tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4498757494968259662012-02-15T23:06:46.829-08:00Irie (EYE-ree): it&#39;s kind of how you feel after a few Appleton &amp; diets. Content. At peace. Happy. Alright, so maybe being a single mom of 4 amazing kids is not always as irie as I would like, but fortunately, irie is a state of mind...it&#39;s all mental. I&#39;m a nutrition and fitness freak and I LOVE to write and share my experiences - so welcome to my AMAZING journey!<br> "There is only one YOU for all time, FEARLESSLY be YOURSELF." ~Anthony RappJuliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.comBlogger3251100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-21829769967588185852012-01-20T12:25:00.000-08:002012-01-20T12:54:41.517-08:00

While I can't say I've ever taken my eyes off the prize yet, I have noticed over the last few weeks that there are a few different forces attempting to challenge my focus. Having some downtime this week with the snow basically shutting everything down has given me time to reflect on where I'm at with my contest prep and what I need to do to keep my focus where I want it to be. Sometimes being

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-43989778118788500822012-01-15T10:22:00.000-08:002012-01-15T10:22:14.916-08:00

And it begins...progress pictures leading up to the 30th Anniversary Emerald Cup... Training is going really good. Can't complain about the dieting yet. My diet is still pretty high calorie, moderate carb, high protein, low fat...yet squeaky clean. I removed all the "fluff" after the holidays (cottage cheese, sugar free puddings, etc) I started carb cycling 2 weeks ago and am down 3 pounds

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-84301039647796484472012-01-09T12:40:00.000-08:002012-01-09T12:40:04.991-08:00

I never imagined that I would find myself in my mid-30’s, a single mother of 4, fully immersed in the dating world once again. While I was pretty certain that my marriage wasn’t ever going to last I never projected far enough into the future to see what it potentially might look like to be single again. It’s an adventure, to say the least. I think I’ve learned more about myself over the last 2 ½

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-29618214152055329022012-01-01T15:49:00.000-08:002012-01-01T15:49:28.374-08:00

A couple weeks ago I was approached by a chubby, Asian man while I was resting in the squat rack between sets...of squats, of course. He was taking the liberty to inform me that my squat form was incorrect and proceeded to demonstrate the "proper" form as I looked on with my best "are-you-f*cking-kidding-me" look. After he finished his demonstration he let me know that he knew what he was talking

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-6198011668424447392011-12-28T07:54:00.000-08:002011-12-28T07:54:52.680-08:00

DAY 2 My new Under Armour beanie hat Matt picked up for me at the outlets last week. I am lovin' the hat. I've decided that the beanie hat look is, to me in the winter, as the Lulu skirt is to me in the spring and summer. Cute, easy and never a bad hair day with a hat! And I can kind of hide my tired, sick eyes under the hat right now...added bonus!!

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-43749006063457424122011-12-26T14:21:00.000-08:002011-12-26T14:21:50.023-08:00

I love this idea - every day for 30 days you choose one photo and write one paragraph about a standout experience from the day. As if I have time for one more thing on my plate...however, I feel like we fly through life  without paying attention to the little things, the daily things. With 4 kids, there are a lot of special moments that get "missed" because of the hustle and bustle of our daily

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-71857427238403170512011-12-10T21:20:00.000-08:002011-12-10T21:20:39.427-08:00

As part of my OTA (Operation Tight Ass) plan, I am training glutes/lower body twice a week in preparation for the 2012 Emerald Cup. I'm focusing more on form and full contractions than I am on loading up the weights. I'm basically trying to tighten up and fine-tune, not add size. Tonight I changed it up a bit with some small tweaks that made a big difference. I'm definitely going to have a sore

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-26107033400027076502011-12-08T21:33:00.000-08:002011-12-08T21:33:41.119-08:00

As of tomorrow I will officially be 19 weeks away from my GOLD tiara at the 2012 30th Anniversary Emerald Cup!! Yeeeeah baby!! My workouts are going amazingly well. My body is feeling really strong, really healthy and really READY TO GO!! I've been hitting PRs on a lot of my lifts.  Tonight was shoulders. I'm hitting the delts twice a week in hopes of "carving them out" as my friend Mark would

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-71289872010996864932011-12-05T12:11:00.000-08:002011-12-05T12:11:24.428-08:00

I read this today and loved it so much I had to share! Wise words to live by, for sure!! As we grow up, we learn that the people that weren't supposed to ever let us down, probably will. You'll have your heart broken by someone you never thought would and you will probably break others hearts. You'll blame a new love for things an old love did. You'll fight with your best friend, you'll cry

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-64086568909676943062011-12-04T14:14:00.000-08:002011-12-04T14:14:41.371-08:00

I have never been so focused, driven and completely determined to conquer a goal. Well, okay, maybe I have. But I've never been so committed to a contest prep process as I am right now. I am truly loving the life - the training, the diet, the mind-set. It is not a burden for me. I do not feel deprived or that I'm giving up a lifestyle I wish I could have. Rather, I've chosen to give up things

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-5050632181798423222011-11-26T17:47:00.000-08:002011-11-26T17:47:46.088-08:00

I used the increase in calories this week to maximize my workouts. I adjusted my training split so that I was training my big muscle groups or lagging body parts on days when I had an excess of calories. Does it make much of a difference? Don't know, but I definitely have more energy and power in the gym when I'm good and carb'ed up! I trained legs on Wednesday night (pre-Thanksgiving), delts on

