Happy Mondayyyyyyy!! Something I have to do today is DECIDE to be happy. It’s been a couple weeks of some self hatred behaviors and I refuse to feel this way any longer. This is something I go through every so often and it’s a behavior I may have my entire life to some degree. I go through these times where I feel disappointed in my progress in the gym, disappointed in my body, and disappointed in myself for having these feelings. But as I get older, I know I can modify these feelings with just a few changes in my day-to-day life.

My entire life, my body has changed pretty drastically. I gain and I lose weight from month to month. My best friend has even told me that my body changes more than anyone she knows. So when I get to a point where I am comfortable in my skin, my body changes again. Which makes sense because our cells are constantly changing, so every week, we have a new body to some degree. But I’m not always comfortable with those changes and then I find myself not respecting my body for what it is able to do every day.

So today I started my day off the same way I always do…by making coffee. But when I walked past our mirror in our living room, I looked at myself and I told myself a few positive words. I may not believe them at the moment, but it set the mood for the day. I don’t want to have these feelings, I don’t like these feelings, and I definitely don’t want these feelings to take over. We are in control of our minds, it just doesn’t feel that way at times. But if we make the conscious decision to change our perspective and move forward with positivity, it’s amazing how our outlook on ourselves can change for the better.

If you’re feeling some of these negative behaviors taking over your own life, do yourself a favor and tell yourself some positive words today. It may take some time to truly listen to and believe those words, but the more you say them, the more likely you will begin to hear it. So go look in the mirror and say something kind to yourself. You deserve it.

Sunday – Rest Day

Monday – Accessory Work (see video here)

4 rounds of:

  • 15 smith machine hip thrusts
  • 30 heels elevated banded pulses into 20 banded pulses into 10 banded squats
  • 10/10 DB shoulder press with static hold
  • 10/10 DB curls with static hold

3 rounds of:

  • 10/10 cable kickbacks
  • 12/12 KB one legged deadlifts

3 rounds of:

  • 10/10 cable lateral leg raise
  • 20 rounded 45 degree hypers

Then to finish, I did 6x300m treadmill sprints with a minute rest after each sprint

TuesdayCorePower Yoga C2 Class

Wednesday – Accessory Work (see video here)

3 rounds of:

  • 12 cable goblet squats
  • 8 pike push ups
  • 10 barbell kneeling hip thrusts

3 rounds of:

  • 10 straight leg deadlifts
  • 5 pull ups and 5 chin ups
  • 50 frog pumps (not pictured)

2 rounds of:

  • 20 banded weighted glute bridge – 10 sec pause – 15 banded weighted glute bridge – 10 sec pause – 10 banded weighted glute bridge*
  • 10 one arm KB row into 20 lightweight KB row

3 rounds of:

  • 20 banded hip thrusts
  • 15 cable tricep extension

And to finish, I did a quick 10 min AMRAP of:

  • 10 cf style burpees
  • 15 American KB swings
  • 20 tuck jumps

ThursdayCorePower Yoga Sculpt

Friday – Accessory Work (see video here)

20-15-10 smith machine hip thrusts (increasing weight each set)

15 bicep curls into 15 tricep extensions

10-15-20 smith machine hip thrusts (decreasing weight each set)

15 bicep curls into 15 tricep extensions

2 rounds of:

  • 10/10 foot elevated back stepping lunge
  • 10/10 one arm lying DB chest press into 30 weighted frog pumps

2 rounds of:

  • 10 heels elevated smith machine squats
  • 30 banded glute bridge

2 rounds of:

  • 20/20 bench hip abductions
  • 15 cable row
  • 30-30-30 seated banded hip abductions (forward, upright, leaning back)

Saturday – Rest Day

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What I Ate in a Day:

After waking up, I started my day off how I always do – with coffee. I made a hot cup of coffee with a tablespoon or so of heavy cream, some liquid stevia and a heaping tablespoon of collagen.

For breakfast, I made a salad of arugula topped with lemon juice, ButcherBox pork sausage and sautéed carrots

In the morning after breakfast, I went to a coffee shop where I had a maple vanilla cashew-almond milk latte.

Then mid-morning I had an orange creamsicle collagen smoothie (minus the banana)

For lunch, I had my Jalapeño Popper Chicken Salad with arugula in a Thrive Market coconut wrap with Terra plantain chips on the side.

In the afternoon, I made a couple recipes that I snacked on throughout. So I snacked on some smoked salmon, potatoes and almond milk cream cheese.

Before a yoga sculpt class, I had a 1/2 larabar then ate the other 1/2 after class.

For dinner, I made ButcherBox burgers topped with homemade sriracha mayo and pickles alongside oven roasted brussels sprouts and butternut squash zig zags!

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44 Comments

  1. Cori says:

    Thank you for your kind, understanding words. As someone healing from a somewhat newly diagnosed autoimmune disease my body is changing more than I ever wanted it to. I also recovered from a severe ED about 5 years ago, so body affirmations are tough to do but very necessary to stay present. Thanks for being so real.

    1. juli says:

      they are definitely hard to come by sometimes but the brain is a powerful. keep the affirmations up!!

