We Are Women

Have you ever opened your eyes and come out of that night time daze with that familiar ache in your chest and ask yourself, “again?” You’re lying on your back looking at the ceiling and you feel your chest rise as you try to catch the breath that seems to be knocked out of you. Your dog looks at you with her concerned eyes and you just keep wondering how the hell you got here again? You stumble to the mirror and look through your swollen eyes and examine your purple wine stained lips thinking, “why does this always happen?” You stand straight and take a cold hard look in the mirror at this bad bitch of a woman that is just broken because she thought this time might be different. A few weeks ago you got caught up in his kind eyes and let his crooked smile break down walls you’ve spent so long rebuilding. You share late night stories of hopes and dreams and your paths seem to cross somewhere until he stares at you with cold lifeless eyes telling you this is no longer what you thought it to be. Each time it happens you seem to build the wall higher just to watch it tumble down again and you always ask yourself why? Why do I always find myself with tear stained eyes slowly building up this wall again brick by brick? The sad thing about it all is that I know it won’t be the last time my heart aches, but somehow as women we are all okay with that. We are taught to brush it off, stand up and take on life like you were not just ugly crying hysterically into a bottle of wine the night before. We are women and we were made to be broken and rebuilt. Our bodies have stretch marks and our hearts have cracks and we use wine and banana split ice cream to heal our wounds and that’s okay. I’m not the "keep on crying" kind. I’m not the "please don’t leave me because I don’t know who I am without you" kind. I am the "you are so damn lucky to be graced with my humor and all these good looks" kind. I am the "I know who I am and don’t need you" kind. I am the "I’m a bad bitch and I know it" kind. And I will not let them break me. 

Faulty Wagon

Hello fellow fit-freaks! My deepest apologies for the long hiatus from all things fitness, but have no fear! We are back! Let me catch you up on recent events!

ANNA MOVED:Yes, it's true. She's long gone, far away from civilization, and basically left me here in Arlington to die a slow death while she lives it up in The Big D. As her workout partner, her good friend, and the best thing that has ever happened to her, I should just be ecstatic for this new chapter in her life, but I'm not. Nope. Not one bit. I think I cried for two days after the actual packing and moving. Now it's like I'm the love-sick freshman who's senior boyfriend broke it off after I prematurely professed my love for him in the lunch room, or at least that is what I've read into the pity glances I get at the gym...either way. I'm not happy. But, I'm thrilled for Anna and her new life and it's definitely going to be interesting to see how we work without each other.

• UPDATE: WE CANT WORK WITHOUT EACH OTHER! So, ladies and gents, we are about as useful as a screen door on a submarine apart from each other. The month of May basically just was the black hole of reality and let us realize we are only human! We make mistakes, we skipped our workouts, we drank copious amounts of alcohol, and we survived. We kept making excuses for ourselves as to why we couldn't get to the gym, but once we had our first swimsuit date by the pool, we went directly to BWW, indulged in some hot wings (gasp) and toasted to how far we've come with some ice cold beers. And then we toasted to how far we still have to go. We are both realists, and we both agreed that we are so proud of what we have accomplished, but we are not finished yet. I also promised to allow Anna to workout with other people, but only if its a casual thing and she thinks about me the whole time she's doing it

OUR WAGONS ARE RICKETY: Like I just stated, we are only human. We jumped on the fitness bandwagon and let everyone know about it. It made us feel better about ourselves that we had people that were watching us, both with positive and negative feedback. We were dedicated. We were driven. We were ready to take the bull by the horns...and then life happened. While I was prepping for finals in a zombie-like state due to the lack of sleep and large amounts of redbull, Anna was partying like a rockstar at the Texas Rangers Stadium, moving, and changing careers. Life happened. Our rituals became nonexistent, and we were putting crap into our bodies. We fell off our wagons, but I'm claiming that our wagon had a rickety wheel or something! We are back at it though, so have no fear we are back in action and thirsty for blood, sweat, and tears. Summer is here and all these teeny bikinis seem to keep us pretty motivated to keep up the hard work.