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-9409321494487686412011-11-24T06:46:00.000-08:002011-11-24T06:46:34.179-08:00

This is my first Thanksgiving alone in 10 years. Yep, I counted...2001 was the last time I flew completely solo on Thanksgiving. I remember it well. I was hanging with Mo at her condo on Queen Anne, Nat was with her dad and his family and Brett (just my boyfriend at that point) was in Hawaii with his buddy. It was nice, just me and Mo. Relaxing and quiet. 10 years later, divorced mother of 4, my

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-91749285281095992432011-11-20T07:47:00.000-08:002011-11-20T07:47:02.681-08:00

There's that saying...people come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. I call those lifetime people my "lifers". I have several of them. They've been on the "friend roll" for longer than I can remember. They know me at my best. They remember me and loved me at my worst. They know my deep, dark secrets, they've seen my closet of skeletons and they stick around anyway. They call my

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-31124743327915258432011-11-17T07:10:00.000-08:002011-11-17T07:10:43.991-08:00

Life is funny. It's like one big "master class" (to steal Oprah's term) where you are constantly learning one lesson after another. Well, that is, if you're open enough to receiving the lesson and you're willing and interested in growing from each and every experience. Before I even filed for divorce I made a conscious decision that I was not going to allow this huuuuuge life lesson to break me

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-56113102543973429622011-11-16T08:52:00.000-08:002011-11-16T08:52:36.158-08:00

First things first... Happy 8th Birthday to my "Little B"!! Hard to believe he has been mine for 8 years!! Tomorrow the 3 "Little Mikes" will be boarding a plane with their daddy to go visit their grandparents in Florida for the Thanksgiving holiday. They will be gone 12 days!! (Could you hear my huge sigh of relief?!) This idea sounded super great to me when my ex-husband originally presented

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-20469867097825729402011-11-02T07:02:00.000-07:002011-11-02T07:02:58.925-07:00

My children think I'm crazy. Last Tuesday I downloaded the new Christmas by Michael Buble and was listening to it often throughout the week. This week my Pandora station is usually set to something playing holiday music of some kind. Being that Halloween was just Monday my kids are giving me the strange looks and asking..."WHY are you listening to Christmas music?" You would think they would be

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-65457175107497547222011-10-16T06:22:00.000-07:002011-10-16T06:22:16.418-07:00

"It's not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves." Edmund Hillary As I write this it has been 16 weeks of "climbing". It's been a long stretch. An amazing journey on all accounts. It was definitely my metaphorical version of climbing a mountain and it was such a time of growth for me both personally and professionally. I learned things about myself, others and life that I never imagined would be

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-58936626372494114012011-10-09T11:36:00.000-07:002011-10-09T15:36:13.937-07:00

Just wanted to take a quick moment to express my gratitude to all of my amazing friends. I feel that I have been so blessed to have been surrounded by some really exceptional, giving and supportive people who enhance my life in so many ways. Some have been in my life for many, many years and others more recent but without fail, my needs are always met by the amazing friends in my life. I

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-58338147548552452632011-10-03T10:19:00.000-07:002011-10-03T10:19:48.154-07:00

This is an interesting week in my life. A couple of major events tied to October 5th. First of all it is my wedding date and this year would have been 9 years had we stayed married. We "celebrated" our 7th anniversary in the middle of a divorce...I use the quotes because he still acknowledged the day while I did not. Over is over. October 5th is also the estimated date of arrival for my child who

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-3538116125372260582011-08-28T07:32:00.000-07:002011-08-28T07:32:36.873-07:00

I would not describe myself as patient. In fact, sometimes I think I am so focused on what's going to happen (not much different from a lot of other folks) that I forget to focus on what is happening in the present moment. Forecasting what is going to happen, what might happen is something we do so naturally that I think most of us forget to live right now...the only time that is guaranteed. 

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-1135096473116713322011-08-24T16:30:00.000-07:002011-08-24T16:30:43.684-07:00

I was always a busty girl. Well stacked at an early age. By 15 I was a 34D. Right now all the guys reading this are going..."Yeeeeeah"...but to be pretty much the only girl in school with boobs that big was more of a curse than a blessing. Being that boobs are primarily fat, every time I was really skinny I would lose mine...and I liked that. After my twins were born I got up to a G cup. I can't

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-32590604004671769392011-08-20T18:15:00.000-07:002011-08-20T18:15:38.539-07:00

It's hard to believe that the Ironman is a mere 35 days away! The last 9 weeks have flown by and I know the next 5 will fly by just as fast if not faster. My kids start school in 10 days which is going to make for a crazy couple of weeks on the home front. The last 3 weeks have been a bit crazy for our family schedule-wise and it was stressful for me trying to figure out how I would get all my

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-28001410810757938642011-08-14T13:43:00.000-07:002011-08-14T13:43:05.490-07:00

With 43 days to go - I'm feeling really good about my progress. Very steady and right on track with where I want to be. Starting to feel the lack of carbs this days, but pushing thru!! Eyes on the prize. As my twins say..."We want the crown!!"

