WOMEN'S WEIGHTLIFTING CREW

Starting in February (2/3/17) TCS will host the Women's Weightlifting Crew on the first Friday of every month. This is open to any female in the area who loves to pick shit up and put it down. Strongman, powerlifting, olympic lifting, "gymnastical" shit....everything is up for discussion. Myself and Coach Mary D from the Strictly Strength side of the gym will be leading these workouts. 

If you are familiar with TCS, Travis hosts "Lumberjacked" for the dudes once a month. This is the same - but better for obvious reasons.

WWC is open to any fitness level. You could be starting out day 1 - or be competing in the Olympics. We don't care, and neither should you. This is about getting together with other strong women and doing what we love: Lifting heavy shit in any way possible. 

Sign ups are HERE. Look on the class calendar each month for the announced Friday night for the WWC. 

WEEKEND NUTRITION SURVIVAL GUIDE

By: Jen Shaw

The weekend...A.K.A. killer of all diets, is more often than not where people break. What is it about "the weekend" that makes people jump off shit pier and ruin everything? Even if you are absolutely perfect Monday through Friday you will completely blow your goals if you food orgy pizza and beer for two days, or even one full day. 

So, in an effort to help you battle the weekend slip-ups, I want to share the rules that I abide by. They might seem dumb or maybe even minuscule....but you they're the keys to coming out of the weekend on top and in control.

RULES OF THE WEEKEND

1. There are no "cheat days" so stop. 

First, stop using the word "cheat." It's super negative and means you are doing something wrong which you are not, you are living. However, going on a sugar bender all day will absolutely ruin you. Yes, you can recover from it and move on for sure. However if you are involved in anything like "GET RIPPED" that only lasts six weeks you are really stunting your progress. 

2. NEVER ever treat yourself on Sunday night.

Sunday night is usually the night before you are back at the gym and lifting heavy. Treating yourself on Sunday night will sabotage your workout and possibly how you feel when you wake up Monday morning. Only good things Sunday night. 

3. If you MUST have a bad meal, do it at lunch - not dinner. 

It's much harder to recover from a treat if you have it at dinner. Eating bad and then going to sleep leaves you feeling like crap in the morning. So after your treat at lunch drink water, nap, eat a good dinner and have all the good things before you sleep. 

4. NEVER EVER drink after you eat your last meal of the day. 

I cannot stress this enough. Have you ever woken up anywhere between 2-4am sweating and your heart racing and beating out of your chest? That's drinking, and sugar. I suggest you have your cocktails before dinner, then eat, then water. Wine after meals, the worst. All of that sugar just sitting there waiting to crush your sleep at 2am. 

Try it and let me know how it works! 

LUMBERJACKED 2017

LUMBERJACKED is a 4 week nutrition program for men designed to be a straightforward way to kick-start some big results through simple guided nutrition and additional workouts.

The New Year is when everyone gets super jazzed about all the changes they're going to make this year that screwed up their lives last year, but as most of us know, that usually doesn't yield the results we were hoping for. Why?

Excuses.
Poor Planning.
Lack of Accountability.

The beauty of the LUMBERJACKED program is that those obstacles are recognized and addressed in ways that make the process of change as simple as possible. That does NOT mean it's easy. It will require dedication, integrity and a willingness to work for what you want. IF you can get your mind wrapped around that, you can surely make some serious change occur!

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THE BREAKDOWN

Program Duration: 4 weeks
Start Date: 1/6/2017 @ 6pm
Finale Date: 2/3/2017 @ 6pm (Food to follow)

Program Details:

• "Before/After" pictures and measurements
• Food list of approved foods
• Individualized guidelines
• Weekly nutrition accountability
• 4 FREE Friday night workouts with other LJ participants

REGISTER NOW

GET RIPPED 2017

It's that time again! Get Ripped is kicking off on New Year's Day at noon. At the kickoff all terms will be discussed, and all the questions will be answered. 

This year we will take six weeks to dial in and focus on sleeping, eating, and working out. These all seem so simple, but are extremely difficult to tackle alone. We all know how hard it is to break bad habits and replace with good ones.  You will have access to a group food log, weekend conditioning, and support from me and an amazing group of women who are in it with you. 

GR provides accountability, support, and education to reach goals in and outside of the gym. This program is open to anyone here in Austin, or not! You can easily do this program online.

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IMPORTANT DATES:

Registration closes December 31st, midnight.
Kick off- January 1 at NOON. 
First official day- January 2nd
Last official day- February 12th

SIGN UP

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NEED A KICKSTART? START WITH THE BASICS.