  2. Kari says:

    Thank you for being so honest. I’ve been feeling somewhat similar and not happy with some body changes due to hormones ( Having a hysterectomy young can really mess ya up!)Plus, I’m feeling stuck in my job and we’re trying to sell our house. Anyhow, I decided I would try something new to get out of my rut. I’m heading to an Insanity Class this Thursday night instead of working out on my own. I also did some meal planning for the week and made sure we had healthy meals every night…hoping that all helps! Take care of yourself!

    1. juli says:

      omg i had a friend of a friend go through a hysterectomy recently and i can’t imagine going through that, it must be so tough! hope you have fun at your insanity class! i bet it will be awesome!

      1. Kari says:

        It sucked! And mine was worse than normal because it didn’t go as planned. Ick. And thanks- I haven’t done an Insanity class in a long time and I need it! I hope your friend starts to feel better soon.

  3. Michelle says:

    Everything Bethany said!!! You go, girl! Love ya, Juli!

  4. Carrie Veatch says:

    Love this post, Juli! It is so important we are able to say the positive things even when we don’t feel them. I really do believe that happiness and joy are CHOICES and we have to keep making them over and over again. Good on you for choosing them even when the feelings aren’t there!

    1. juli says:

      doing it two days in a row has already helped tremendously!

  5. Sara says:

    This brought a tear to my eye this morning Juli. I follow you on a regular basis and I love how real you are. I hope you realize how much you mean to other people and how much you are admired for your determination, love of life and your honesty. Peace to you and I hope your moment of self doubt goes away very soon.

    1. juli says:

      awwwww thank you so so much for the sweet words! it’s only been a day but i’ve gotten up 2 days in a row with positive affirmations (and a spray tan) and i feel better than ever. it’s all about perspective and starting the day off right!

  6. Madi says:

    Hey Juli! I’ve been a fan for a long time and have recently been listening to your pdcast at work (p.s. I don’t watch the bachelor but I’ve looked up video clips of the show just so I can understand what you’re talking about because you make it much more fun haha). Anyway, I’ve been experimenting a lot with health and nutrition lately, especially since I moved away from my highly competitive crossfit gym and figured out how much I was overdoing it and how I was using fake foods as a crutch to get the energy I needed from lack of sleep and lack of rest. So now about a year later my body feels so much healthier since I’ve lightened up the weights, included LOTS of stretching/isolation work/resistance band work to focus on the areas that used to be in so much pain.

    Throughout this I’ve lost a little more than 10lbs and feel tighter/leaner overall. I’ve noticed that over the years since you’ve started listening more and more to your body that you’ve leaned way the fuck out and look amazing!! even though you talk about how weight loss isn’t your goal. I so admire that and think it’s such a testament to treating your body with respect will likely lead to a pretty bangin bod.

    My question is, during any of this time did you ever feel like you had a few extra lbs you’d like to shed? I’m getting married soon and I’m really happy with the progress I’m making without focusing on weight loss, but I’m wondering if I need to shit my focus to that since I’d like to look bangin’ at my wedding. Idk…any thoughts?

    Sorry I’m a rambler. Love the blog/outfits/recipes! You’re the best!

  7. Kimberly says:

    You fit a lot of stuff into your accessory work outs… About how long does that take you?

    1. juli says:

      around an hour

  8. Lexie says:

    It’s funny how fast my mind can change about my body. I can look in the mirror and be happy with my body one minute and literally like 10 minutes later feel gross. I know its all in my head. I like the idea of giving ourselves more positive words. Your body always looks amazing!! It just goes to show we all have our own insecurities we deal with daily.

  9. Jetty Nieuwenhuis says:

    Hi Julie, great post, you look awesome!! I keep on reading your posts, and once in a while I comment. I agree with personal trainer Kyle, the body needs rest. As a 46 year old I look and feel better then ever. I went from an endurance Ironman / Crossfit athlete to doing weight training (not heavy!!!) only 3 days a week, 1 day pilates, 3 full rest days. Hardly any cardio. I think Orange Theory messes with women’s bodies big deal. I see it around me. So does Crossfit….
    I eat more, rest days low carb high fat, carb back loading on training days and a huge Carb Nite every week. I drink wine whenever I want to, it’s a lifestyle. And I do track my food, to make sure I am not UNDER OR OVER eating. The not training so much thing is against everyone’s believes, and what the media tells us, but it’s the truth. I wish I knew 20 years ago…..
    Just wanted to share….

    1. juli says:

      thanks for sharing your experience jetty!!

  10. Allison says:

    Hi Juli! I recently started a (much needed) exercise program using a certain app. The app allows you to choose what workout you want to do that day (cardio, legs, arms). I am working out at home (not near a gym) and for some reason have the mentality that EVERY workout has to be hard, balls to the wall, intense and LONG. Can you speak to your intensity of workouts, and if some days are more relaxed than others? I still feel like I am working those muscles really well, but for some reason can’t get it out of my head that I should be dripping sweat and doing a full body workout, every. single. time. Thanks!!

    1. juli says:

      oh man, every day is TOTALLY different. whenever i’m doing my glute workouts, my heart rate spikes and i’m breathing hard, but i’m rarely ever dripping in sweat. then whenever i do yoga, i’m always drenched. and cf is always different. i try not to over think it because no matter what, i’m getting a good workout in. whether i’m lifting weights or stretching or running, i’m always challenging my body in different ways. and i think it’s important to remember that you don’t always have to be dripping in sweat. if you’re working out multiple times per week, you’re improving your body, your metabolism and your strength!