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-59797794648227334002011-08-14T08:15:00.000-07:002011-08-14T08:15:20.971-07:00

One of my biggest challenges in my job is trying to deal with client excuses in a tactful, yet real way that is true to myself and who I am while not alienating my client. I'm not trying to lose a client, yet at the same time, I don't have the patience for most of the bullshit excuses people hand me. First of all...save your excuses. If you don't want to do something, don't do it. No skin off my

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-43811035997739827082011-08-12T17:31:00.000-07:002011-08-12T17:31:44.523-07:00

Okay, maybe I'm a LOT crazy. But here's the thing...we're all a little bit crazy, I'm just talking about it and admitting it while the rest of y'all are hiding out, staying quiet and pretending you have no issues. ;) No question that contest prep definitely brings out the OCD tendencies in me regarding food and exercise. It's why I have to be extremely careful in competing. It's also why I am

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-6026854868778593572011-08-06T12:33:00.000-07:002011-08-06T12:34:19.407-07:00

The shot on the left was taken 2 days out from the 2008 Washington Ironman, shot on the left yesterday. That is nearly 3 years of HARD training, proper nutrition (with the exception of the *very occasional* red wine and chocolate) and supplementation. Building muscle is not easy...it takes hard work and a lot of TIME!!! If you're one of those people who put on 5lbs in a month and want to

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-48386484182919111132011-08-06T06:44:00.000-07:002011-08-06T06:44:53.655-07:00

Just pics for now...blog post to come later today. These were taken yesterday...50 days until the 2011 Washington Ironman. The remodel is coming along nicely but a lot of work yet to do in the next 7 weeks!

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-23510349851618710842011-07-31T13:59:00.000-07:002011-07-31T13:59:26.472-07:00

"Eventually you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside you that wants you to quit." Sheehan I’m having a “day.” Excuse me, in advance, for my poor choices in words that I am sure I will use throughout this post. I’m really good at “powering through” and being tough and making things happen in my life. But truth be told, being a single mom of 4 kids and shouldering all the

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-16506348766935645032011-07-28T07:01:00.000-07:002011-07-28T07:01:44.775-07:00

Today my baby girls are 5 years old. It's so hard to believe - it's different, somehow, than my other two kids. Each of my children has changed my life in unimaginable ways, but becoming a mother of twins is just different. Twins is what happens to "other people", not to me. Those days during the first couple years that seemed like they would never end, the sleepless nights dealing with two

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-53841593362538484442011-07-24T07:10:00.000-07:002011-07-24T07:10:36.256-07:00

If you're "new here" you may not know the disaster of my last two competitions in the spring of 2010. Last place, twice. Epic fail. And the thing is, I cared but I didn't really care. I didn't want to compete. I was so overwhelmed and exhausted by the events going on in my life that I really had nothing left to give of myself and so, rather than being a positive outlet for me, competing became a

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-87936969440519003212011-07-17T17:11:00.000-07:002011-07-17T17:11:43.698-07:00

So, weekends when the kids are home are definitely much tougher for the morning cardio, especially since I can't really do much other than the elliptical right now with my knee issue. That means I have to wait for Gold's to open at 7am on the weekends (yes, I said wait...my body doesn't sleep much past 5:30am these days). On Saturdays I have to be at my gym to work by about 8:45 and on Sundays I

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-51656340067815502502011-07-10T20:45:00.000-07:002011-07-10T20:45:32.026-07:00

I'm pleased to report that I've got yet another week under my belt with not a workout missed, no diversions from my nutrition plan and...a 6lb weight loss in just two weeks! That's what you call...WORKIN' THE PLAN!!! This last week had its challenges with getting in all my scheduled workouts with the holiday weekend. It made childcare a bit of a task, but I managed to get every cardio session

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-15071949472160647832011-07-09T23:00:00.000-07:002011-07-09T23:00:05.374-07:00

You think those people who have to receive state assistance for food, childcare, medical care, etc are those poor folks who live in dive-y homes or in the trailer parks. You might think those people who use those services are lazy or somehow "less than." But what if...that person was your neighbor, your friend...or a person you'd least expect? Today when I walked into Safeway the local food bank

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-57870003401851591312011-07-07T06:44:00.000-07:002011-07-07T06:44:27.096-07:00

Ah yes, welcome to the TESTOSTERONE ZONE...aka, the weight room! Call me sick, but I love it in the "T Zone". Not necessarily for the men, because let's be honest ladies, the eye candy are few and far between so if you're there you're definitely not there to get a date for Friday night. I might be a little twisted (okay, there's no might involved, I totally am) but I get this private (now not so

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-56056456410230355872011-07-03T09:16:00.000-07:002011-07-03T09:25:59.126-07:00

12 weeks to go until it's time to hit the Ironman stage. I am totally focused and dialed into my plan. I am disciplined and will not be derailed. So far, my energy is really good, but I'm still toting around a good amount of body fat, so that's to be expected. I am tapping into one of my favorite contest prep mantras..."when you have it give it." Essentially, when I've got extra energy I go ALL

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-8427426882509051822011-06-29T20:51:00.000-07:002011-06-29T20:51:43.373-07:00

Sometimes I write not because I'm still needing to process the subject matter but because I feel like sharing a certain part of "my story" might help someone else. Over the last two years I have received many emails from friends and strangers alike telling me that reading my posts has helped them, inspired them, given them strength. And so, occasionally, I share certain things mostly because I

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-27679511545222719132011-06-27T19:38:00.000-07:002011-06-27T20:47:21.113-07:00

As promised...I will post progress pictures every week. Saturday was 13 weeks out from the 2011 Ironman and pictures were taken yesterday...Sunday. I've got my work cut out for me, no doubt! Time to start "unwrapping the package"... I'll make sure I smile more next time. :) For comparison sake...photo below was taken in July 2008, approx 9 weeks out from the 2008 Ironman. Give that girl