Summer is over, kids are back in school, you are at work. But I'm guessing that you probably had some summer cocktails during your vacation(s), which means you probably took some time off from the gym. Is anyone out there feeling a little more puffy and out of shape after this fun summer? You are not alone. Time to get back to basics and clean it up!

Starting on September 18th I (Jen) will lead a three week nutrition program to get everyone back to the basics of eating clean. This program is designed for the nutrition novice, the guru and everyone between. You can be a current TCS client, or just a member of the Austin community ready to make a change with your eating habits. Everyone needs a kickstart sometimes, right? 

this program INCLUDES :

• TCS SPEED class on Sept.  24th and Oct.8th @ 730am
• TCS Conditioning Class on Oct. 1 @ 9am
• Detailed food list to make it easy
• Measurements
• Monitored food log
• One on one time if needed
• Accountability! 

Benefits:

• Better mood
• Better sleep
• Clothes fit better
• More energy
• Clearer skin
• Actually being hydrated
• With all of these things your workouts become better as well. You are able to put more effort into it, use more weight, move your ass faster.

Important Dates:

• Kick off meeting Sunday September 18th at 11am. 
• Official Start - Monday morning the 19th.
• Official Finale - Monday October 10th (after final measurements).

SIGN UP HERE

SIT-DOWN: ALLISON

Allison has been with me for years. Hundreds of workouts, happy hours, events, job changes, everything.  Like many of the LIFT girls we see each other more times a week than friends or sometimes family. I notice hair changes, body changes, personality changes, stress, sadness and happiness. Allison and I have seen all of these with each other over the years. 

Recently she came to me after some major life changes wanting to start a new nutrition plan. I always suggest Renaissance Periodization first. If you are willing to count, measure and surrender to the process, RP is for you. After a short chat she was on board and ready to go!

Months later many people in the gym have noticed the changes. She is squatting more, pressing more, and overall a better athlete. Yes, a lot of this is contributed to making the nutrition change. The rest is your attitude, ambition, drive, and determination in the gym. It's all about the implementation. She took all the information and decided it was time to make a change. 

In the past Allison was okay being the smallest and lifting the lightest weights. That's how it went. Then she wanted more, and as a coach I was so excited to see her take this step. She shows up four to five times a week ready to rock. No complaining, just doing. 

Other people in the gym have noticed how strong she has gotten....because she is catching up with them! I could not be more proud of this chick. She decided she wanted to make progress. Goals, plan, workout, nutrition....SUCCESS. How can that be better planned out?

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RESOLUTIONS: AN OBLIGATORY MESSAGE

It's that time of year.

(sigh)

You're probably being bombarded with $19.99 gym membership offers, articles on how to drop 15lbs quick and easy, and, of course, the "magic pill" that melts fat and builds rock-hard muscle all while you sit on your ass and eat whatever you want.

As a coach and gym owner, it's an incredibly frustrating time. So let's just clear some things up and then we can move in to the good stuff.

The pushers of these promos don't really give a damn whether you actually use their product or service. They just want you to purchase it. As far as they're concerned, they would actually prefer that you purchase the product or service, take your hand, pat yourself of the back for a job well done, and then continue to do nothing. 

They are in the biz of providing the carrot that dangles in front of you as you "try really, really hard" to reach your goals. They know that you will get temporary fulfillment from taking that first step towards achieving your goals. On the flipside, they also know that the vast majority of you will fall off the wagon for one reason/excuse or another.

"I just don't have the time."
"Working out is hard."
"Eating healthy is expensive."
"I don't have anyone to push me."
"I don't know what I'm doing."

I could go on and on but I'll spare you.

Look, we all know that this time of year is littered with shiny promises of a better body and all with little to no work involved. We know this is bullshit. There is no easy way to achieve a goal. It takes work. Period.

But even that's not enough. You see, the reason so many people fail is because they have not found a important enough reason to make the achievement of this goal a MUST. 

Let's just dig in to that a bit. How many times have you heard someone say that they really should workout more? Or that they should eat healthier? Does that strike you as being a powerful proclamation? Nope.

"Should's" are weak and provide an out when things get shitty. On the other hand, stating that you MUST workout more, or that you MUST improve your nutrition is a different animal. Stating and truly believing that you MUST accomplish something let's your brain know that it's time to get serious. Mentally, you have just burned the boats and the only way you come out of this endeavor is victorious or dead.

The reason I'm sharing this with you is so that you can go into 2016 with some ammo. Look, I would rather people just not make resolutions if it's going to be a "should" rather than a MUST. I know how bad it sucks to set sights high and then fall short. It's a shitty feeling and one that can often lead to a wicked downward spiral of let-downs.

