www.innovativefitnesstraining.com

Two Meatballs: We Started From the Bottom, Now We Here!?!

You guys!  Sandra Axman has been with us since the beginning.  If you are new to the blog, Sandra is the owner of Innovative Fitness Training http://www.innovativefitnesstraining.com and reached out to us in our Two Meatballs  infancy.  She offered to train us for a month.  We were so nervous, but we thought it was such a great opportunity, so we quickly accepted her generous offer. Jenny and I had started Paleo and joined a gym, but really had NO idea what we were doing!  We walked into CORE fitness studio on the Wade Ave exit and were met with hugs and the most motivating person on the planet.  That was in April of 2014 and we haven’t looked back since.  Look how cute we were!!!

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We have seen Sandra once a week for almost a year and a half minus some major illnesses on my part and several vacations between the three of us and it has been so amazing.  She is helping us transform our bodies. She is teaching us how to be strong and how to lift the right way.  She is coaching us, helping us remember that we can do anything and that it’s all about being in the moment.  Just look at all the fun we’ve had, the sweat that was produced and the progress we’ve made. #loveyousandra

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We went from binge drinking to taking a sledgehammer to a giant tire!!! And she is so creative, every workout is different!

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There were times where we thought, she has to be kidding…

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We can’t do box jumps…doesn’t she know that we’re fat!!!

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I’m going to puuuuuuke!!!!

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But she never stopped believing that we were capable of anything that we set our minds to…and she was right! We learned how to work out on our own!

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Even on vacation!!!  She also helped us feel confident enough to tackle group fitness!

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Here are some of our favorite before and afters…just look how confident!

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Look how far we’ve come!!! This is our first workout to now.

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Sandra!!!!  You mean so much to us.  We love you so much.  You have taught us everything and we could never thank you enough.  You are our favorite part of each week. Xoxo

Which brings us to this week…didn’t you miss these inventive car selfies!?

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We were both pumped this morning.  I tried to do Jenny’s half bun so we could be twins buuuuut, I got too hot after the first circuit today.  Up first, treadmills!  We have both been so excited and grateful for this weekly workout since our extended hiatus ended!

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Jenny was doing some amazing mid air bust your ass if you’re not careful jumps on the treddie, but I was too close and missed it…here is the best one I could muster!

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She told me I ruined it, hahahahaha.  Even though we work at the same place we really don’t get to spend any time together bc we are both really busy which is a blessing.  So this time with Sandra and our warm up especially we get some great quality time in.  We talk about all the dumbest stuff on the planet and we love it.  We both are surprised every single week that we aren’t in any of the pictures on the wall in the workout room!  Any who, then Sandra came in and told us it was her birthday and that  we were her only clients that day.  After much yelling and fanfare on our part, we moved on to the only thing keeping Sandra from celebrating…our workout!!!  Today was so challenging!  First circuit, pushups, high back rows for me and bridge back rows for Jenny and then full sit ups for Jenny and sit up meet leg for me!  This was as many rounds as possible in a time frame.

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Then we did a kettle bell, farmers walk, squat circuit that was hell.  So hellacious in fact there are no pictures.  Just imagine the worst thing you can think of and that is what it looked like.

We ended up recreating it in the end:

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Thennnnn we did a tricep, bicep burnout.  I think we both lost it here!

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But like it happens every time, all of the sudden it was over.  We did some stretching and some posing!

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I know it sounds awful, but you guys, there is something so amazing about showing up and having someone who genuinely cares about you, guide you through a challenging workout.  Also, I highly recommend that you do it with your best friend.  Sandra can help you find your best, healthiest body.  She is an expert in fitness and well versed in nutrition.  But more than anything, she really cares about you and wants to help you get where you want to go.  She works at your pace but pushes you and that is exactly what these meatballs need.  Sandy, you are our rock and our constant.  We love you.  Seriously, go see her today and feel better today!

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Two Meatballs: Learning To Say No To Ourselves….and Yes to 1,000 Squats!

Jenny and I are both very reward based people.  We respond well to a prize, a treat, a date and as you know, lately…a cupcake. We don’t respond well to punishment. #knowthyself #donttellmewhattodo So when we needed to get back on track it was important to identify what we could strive for…as if our health wasn’t enough #itsnot.  And after lots of deep talks,  what we found is that integrity is our big prize. We reward ourselves allll the time so sometimes the big win is saying no to ourselves when we want what we want when the fuck we want it .  We really got deep on our drive and we even batted around the idea of a Meatball sabbatical…until we realized we had already been on it for two months.  That was a real gut check for me on how rock bottom I had hit.  I neeeed this blog.  I need to tell my secrets so they don’t take over.  I need to share my struggles and my successes.  I’m not sure I could have survived Gig’s passing if I hadn’t been able to share her life.  Writing is a part of me now and I can’t not get these things out and share with the world.  What we have identified and now know for sure is that we need each other, we need you reading this and cheering us on, we need Sandra kicking our ass and we need Joelle to give us perspective and inspiration.  I mentioned my fierce conversation with Joelle earlier this week.  First let me say how truly grateful I am to have a mentor who cares so much in my life.  Once we identified that I was back on track (this was day one of the Humdinger Juice Cleanse), we started talking about how un-motivating  it is to get back on track.  How bad it sucks to lose weight that you’ve already lost.  How do you make that exciting again?!  How do you reengage? And then she suggested something that I think is genius.  This next weigh in marks our 1 year anniversary or Meatball birthday if you will #yesiwillllll so why not start with our highest weight for THIS year.  I feel so far away from 340.  But now my highest weight from this year is 273 and that feels soooo far away from 250 which is my lowest.  I find that gap extremely un-motivating.  These are our rules, we get to make them and change them and why not reframe this picture to be something that feels good!?!  Also, when I gain so much weight in between, I don’t get any credit for digging myself out of the hole.  I want the credit dammit.  It’s going to take me a long time to shed 23 pounds and I need to see some minuses on that chalkboard not just 4 months of pluses.  Some people may think this is a copout and that’s fine.  Minuses will always be more motivating for me than pluses and I don’t feel the need to punish myself any further or really at all.  Moving forward is key…Joelle you sweet genius.  Thank you so much for helping me out of this hole and for the perspective shift.  I’m feeling pumped.  What now!?!  Time to sweat.  Enter Sandra!!! As per usual, Jenny picked me up and we were still sleeping.