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-89288620647083304002011-06-24T06:32:00.000-07:002011-06-24T06:32:26.137-07:00

How often do you leave your house to go somewhere but you don't have a particular destination in mind...you're just going? Not very often, I'm sure. I know I never leave my house simply because I think I should "go somewhere". I always have a destination in mind...I'm not driving aimlessly about trying to decide where to go or what to do. I go with purpose. For me, in the gym, not having a

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-79324414867628109752011-06-23T06:51:00.000-07:002011-06-23T06:51:03.447-07:00

Yep, I'm gearing up to compete again! You can get up to speed and check my progress on my Craig Productions blog. Just over 13 weeks until the Washington Ironman at the Snoqualmie Casino on September 24th! After my less than stellar appearance at the 2010 Emerald Cup and the constant replay in my head of..."Oh my God, did I really let myself get on stage like that?" I was desperate for another

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-35461724436066925682011-06-15T06:33:00.000-07:002011-06-15T06:33:38.733-07:00

I've gotten side-tracked, but I fully intend to finish all 100 gratitudes. It just may take a little longer than I originally planned. It's much harder than I thought it would be - of course there are easily 100 things in my life I am grateful for...and more...but it's challenging to bring them to the forefront and put them on "paper." What would really be smart of me to do is to carry around a

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-44408627745063263902011-06-14T06:41:00.000-07:002011-06-14T06:41:53.807-07:00

Being a parent of twins is extremely challenging. I would say THE most challenging thing I've ever done in my life. And it started early on. My twin pregnancy was far from "easy" pretty much from the moment I peed on the stick that told me I was pregnant. By the time I was about 16 weeks pregnant it just hurt to be alive. Moving hurt. I remember every morning sitting in the bathroom crying to my

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-34241557624459512582011-06-03T06:22:00.000-07:002011-06-03T06:22:37.276-07:00

Hmmmm, never thought I would say this, but I miss those days...well, kind of. And only in certain moments, only lasting for brief moments. ...And then I'm glad...go back? No thanks! Those were the days when life was about survival. Kind of the thing with twins - you're so busy "surviving" it you almost forget to enjoy it. I definitely miss being able to hold them both at the same time - each in

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-41869590601819175292011-05-30T15:56:00.000-07:002011-05-30T15:56:34.601-07:00

How about something fitness-related for a change? :) This weekend I decided I was not going to set foot in my own gym for a change. I can't go there without getting sucked into one project or another and I vowed not to work this weekend for the first time in...oh I have no clue how long. I considered heading up to LA Fitness, but decided it was not worth the $15 for the one day pass (to avoid

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-10756721115954117502011-05-30T08:11:00.000-07:002011-05-30T08:11:43.538-07:00

Or maybe better just left at "life's simple pleasures"...these are things I love, that I am grateful for the simple pleasures they bring to my everyday life. 23. Coconut (anything): I love coconut...anything. Rum, perfume, soap, coconut water, coconut milk, lotion, coffee creamer, m&ms. If it has "coconut" in the description or on the label, I'm all over it! Aromatherapy - coconut is mine, hands

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-1046221384894802112011-05-29T13:23:00.000-07:002011-05-29T13:23:21.254-07:00

I was messaging with a girlfriend on Facebook this morning and a message she sent me on May 29, 2009 popped up as "new." Exactly two years ago today my friend Kristi wrote: "I saw your married status changed. I hope all is ok." - Kristi "About the marital status: I filed for divorce this week. Long overdue and I think I mentioned a year ago to you that I had sought legal counsel. Well, it was

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-74223393201957326482011-05-29T08:24:00.000-07:002011-05-29T08:24:29.779-07:00

The list continues! So far I am really enjoying this exercise. Although, I need to keep a log with me so I can write them down as they come to me.  13. Really yummy, fruity red wine: This seems to be self-explanitory but I am grateful to red wine for giving me that irie feeling at the end of a long day with the kids...or just because it's yummy and it's fun to drink with friends.14. Greenlake: I

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-46531870638672776592011-05-28T07:08:00.000-07:002011-05-28T10:01:45.679-07:00

Alright, I'm telling you straight up, there is no rhyme or reason to the order of my gratitudes. They are completely random in order...no time line, no perceived level of importance or relevance in my life...just random. First the "what", then the "why"... 1. My Mom (okay, maybe mom being number 1 is not random): for the obvious reason of giving me life but also for putting up with me and my

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-21665184051674013492011-05-27T19:11:00.000-07:002011-05-27T19:11:16.603-07:00

An article from Heal Your Life came across my Facebook news feed this morning: "Your 100 Gratitudes". It piqued my interest...I have a lot to be grateful for, so I was curious to see what this was all about. "“One Hundred Gratitudes” is a journal exercise that invites you to reflect on your life, from past to present, and to record 100 entries of pure appreciation and thanksgiving. The goal is

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-18249336747622908922011-05-24T06:57:00.000-07:002011-05-24T06:57:29.094-07:00

I've never quite come to terms with the fact that it happened to me...TWINS. That's the sort of thing that happens to other people, not me! All during my pregnancy, seeing those two little growing babies on the ultrasound monitor was very surreal. Lying on that table for hours at a time while each baby was measured meticulously while I tried not to vomit...."this has all got to be a dream." When

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-88099858599678460122011-05-21T19:26:00.000-07:002011-05-21T19:26:11.320-07:00