So, as you contemplate what to shoot for in 2016, ask yourself how bad do you really want it? Is it a weak-ass "should", or do you have enough gusto to make it a MUST?

Erin Miller: Sedentary to Athlete!

A recent post from TCS/LIFT Coach, Jen Shaw, has to be shared. As you will read, this is a story about one of Jen's LIFT athletes that has made an incredible transformation - both physically and mentally. Enjoy!

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Erin Miller is fun to coach. She's one of those clients that when you see her on the roster, its going to be a great class. She is in a great mood even when she trips and falls over the rack. Loves herself enough to laugh at herself while doing it, and then shrugs it off and lifts heavy shit. She is definitely the girl I want to see in the morning! Recently she shared her background story with me, and I knew it had to be public. Here is her story from sedentary person to athlete: 

Around 2008 I gained about 75 lbs in a year and a half due to sedentary lifestyle and an undiagnosed thyroid issue. Once my disease was diagnosed and I started to feel better, I knew it was time to become healthy again. I started Weight Watchers and began jogging. I lost some weight and joined a gym and started using the weight machines. I was upset with my progress, though, I just didn't seem to be getting stronger, and had plateaued, no longer seeing results.

I joined Crossfit, which led to me to LIFT. Both were life changing. In total, I've dropped from a size 16-18 to a size 8. Once I started lifting, my weight actually steadied and though I lost 13% body fat and around 14 inches, I only lost 7 lbs because of all the muscle I gained.

Now I don't even look at the scale. My health and well being are based on how my body feels. If I'm not feeling well, it's usually because I haven't been eating clean or have missed workouts. Food is no longer an enemy. I enjoy eating, and I eat things that don't make me feel like crap (mostly). It's weird looking back at seeing how far I've come because it was a steady process with a lot of hard work. Now I'm ready to keep lifting more and reach new goals.

Miller's Stats since starting LIFT: 

• Backsquat from 155# to 205#
• Deadlift from 225# to 255#
• Trapbar deadlift from 265# to 280# (just in the last month and a half)
• Shoulder press from 85# to 100#
• Floor press from 95# to 115#

Guest Blog #2 - Crystal Bold

As promised, we are continuing our weekly "Guest Blog" - especially after seeing how so many of y'all enjoyed Coach Nyki Helmcamp's post last week.

This week we are giving the floor to Coach Crystal Bold. Not only does Crystal possess a wealth of knowledge in the coaching realm, but she also has a vast understanding of nutrition and overall health and holistic well-being.

To be truly honest, TCS and the surrounding local gyms that host her nutrition lectures are incredibly lucky to have such expertise so easily accessible to us and our communities.

With all of that being said, I asked Crystal to write a quick blog focused on what she will be covering in this Friday night's Nutritional Basics w/ Crystal Bold, NTP.

I think that there are a lot of misconceptions of what is actually covered and discussed during these nutrition seminars, so this is meant to clear up any preconceived ideas that we will be forcing you to follow some starvation diet, or count calories, or jam supplements down your throat. That's not really our style...

It's very, very simple:

This is an introduction to holistic health and how to start making informed decisions so as to live your life at the highest quality. But enough from me. Here's Crystal's post:

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Killing yourself in the gym and not getting the results you want? We like to think that if we just work HARDER we will get the results we want with little regard to what we are fueling our body with and how much rest and sleep we get. Ironically, it doesn't matter how hard you work but how SMART you are with your dietary, lifestyle and training choices. What most people want is to be happy, feel good with no aches and pains, move well, sleep well, love the skin they're in, perform well in the gym, and enjoy life.

For the past 6 years, I have taught nutrition to thousands of people in several locations in the United States, Europe and the U.K. Over this time I have come full circle on what my thoughts are on how to guide others to be healthier and happier individuals through simple yet effective dietary and lifestyle changes. This Friday at 6pm at Travis County Strength, I want to share with you how to make those changes starting as soon as you walk out the door.

Whether you are a person that is knowledgeable in nutrition or have no idea what the difference between a carbohydrate or protein, I guarantee you will walk away with at least one new piece of information that is going to make a difference in your health. We will be covering everything from the importance of digestion, blood sugar handling, what food to eat, symptoms to look out for and what those mean, how I make this work for my lifestyle, stories of how my clients live, and much, much more!

The goal of this nutrition seminar is to bring helpful information to everyone at a price that is affordable (only $15 online/$25 at the door; ages 18 and under are FREE!). This is completely open to the public so bring a friend or family member. I hope to see you there!