WE ARE ON OUR SIXTH MONTH: That's right, we have started our sixth month of our 2014 resolution and I'm pretty sure we can say we have beaten the odds! Most people don't last a few weeks, much less half of the year. It's officially official-it's not longer a phase that we might get over, we are fitchicks and we are here to stay! As we both sat by the pool in our bikinis pointing out every little thing we still wanted to change about our bodies we both couldn't help but point out to each other "Could you imagine if we never started this? Could you imagine how unhappy we would still be with the bodies we thought we were okay with?" Do not get me wrong, I am not into body shaming, I do not believe there is a "perfect woman" or that we should all look the same. I believe in being healthy and comfortable in your own skin, regardless of what anyone else thinks. Anna and I are perfect examples of two women with completely different goal images in our minds, because we are two completely different women! But we are both thankful for the progress we made and we are proud of ourselves and each other for coming this far, but we are both committed to getting to where we want to be, even if one of us gets there faster. We are here to motivate and push each other, and I can't wait to see what the next six months has in store for us!

XOXO,SHERIDAN

She Get It From Her Momma

So last week I had the opportunity to show my mom the ins and outs of my gym here in the metroplex. And let me tell you, she may be in her forties, but she is one of the toughest women I know. My mom was never big to me, I tell her that all the time. When I looked at her growing up, she radiated strength and wisdom and as much as she hates her teeth, I loved her big bright smile. When she laughs, she has the kind of big belly laugh that you know is true. She is beautiful inside and out, her pant size never concerned me. So when she started her weight loss journey it wasn't the weight I saw coming off of her, it was the joy that I saw come back to her. She talked and laughed with everyone without worry of her shirt fitting too tight and she didn't back away from photos taken and memories being made anymore. She started to become someone I had always known, and I loved her for it.


Last year she began to experiment with Crossfit and things other than Zumba (and mind you, my mother loves her some Zumba), and finally joined a 12 week bootcamp in Wichita Falls with Marisa Cervantes as her coach. She started talking about her "fit fam" and telling us about the intense exercises that this woman was putting her through and my only thought was "Who are these people and are they trying to kill my mother?" She has an amazing support system of women back home that I want to personally thank for taking care of her while I'm not there. You guys mean the world to her. Soon she was bragging about how many burpees she did with her new friends, talked about doing a mud run and bought a weighted jacket for running and then I thought, what am I doing?  She was my motivation to begin my journey. She was the reason that I took control of my life and my body, because if this old bird could do it with the best of them, so could I. I'm twenty-two and my mother is showing me up!! I made the commitment to be fit on January 3rd and I will never forget not being able to run a mile as her little peanut head ran ahead of me and kept telling me to push through, and that was when I said never again. I owe it all to her.

So as we strolled in to 24 Hour Fitness I was excited to show my mom the progress I had made in the past 4 months. I was ready to kick her rear because her new "fit fam" not only taught her the ways of the fitness world, but also gave her a pretty good sized little ego. We loaded up on leg day and I found myself baffled by her great form and strength. She wasn't afraid to pack on weight and do it with the big dogs, or tell me "well Marisa says..." and it made me so proud to call her my mother and my best friend. So we giggled about the cute boys, I teased her about her "Pam Sweat", and I forced her to do some abs before we waddled out of the gym to head home. She is my rock, my motivation and my strength when I feel weary, and she keeps my going when I am running low and feeling lost. She is my mother, and she my friends, is a badass.
 

XOXO SHERIDAN

For the Love of Foam

After switching gyms and feeling like the new kids on the block we are finally starting to be comfortable at the impeccabley clean 24 hour fitness in Arlington, Texas. Teaching ourselves the ins and outs of the weight area hasn't been easy and since Anna has the memory of a small gerbil once her work day is over, it's been interesting to watch us wander around trying to remember what goes where. Lucky for us, we are the dynamic duo and we aren't afraid to look a little silly trying out new things-especially if we are together! So last week we finally decided to try out the awkward looking, yet so enticing foam roller- and it. was. amazing!!

WHAT IS IT?

It is literally a foam log about 6 inches in diameter that can give you all the benefits of a deep tissue massage without the price tag! At our gym they are over by the kettlebells and mats if that helps you any!