My girls have been going to the daycare at our local Gold's Gym since they were 2 months old. Many times twice a day for two hours each time...especially when I was competing! The women in that daycare are like family to my children. The owner recently made the decision to close the daycare facility which actually seems like a reasonable and probably smart business move. The method in which he

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-36760126684714752052011-05-20T13:16:00.000-07:002011-05-20T13:16:05.274-07:00

I'm coming up on 2 years since I told my husband I wanted a divorce. It's a little bit crazy that it has been 2 years. The memory is so distant now and it's hard for me to recall exactly how painful those moments are without really trying hard to remember. I have no regrets and I don't place any blame. I know what I did was the right thing for me and my children. The only thing I ever wonder (and

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-48120141768520185422011-05-20T06:36:00.000-07:002011-05-20T06:36:19.731-07:00

*reposted from www.juliemichaelson.com * Working out has always been, for me, a source of sanity. Having been a mom my entire adult life, all I’ve ever really known is taking care of other people. At 21 I had my first child and at 22 became a single, working mother. Every move I made was for our survival. At the end of the day, meeting my best friend and her little one at Gold’s Gym was a way

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-42722370863047006042011-05-17T06:38:00.000-07:002011-05-17T06:38:38.368-07:00

Okay, so, contest plans are off. Total bust. I'm not bummed because I was never really sold on the idea anyway, but the issue I now have is trying to find something that I can do that is for ME when everything in my life is about other people and other things. I am not an endurance athlete, so any kind of race or triathlon is just out of the question. Won't do it. And yoga...please, don't even go

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-71080672598896374152011-05-16T20:40:00.000-07:002011-05-16T20:40:55.045-07:00

Last Wednesday night before I went to bed I decided that the following morning would be the beginning...gonna pull out my notes from my 2009 Emerald Cup contest prep and start following my contest diet. My notes are very detailed and whenever my diet changed during that contest prep it was well documented, down to the smallest detail. I wasn't entirely sure why I was starting a contest diet. When

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-77115373600400855882011-05-14T18:18:00.000-07:002011-05-14T18:18:38.585-07:00

Today at Julie Michaelson Training we held a bootcamp fundraiser for a local mom, Krystal Warwick. Krystal has 3 children aged 3 and under, the youngest born this February. She learned shortly after the birth of her daughter in February that she had a brain tumor that would require radiation and chemotherapy. When I learned of Krystal's situation, I knew immediately that I wanted to do something

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-13910475816259344322011-05-01T10:53:00.000-07:002011-05-01T10:53:50.835-07:00

I was having wine time last night with one of my best girlfriends, Cindy. I met Cindy in 2006 shortly after the twins were born and just after her family had relocated from the Bay Area. We met playing Bunko (aka: Drunko) with some of the other neighbor ladies. Cindy and I hit it off right away. We are a lot alike in many ways, but mostly we are the anti-mom moms. We love being mothers and we

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-3817057611747839632011-04-25T20:20:00.000-07:002011-04-25T20:20:40.180-07:00

I have to say, I can't relate one single bit to the mothers out there who compare life "before kids" to life "after kids." I can't look back at the "good 'ole days" of my life as a woman without children and reminisce about the things that I used to do just for me. I've been a mother my entire adult life. I became pregnant when I was just a few months over 20 years old. I gave birth 6 weeks after

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-32627969324555350692011-04-24T18:02:00.000-07:002011-04-24T18:02:32.188-07:00

I haven't actively "dated" in several months. I've been so busy with my gym and my kids and honestly, no one has piqued my interest enough to give up my free time to myself or with my friends for a date. I haven't really even had time to think about dating or who exactly it is that I'm looking for. I've dated enough since my divorce that I now know exactly who I'm not looking for. In recent weeks

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-86806303522337122352011-04-10T06:43:00.000-07:002011-04-10T06:43:08.646-07:00

For 21 months my life was all about competing. I started training for my first competition, the Washington Ironman, upon return of my last trip to Negril in July 2008. It was something I had been longing to do but was meeting resistance from my husband. After I told him that June that I wanted a divorce, he pretty much agreed to let me do just about anything I wanted. So, a figure competition it

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-1979940520994028482011-04-09T06:38:00.000-07:002011-04-09T06:38:19.137-07:00

It's been almost 1 year exactly...6 days short. I've been thinking about it a lot lately as I see the Emerald Cup posts on Facebook from Elaine and from competitor friends. It's hard to believe that already a full year has passed yet there were days and weeks and months that seemed would never end in my post-competition aftermath. I was living in a body that did not feel like my own and it seemed

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-76781937062552744792011-04-01T06:16:00.000-07:002011-04-01T06:19:26.294-07:00

"If you don't design your own life's plan, chances are you will fall into someone else's plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much." Jim Rohn I left for many reasons (it’s all here, you just have to dig for it), not one of those reasons was to pursue my own life’s dreams. Quite frankly, my own dreams never really even crossed my mind. They weren’t even on my radar. I didn’t think

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-26368895606282360592011-03-20T11:43:00.000-07:002011-03-20T11:43:57.561-07:00

It's my birthday...happy birthday to me!! It's the first birthday since 2008 when I haven't been on a contest diet, unable to eat or drink the "fun foods" of my choosing. The last two birthdays have consisted of egg whites, chicken breasts and lots of asparagus and broccoli and extreme lack of carbs. Not so much fun. I am happily enjoying this day of being able to do what I want, when I want, and

