to me and next thing ya know... we were hitched! I will never forget the first spring that Jud was not playing baseball and was just coaching. It was extremely tough for him and I could tell how much he missed playing. Don't get me wrong...he absolutely LOVES coaching, but there was a part of him missing. I could kind of relate to him, because I didn't really pursue dance out of college and that was always my number one passion. I taught dance for a while, but it wasn't the same as being on stage and performing. I knew Jud was excited about getting married and settling down, but at the same time I felt guilty from taking him away from playing baseball. Since Jud no longer had to go to team workouts or stay in top physical condition to play, he decided to take a break from exercise. I can't really say that I blame him...I think for the first time in his life he didn't have someone riding his back to workout and he could finally relax a bit. Well, that break lasted almost 2 years. I have talked about how bad his eating habits are, but they've always been bad... even when he was playing baseball. It didn't matter as much then, because he could eat anything he wanted and maintain the body of a Greek God! :) haha! BUT...No exercise + bad eating habits= weight gain!!!
I'm saying all this because I know many people who can totally relate. You may have been in awesome shape at one point in your life, but gradually over time you stopped exercising as much and now you look back and think...WHAT HAPPENED? It just doesn't seem fair that it takes a million times more effort to get and keep weight off than it does to put it on, does it? Or you may be one of those "freak of natures"...you've been skinny your whole life and you never even had to eat healthy or exercise, but now that you are getting older you notice your weight creeping up on you. No matter which category you fall into, I'm here to tell you that it's OK! You can get back in the best shape of your life. It is not too late to start making lifestyle changes to improve your health and overall well-being. It is definitely not going to be easy and I'm here to tell you that there is no miracle plan, so don't even think about trying to take the easy way out. There is NO EASY way...but I promise you that it will totally be worth it when you get back to that goal weight or fit back into those skinny jeans hanging in the back of your closet. 
Since Jud has been on our plan, he is like a new person. Well, not necessarily a "new" person, but I have the old Jud back...the professional ATHLETE with drive, discipline and will-power. He has more energy and so much more confidence! He may a little too much confidence...I find him flexing in the mirror from time to time. Hahaha! It's amazing how much exercise can completely change your life. It has even improved our marriage. We work more as a team now and we help keep each other accountable. We are on the same page and by relieving so much stress in the gym, we don't take our stress out on each other anymore. We do have some push-up contests every now and then that get pretty heated...because he can't catch up with me! ;) I have a feeling that 2012 is going to be an amazing year! 

The picture above is us in Boston after a Rox game! How handsome is he? LOVE HIM!

Now you can live up to society's standard of beauty...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Happy New Year!!! I hope everyone had an awesome time ringing in 2012. I am very excited about this year! I sat down yesterday to write down my resolutions for 2012 (yes, I have more than 1) and my top resolution is to compete in my first fitness competition. I am so motivated, but I know every single day will be a challenge to work toward my goal. My husband and I also made a resolution together... We are doing a 12 week transformation challenge starting today. We took our "before" pictures yesterday and prepared all of our meals for the week. I am so proud of Jud for taking the steps to get in shape and healthy. I know that TOGETHER, we can accomplish anything! He is ready to take on the challenge, however, he already thinks I'm a little over-the-top about it. Last night I got out a bunch of colored index cards and wrote several of my favorite quotes on them and then posted them all over the house. He can't go anywhere without seeing an inspirational quote! LOL! It really is a great motivational tool, so I encourage you all to do the same. I will keep y'all updated weekly on our progress...that is, if we don't kill each other. hahaha!


Yours in Health,
Brittany