WHY USE IT?

It helps break up trigger points, stretch muscles and tendons and helps increase blood circulation. It also helps your muscles release lactic acid build up which will help you not cramp up! 

HOW TO USE IT

It is really as easy as it looks! You use your body weight to roll yourself back and forth on the foam. Although not all positions are borderline sexual, you might find yourself with your rearend up in the air and if you are anything like us this will then lead to giggling while asking each other "Is it inappropriate if I do this?" But this is also why we might be kindly asked to never return to our gym...so-do as we say not as we do! The foam roller works great on your hamstrings, quads, glutes and the side of your outside thigh above your kneecap (your IT band).

So give it a try! It'll hurt so good but your muscles will thank you later! We have started incorporating it into our weekly routine at the gym and since they only cost about $20 you can even do it at home to avoid the stares that we get at the gym. But ours are pretty much self induced....

Gaining Street Credit, Like in a Small Gang

We have officially ALMOST hit our four month mark and our bodies are evolving into what we like to call "bad bitch status"...What is this you may ask? It is when we are so confident with our progress we are finally able to rock those super tight, teeny tiny, bright colored shorty shorts ("bad bitch" shorts) that you see every hardcore, dedicated, cut up woman sporting on Pinterest and Intaagram Fit pages. We've day dreamed about the moment when we put a pair on and are able to strut up to that gym door and not question the jiggle in our step or the love in our handles, and I feel that we are seeing the light at the end of this tunnel.

It's all about that goal lately and we have been so dedicated to this new lifestyle that we have almost become obsessed with it. It's a routine to get to the gym, down our preworkout in the locker room all while giggling about cute front desk guys and why our past boyfriends were the ones that got away (or my goodness WHAT was I thinking). We then make our way upstairs and plan out our workout, hoping we didn't waste too much time because if we do, the pre workout kicks in and I resemble a three year old in a toy store and we just don't get anywhere. Then we go kill our workouts-together. The dynamic duo, there to support one another, push each other to do more reps, to do more weight, "Quit buckling your knees Anna!" and always there to give each other a pat on the back because we did it. We are almost to where we want to be-together. But what about without each other? What do we do when we get lives? Boyfriends? Jobs that require more than just your attention from 8-5? Can we do this by ourselves? Will Anna watch her own form and finally remember how many reps are in the last set of pyramid abs? Will I have my own motivation to actually do my cardio if Anna isn't forcing me to up the resistance on the elliptical. Life is finally starting to become an issue in our routine and last week I was forced to go without Anna, without my partner in crime, and one month ago I am almost positive I would have just decided to not go, but last week was my defining moment, alone, by myself with no one else there to hold me accountable, and at the end of my workout the feeling I had was an amazing one. 

Last Thursday I walked in the gym in a somber mood, ready to get in, get out, and be done with it. I punched in my code, quickly got my things in a locker and went straight to the stationary bike for a small warm up before I started my workout. I sat on the bike by myself thinking "Is this what people really do by themselves? This is so boring! What am I supposed to do without Anna to talk to? Just watch the screen? What is this?" As I walked over to the weight area, I had my defining moment when I decided against a boring hour of cardio machines and decided maybe I didn't need her to rock my arm workout...maybe, just maybe, this was something I could do by myself and I did. I did a full hour of free weights and just when I was almost done I decided that I didn't need Anna to finish off this amazing high with some bench press. I usually don't need a spot with her unless I put more than 10lbs plates on, so I put on some small 5lb plates and sat down. As I set my music to some Ke$ha (homegirl keeps my blood pumping), I noticed some stares from the heavily male populated area and I felt a rush. I was about to show all these men that I know what I am doing, that I belong here. And that is exactly what I did. I pumped out my reps, reracked my weights, because by golly I'm a lady and I follow the rules, and I walked over to stretch with a whole new attitude. This is me, this is the new Sheridan that I've always wanted to be. The gym doesn't define me, but it is part who I am. 2 hours a day, 5 to 6 days a week, this is part of my life, and I love it. I got a few head nods from some of the biggest guys up there, and one even pointed his finger at me like "I see you"! It was the moment I saw myself in a whole new light, and it was like I had gained some street cred of the Iron Gang of 24 hour fitness. I wasn't seen as the little blonde girl lost amongst men, I am now one of them. I'm not sure if that entails any weird gang related initiation period or if I have to pay different dues, but as long as I don't have to behead a chicken or anything I am proud to be officially part of this lifestyle. Now, I just need to figure out if that head nod included Anna or not because she's my homie too, you know?