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-37821977957659710692011-03-06T14:55:00.000-08:002011-03-06T14:55:51.577-08:00

I'll never forget. Ever. And every year at this time I remember, vividly, clearly, precisely...the moments, the words, all the little details of each event that lead to the culmination of the moment of saying goodbye to a child that would never live in this world, a dream that was never meant to be a reality. In those moments, when it was all happening to me, it seemed like the pain would never

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-47999786512200054862010-09-23T12:34:00.000-07:002010-09-23T12:35:51.241-07:00

I'm super excited to announce that my website is finally LIVE!!! We did a partial launch yesterday which included my BLOG! My entire Irie Life blog now lives at www.juliemichaelson.com and I've already been posting new blog entries detailing my new Gluten Free Diet Experiment as I try to get to the root of my fatigue issues. www.juliemichaelson.com

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-63407261280069209972010-09-21T09:31:00.000-07:002010-09-21T09:31:56.569-07:00

Great news...my website is *almost* ready to go live. My webmaster had no idea how much writing I had done in my blog when he bid the project. It was a little more time consuming than originally thought to move the entire blog over to my website. But it looks like we will finally be able to partially launch the site later this week. No new blogs here, but there is already tons of new stuff on my

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-38247741838555028952010-09-16T12:10:00.000-07:002010-09-16T12:10:08.112-07:00

This is kind of off-topic for what I normally post, but this story is so sweet. It seems like these days you don't hear about these acts of kindness anymore, so I wanted to share this particularly heart-warming story. My son, Brenden, is 6 years old. He has a yellow, stuffed ducky that he has slept with for several years now. "Ducky" has been well loved and has been sewn a few times now by my

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-23982788118379395242010-09-14T12:31:00.000-07:002010-09-14T12:31:28.219-07:00

I did my second total body workout yesterday. One exercise for each body part, 2 sets of 15 reps. Light weight...I'm talking benching the bar, squatting the bar, lateral raises with 7.5lb dumbells. And the saddest part was that my muscles were burning by the time I got to the end of each set. It's very challenging, mentally, to ease into this. My mind so desperately wants to charge full speed

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-84582789110432662872010-09-13T13:22:00.000-07:002010-09-13T13:22:58.856-07:00

I can't really update on "doing nothing" anymore because I'm now back in the gym...a little bit. I started back a week ago doing 30 minutes of easy cardio on the eliptical. It's funny how when your body is so exhausted and sick even "easy" feels extremely challenging. I finally got over my virus at the end of last week and decided that on Friday, after 18 days without lifting, I would attempt my

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-60423844206317623112010-09-02T16:38:00.001-07:002010-09-02T16:38:49.108-07:00

Two years ago I was training for my first competition ever, the 2008 Washington Ironman. As I would imagine for every competitor, this was a decision that was not made lightly or in haste. At the time, I was married, so it was a decision that my husband and I made as a couple since my contest prep would require so much dedication and devotion from me which, in turn, would mean that my family

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-76325712917903651232010-08-27T13:16:00.000-07:002010-08-27T13:16:21.857-07:00

Yesterday about the time I'd normally be getting ready to go to the gym, my daughter Natalie asks me why I'm not getting ready for the gym. I told her I was on a break. "What kind of break?" she asked. "Like a week or two" I told her. "Wow, are you going to be okay?" she asked. She knows me too well. The gym is my sanity and she knows it. Yesterday (day 2) I did get a little anxious and wanted to

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-67794524548620631142010-08-26T15:02:00.000-07:002010-08-26T15:02:49.601-07:00

My body is tired, very tired. My mind is tired too. I have no desire to do cardio, no desire to train and my energy level is very low right now. I feel like all I want to do is sleep. I'm not depressed, just underfed and overtrained and ready for a break. My body isn't responding to the intensity of my training or the strictness of my diet anymore. Yesterday I bailed on the gym completely. No

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-9028356134342441272010-08-26T09:25:00.000-07:002010-08-26T09:25:21.166-07:00

I stumbled upon this fantastic article about journaling this morning. If you've been reading my blog for any length of time or have looked back through my archives, you know that my blogging has been my way of processing life's challenges. The writing I did last summer and fall as I was in the thick of my divorce is what kept me from completely losing my mind. I needed to write about it so I

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-55892778602457401582010-08-17T09:56:00.000-07:002010-08-17T09:56:51.836-07:00

I was in the gym the other day and was approached by a guy that I talk to every now and then. He's considering the possibility of doing a bodybuilding competition at some point and wants my help with nutrition. I would say about once a month I run into him in the gym, he picks my brain a bit, I give him my 2 cents worth until the next time we have a similar such conversation. After our

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-2729005121930760602010-08-15T20:55:00.000-07:002010-08-15T20:55:02.333-07:00

Okay, these are not completely "clean", but they make a great substitute for a "naughty" dessert. This is the recipe exactly as I made them, with the exact brands and macronutrient breakdown for those products. If you use a different protein powder or use regular milk the breakdown will likely be different. I used Almond Breeze Almond Milk instead of regular cow's milk to drop the carb count for

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-2208208907602534592010-08-15T16:27:00.000-07:002010-08-15T16:27:23.042-07:00

In case you didn't know, Rob Thomas is my very favorite music artist of all time. I've seen him every time he's been to the Seattle area since 1999 except for one when I was either getting married or being VERY pregnant. I can't recall which it was. So I found out in late April that Rob was coming to Seattle in August. My ex-husband has a knack for scoring amazing seats for concerts, so I