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I kept accusing Jenny of getting up in the morning and blowing out her hair and putting on makeup before the gym bc she always looks soooooo much better than I do.  Although to be fair, I barely put clothes on much less comb my hair! Hahaha #iwokeuplikethis Today was a fucking doozy and she said it would be which is always terrifying.  This was the first time in a long time where it just seemed non-stop…the breaks that we did get were like 5 seconds (or that’s what it felt like!).  But I will say that it flew by…..thank gah!  Welcome to the montage.

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Are you exhausted yet?!  To be sure I’m thin now!  Did you catch my over it face and then me cracking up…I can never hold a serious face!  Jenny looks amazing and powerful! I don’t even remember anything I just know everything came with a squat.  Jenny and I never spoke once and only had one pathetic little dance break bc we were so pooped.  Sandra….WE LOVE YOU!  You guys really need to come and see her.  She is the most inspiring human and she will push you so much further than you would ever push yourself.   We even got a shout out on her Innovative Fitness Training page! #arewefamousyet!?

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Now get those gym rat outfits off and lets see something nice ladies!

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So basically what I’m saying is call her, (919) 601-3140 and start seeing results like ours today, the those bikini beach days are right around the corner.  OK, What else keeps you on track!?!  Finding a new healthy food place.!?!?!  This segment is called welcome to my new obsession….Our Meatball Sub, Nikki introduced us to a great new place in North Hills called B. Good and dammit it is ooooh sooooooo good. #didyouseewhatididthere!?  I ate there three days in a row.

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Sunday was my first day of solids after the amazingly epic Juice Cleanse of ’15!  And I didn’t want to fuck it up by eating something I shouldn’t.  But I was also too weak to cook (best excuse of my life) So Jenny and I had a lovely little solo date Sunday night and we managed not to eat cupcakes.  Victory number 1! This place has so many healthy and delicious options!  I had a Southwestern chicken Salad and she had a Toasted Almond Ginger Kale Bowl and we split Sweet Potato fries!!!!!!

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We did not dress up for each other #oldcouple and they sent us out a mistake!

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And then our real dinners!

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Great!!!!!!  Then I met my childhood pal Elizabeth for dinner Monday night!  I got a yummy spicy burger in a lettuce wrap and real fries with a Kale Krush smoothie!

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Elizabeth is on her own healthy journey and it was so nice to catch up!!!!  Love you!  Then me and Kelly went back Tuesday night and I Kale Krushed it up!

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If you haven’t tried this place you should.  Get ready…weigh in is happening next week!!!!!!  See you Tuesday night at 7!!!!!!  We love y’all so much.  Thanks for your patience and support during a rough little journey!!!!  We love y’all so much!

 

 

 

Two Meatballs: I Don’t Think I Can Jog Anymore!?!

Goooood morning you guysssss!!!!  You probably noticed that something was tragically missing last week and you were right!!!  Sandra texted us Wednesday night to let us know she was under the weather.  Being sick is the worst!!!  So this morning I said…maybe today will be easy…then we laughed for the rest of the ride!  Cause guess what you guys…it just keeps getting harder and that is what is supposed to happen!!!  So on our drive this morning there was construction and Jenny freaked out and missed our turn!!!  I have never laughed sooooo hard…she just kept trying to turn in and then freaked out and blew right past it.  But we are both ocd early so even with the detour we were still early enough to take some selfies!

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Then it was on to the ass whoopin…we def made up for missing last week!  We started our down on the matts doing 3 rounds of alternating between push ups and planking with mountain climbing legs!

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Then we got onto the treadmill and Jenny ran and I briskly walked at an increasing incline for a bit!

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Then we did sumo squats with a 15 lb dumbbell (12) and then something with a G squats (12) and 6 rounds of this decreasing the G squat down by 2 each round…

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Then we did a back circuit alternating through back rows on the TRX, seated back rows and slam balls…for 3 rounds

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Then we got back onto the mat and did crunches, elbows to knees crunches and flutter or scissor kicks for time…

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Then we did 4 rounds of alternating rope slams and arm workouts…

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We did the abs and ropes and arms for two rounds!!!

At some point in this we also did the treadmill thing again!!!

Then we finished up with a 5 minute choose your own adventure…bicep curls as many as you can until you cant and then tricep dips and then tricep extenstions as many rounds as needed!  I lost it and decided to get on the tire! #showoff

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We survived!!!!  Love you so much Sandra!!!  You looked so glowy today!!!! Xoxoxoxo have a great weekend!!!

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