Switch it up!

Once your busy work week is behind you it is easy to let the weekend get the best of you. I usually find myself glued to the TV with reruns of anything 90s and tell myself the gym will be there on Monday, as i stuff my face with delivery food. With nice weather approaching us the infamous "Sunday Funday" rolls around and you may find yourself joining the masses on a patio somewhere with happy hour frozen margs (extra salt, por favor!) and bottomless chips and salsa. Although we love to indulge ourselves in these shenanigans as well, we have started to try and mix up our weekends with something new and exciting and something that gets us active! It's been fun to test the waters and see what we like and what we might just leave to the pros! Looking for something to get you out of the same ol gym routine? Take a peek at what we have on our agendas!


ROCKCLIMBING
This was our first adventure together and we had a blast! Anna had the advantage of length while I had the advantage of small hands and tiny feet finding the crevices a little easier! Dyno-Rock in Arlington, Texas offers a full rental and day pass for around $20 and they were so helpful in teaching us the correct way to work the ropes! It was a killed upper body and core workout and we got to take fun pictures while we were at it! It was one of my favorite things we have done!

SWIMMING
We have actually started adding this into our weekly routines! It is a fun way to change up our normal routine in the gym and is the ultimate full body workout. We thought it would be a fun laid back way to get us active and we were so wrong. I don't think I've ever slept that hard after a workout. The trick is to keep moving! We both have swim experience but are far from Olympic status, so we take it easy with by interchanging some of our favorite strokes and paddle-board kicks to keep us going for the full workout.

HOT YOGA

So, this is on our agenda, and I am excited to see the fool I make out of myself with this one. I'm the farthest from graceful and I'm not a huge fan of the heat so we will see how this one goes. It's great to stretch out your body because flexibility will really help you perform better with weight lifting. So crank up that sauna and lets see how long it takes me to get stuck in the downward sad puppy...

KAYAKING
Anna and I are both pumped for this amazing Texas weather to make up its ever lovin' mind and stay warm for a minute so we can go try this one out! We are both water babies and love the idea of kayaking. It will be an amazing arm workout with rowing and you have to keep your core nice and tight to maintain a balance as to not inhale the unsanitary river water. Plus, we'll get a killer tan in the sun and what girl doesn't love getting a little color in while working out?

Simple Stir Fry

Let's face it, we live in a fast paced, fast-food America. We are all busy with school, work, and real life that sometimes it is easier to make an excuse rather than make your own meal. Eating healthy doesn't have to include 12 step recipes that require you to harvest your own grains in the deep depths of the Amazon. Here is a quick recipe that has simple ingredients and only takes about 15 minutes from start to finish. Plus it is only about 191 calories?!

Sheridan's Simply Stir-Fry

4oz Skinless Boneless Chicken Breast

1 or 2 cups Asian Blend Vegetables (depends on how hungry you are, its only 30cals a cup!)

1/4 cup White Onion (chunks)

1 clove of garlic

1 tablespoon Low Sodium Soy Sauce

Salt and Pepper to taste

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Sriracha (optional for a kick)

I make sure and dice my chicken and have my onion and garlic chopped while the olive oil is warming up in a skillet. Once the oil is warm saute the garlic and onion, then add in the veggies and chicken. I like to salt and pepper at this point and add in my soy sauce so everything soaks in the flavor. Stir it all up to make sure everything is equally coated in the spices and soy sauce, wait for the chicken to be done and TADA! Add a little Sriracha, or a whole-lotta Sriracha and you're done. It is seriously THAT easy. It would have taken me more time to put on pants and go through the drive though at McDonalds! Hope you enjoy!