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-51328846108117277322010-08-10T15:22:00.000-07:002010-08-10T15:22:05.708-07:00

I got a text from a friend this morning saying that her divorce was finally final. And today, she is, as I was and remain, very happy. It's funny because over the past few days I've had some interactions with my ex-husband that when married would have left a very heavy feeling in my heart. They would have knotted my stomach with anxiety. Even last summer these conversations would have gotten me

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-29390479661824942922010-08-08T16:07:00.000-07:002010-08-08T16:07:41.708-07:00

I got a text last night. It said... "How many grams of carbs should a person consume per pound of body weight? I heard it's like 8-10g/lb" First of all, let's net that one out...let's take a 150lb person and 8g of carbs/lb of bodyweight, that's 1200g of carbs a day. A gram of carbohydrate is worth 4 calories, so that would mean our 150lb person is eating 4800 calories a day just in

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-28267357555177732412010-08-07T07:23:00.000-07:002010-08-07T07:23:53.219-07:00

I've been really motivated to train as of late. My workouts have been going very well, I'm back to my old training split that has worked very well for me in the past and I've really been liking it. I've gone into my workouts with plenty of energy and have been feeling really strong. ...Until Thursday... I went to the gym Thursday to train chest and follow it with cardio. I really just wasn't "

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-25221408110752434542010-08-03T10:54:00.000-07:002010-08-03T10:54:39.521-07:00

I was contacted by a blog reader this morning informing me that said..."I'm tired of looking at your babies. Write something new!!!" Okay, maybe I exaggerate a little... Since I don't have anything amazing or inspiring to write about I figured I'd write a little update on my EC recovery process. Oh wait...it IS kind of amazing!!! :) I've lost 12lbs in 2 weeks!!! I guess I can't say that isn't

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-28051138894182694042010-07-28T06:51:00.000-07:002010-07-28T06:51:58.540-07:00

It's hard to believe my babies, my Washbellies, are 4 years old today. The time has passed so quickly and to look back and realize just how fast it has passed is a bittersweet feeling. I remember the days when we were in "survival mode" all too well. Those days seemed to drag on and on and it seemed like we were going to be stuck in survival mode forever. But, 4 years later, I can assure you, we

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-92158939821942520142010-07-25T12:35:00.000-07:002010-07-25T12:35:00.745-07:00

Crazy week...I have dropped 6lbs since Tuesday (today is Sunday) and no, I'm not doing anything crazy. Food is the same (carb cycling is dialed in), water, sodium are also the same. And I am sweating like a freakin' pig when I do cardio. Like nasty sweating. Like I would look at me and think I was gross and weird!!! Today was my "endurance" cardio session for 90 minutes and I had to change

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-52625735270231596482010-07-22T15:04:00.000-07:002010-07-22T15:04:14.520-07:00

I have a friend who is recently separated and beginning the divorce process. We sat down yesterday and were talking about it and he said..."This whole thing sucks. I don't even know who my friends are anymore. My 'best friends' are now her best friends and I don't know who's in my corner anymore." I could see the pain in his eyes and how much this loss, the divorce, the friends, was hurting him.

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-58998799338161442182010-07-22T13:44:00.000-07:002010-07-22T13:44:05.927-07:00

I've been doing AMAZING with breaking my coffee addiction. I'm even giving the whole "moderation" thing a try. Every few days I'll make a cup (or 2) of coffee and enjoy it completely guilt free. It's not preventing my Starbucks-driven social life either...I'm ordering decaf Americanos now. I have to admit, I do miss my morning coffee ritual. I was thinking about it this morning and I realized

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-17940172484330667002010-07-17T13:40:00.001-07:002010-07-17T13:40:44.086-07:00

I’ve always neglected my arms. My 5 day body part split routine includes an “arms” day. I have always found arms to be downright boring. I guess because it never feels quite as intense because the biceps and triceps are so much smaller than the other muscle groups. My heart rate never gets very high on arms day, even with the heavy weights. For this reason, I’ve found myself skipping arms day

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-52503991602140940422010-07-16T19:09:00.000-07:002010-07-16T19:09:58.475-07:00

Gone are my "build-a-butt" days. Gone are the days when I would squat 235lbs. I trained my body to grow my legs and my butt and it did that. I ate to grow and I grew! I outgrew my pants. I like the new butt, but I'm not lovin' the legs. They're lean and they're solid, but I'm just not sure I like them this size. So, I'm training for maintenance right now until I get lean enough to determine

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-33002605141269393312010-07-16T15:13:00.000-07:002010-07-16T15:13:22.502-07:00

I was outside watering my hanging flower baskets this afternoon and I was pleasantly surprised to see that my favorite basket, the purple petunias, was looking quite vibrant and amazing. I have 6 baskets hanging around my house and the purple petunias are on the back corner of the house and unfortunately, I had forgotten them back there earlier in the week. When I went outside yesterday morning

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-12928174190250582762010-07-15T09:58:00.000-07:002010-07-15T09:58:35.340-07:00

It's been a remarkable week recovery-wise for me, so I decided I should post a little update on what's been going on. A couple weeks ago my first-hand account of my experience with prescription diuretic use for competition purposes was published at muscleandstrength.com. It's never easy to admit our faults and failures, so this was a tough article for me to write, but my hope is that it will help