REGISTER HERE

TCS Nutrition Seminar

At Travis County Strength, it's well-known that we specialize in building strong, fit and mentally tough humans.  But, in order to really tap into the full potential of each individual, diet quickly becomes paramount - something that we all know and understand deep down (whether we want to admit it or not).

Just think of the human body as a machine.  Machines take fuel, right?  It's easy to understand that if you run your machine on shitty fuel, the output from that machine will undoubtedly be less than 100%.  On the flip-side....if you care for that machine and provide the highest quality fuel, you'll find that the output is far better.  Simple idea, right?

The same is true of the human machine - the body.  The fuel/food we ingest lays the foundation for human potential or output.

That's simple enough to understand I'm sure.  The more difficult part of this is weeding through the mass of information in regards to food, nutrition, diet.....whatever.  

Luckily, we have a coach - Crystal Bold, NTP - that has dedicated her time and energy to discovering the essentials (and the finite details) of a sustainable, high-quality way of feeding the machine.

Coach Crystal will be offering a 1-hour seminar designed to help you learn the basics of healthy living through dietary and lifestyle changes.  This will be a step-by-step process that will get you started in the right direction towards optimal health and well-being. 

WHEN?  

FRIDAY AUGUST 1ST @ 6:00PM-7:00PM

LOCATION?  

Travis County Strength
5501 N LAMAR BLVD, ATX

WHO?  

ANYONE!  OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

PRICE?

$15 Early Registration

$25 At the Door (Check or Cash ONLY)

Again,this seminar is open to the public, so friends and family are completely welcome to participate.  Crystal will also offer you the chance to ask any questions you may have during the last 15 minutes of the seminar, so start writing them all down!

This is amazing opportunity for all of the TCS athletes, and the fitness community in general, and I hope that you take advantage of the chance to learn and apply some quality information that will lead to a higher quality way of being.  See you there!

Seminar details and registration can be found by following the link below:

TCS Nutritional Basics

Got Ripped?

It's not just hard work in the gym....These chicks dial it in outside the TCS walls as well.

Every January LIFT Owner and Head Coach, Jen Shaw poses a "GET RIPPED" month of clean eating to her LIFT girls. This year the month was opened up to all the Travis County Strength ladies and the results were amazing!  Jen put this quick recap together detailing the parameters and the results of the Get Ripped month... 

I took the approach of a non-challenge. In fact, the word "challenge" is no longer used in my gym-ictionary. Challenges are meant to get you in better shape, eating better, and working out more. The problem with them is they are usually so strict and different from normal life that it's impossible to stick to them. Usually after the challenge it takes two weeks for everyone to get right back into old habits. There are actually people out there who live challenge-to-challenge at their gym. What a sad existence. Its a complete lack of self control. This has happened to the GET RIPPED month before, so this year I came up with something a little different." 

This year was all about getting through the WHOLE year. How can you learn to eat in one month for the rest of the year? By being realistic, smart about choices, and being REAL about what you want and what you need. Don't set yourself up for failure by going so far outside your normal realm of eating. Small steps and a plan. That is what we did this year. 

98% of the girls' biggest issue was wine and dessert.  Saying that 45 girls will not have that all month because its GET RIPPED is ridiculous and naive. It's called living. You do things you enjoy, you don't go through each day and slap yourself every time you want wine or chocolate. You are put on this earth for a very short period of time. You should enjoy yourself! The hard part is making a plan to keep what you love in your diet and still hit goals.

SO..... I did allow 4oz of wine...every single night. You could not save it up and get shit crazy on one night. You could have it- or not. If you have ever measured out 4oz you know that is not a lot. Usually just enough to cook and have quiet time in the kitchen and then sit down to dinner. However, I did not allow any desserts at all of any kind. The girls were extremely surprised by this rule,  but it went well! They knew it was there if they wanted it, and surprisingly not everyone partook. All the food was back to the basics: protein at every meal, healthy fats, and lots of vegetables. Keeping it simple, eat what you know is good for you. No crap. Be smart. 

The food logs were highly impressive! I am very proud of the knowledge these ladies have and glad to see they at times branched out and tried some new dishes. The most impressive by far was the way they supported each other, and if someone did fall and mess up they got right back on it. Most importantly they did not worry about the cheat- just accept it and get through the rest of the day. 

After a month and all the measuring the TCS women lost 85 total inches!! And I still have five girls to measure. That's incredible! I think the most important breakthroughs were the lessons of self control. I will be posting up some highlighted stories on this blog!! stay tuned.....

As promised, Jen has posted the results of some of the participants on her Lift4women blog, including some amazing before and after photos.  Be sure to check those updates for some potential inspiration for your very own transformation!