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-57536965503306321842010-07-12T09:57:00.000-07:002010-07-12T09:57:19.825-07:00

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."Dr. Suess It's always been important to me to always speak my truth, to live my life with integrity. I'm so far from perfect, but I do always make sure that I never do or say anything about someone that I wouldn't do or say to their face. And over the last year I have learned how important

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-88294583370164634152010-07-11T20:28:00.000-07:002010-07-11T20:44:16.095-07:00

Attacked Mt Si today. I haven't been up Si in years...probably 7 or more. Mt Si was my first hike ever and I used to hike it a LOT. Usually 4 times a week. I would run it up and run it down. My best time up was 58 minutes and I could get down in about half that, so that usually allowed me some good hang time at the summit. I'd head out after work and be back to Seattle by dinner time. This was

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-26767913038942046962010-07-09T12:12:00.000-07:002010-07-09T12:12:38.458-07:00

This is going to sound corny as heck, but I am pretty sure that the Universe was attempting to sending me messages via my coffee pot. I have this amazing coffee pot...it's one of those fancy pants Cuisinart Burr Grind and Brew. A word to the manufacturer...coffee pots are for brewing coffee, coffee grinders are for grinding beans. They should remain two separate machines. The grinder on this

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-78618862608452110492010-07-08T09:24:00.000-07:002010-07-08T09:24:27.081-07:00

I had my weekly coaching call yesterday afternoon with my amazing life coach Nancy Carlstrom and we spent a pretty good chunk of our time talking about what's been going on with my body, the messages I'm sending to my body and how my body is responding to them. Basically, I've been pushing my body to extremes in "punishment" to try to get myself back to where I want to be. I definitely believe

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-88483164150927789362010-07-07T12:01:00.000-07:002010-07-07T12:01:33.790-07:00

It's been a tough few days. Heck, it's been a tough [nearly] 13 weeks. I am frustrated at how long it is taking my body to get back to normal. I am mad at myself for the things I did that got me here. I was doing cardio on the eliptical this morning at the gym (had to give the step mill a break as my left knee is in serious pain) and was reflecting back on everything that my body has been through

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-6136504356655684942010-07-06T13:01:00.000-07:002010-07-06T13:01:11.364-07:00

My favorite place on earth! This is some very cool footage of Negril!

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-80208788546396402592010-07-04T09:42:00.000-07:002010-07-04T09:42:33.859-07:00

It's now been more than 11 weeks since the Emerald Cup and I am still fighting to get back to normal. It's been an extremely frustrating process and patience, is not one of my virtues, so that makes it even more challenging for me, mentally. When I want something, I want it now, right now!! This whole process has been a good learning experience for me. A lesson in patience, for sure. It's given

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-17045201421407373392010-07-01T21:10:00.000-07:002010-07-01T21:10:18.239-07:00

I never go into the gym without a game plan. Ever. It just doesn't happen. My training may be a bit random right now, but I always decide before I set foot in the gym what body parts I'm going to train and what exercises I am going to do. If time allows and I feel like it I might throw in something I wasn't planning on...like last night, my 10 sets of 10 curls. I've noticed lately that most

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-89377993989618483522010-06-30T21:21:00.000-07:002010-06-30T21:21:31.652-07:00

The quest to keep losing water weight and fat continues! Today's workout was killer and intense. Finished off my back workout with some HIIT on the step mill and treadmill. Step mill: 20 minutes, speed intervals - 40 seconds level 17, 40 seconds level 10 Treadmill: 10 rounds of 30 seconds at 10mph, 30 seconds off (completely off) It was a great sweat session, maxing out the heart rate at 178!!!

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-48075984567943815852010-06-29T08:02:00.000-07:002010-06-29T08:14:26.589-07:00

I just finished reading Women Food and God by Geneen Roth. Given my current schedule, I don't have a lot of extra time for reading, so it generally takes me awhile to finish a book. This book captured me right away. Within the first few pages I was reading things that were exactly the same things I do or similar to the thoughts I have around food. I immediately grabbed a highlighter and a pencil

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-66256407941305359492010-06-27T20:58:00.000-07:002010-06-27T20:58:42.679-07:00

My friend Julie, from Minnesota, recently posted this on Facebook with a list of things she "loves". I love the list, I LOVE focusing on the positive and all that is good and wonderful about life. I love giving thought to the things that make me happy, the things that fuel my fire for life. Following the quote is my list, in no particular order, with the exception of the first one on the list! ;)

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-85771532876346723372010-06-27T09:19:00.000-07:002010-06-27T09:19:11.585-07:00

My adrenals are toast. It's really not all that surprising when I look back over the last 5 years...here's a brief snapshot... *Miscarriage - 3/05, followed by a frustrating year of trying to conceive again *Pregnant - 12/05...it's TWINS!!! *37 1/2 weeks of hyperemesis, discomfort, meanwhile raising 2 kids and working full time *7/06 - give birth to twins and proceed to nurse them both (

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-449875749496825966.post-40997589020370835532010-06-24T13:58:00.000-07:002010-06-24T13:58:14.022-07:00

I am super thrilled to announce that my very first training article went live on the Muscle & Strength website yesterday!  Lats: they can make you or break you as a figure competitor. I remember my first competition, standing on stage, hearing people in the audience frantically yelling “OPEN!!! OPEN!!!” I remember being in my back pose on that stage, thinking…”wow, somebody up here really

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05760907670500059497noreply@blogger.com0