Wednesday WOOT! Factor!!

Hey Kids!! Welcome to the Wednesday Woot! Factor!, brought to you by Sears(R) and the Sears(R) Fit Club on Facebook!!

I don't recall when I first discovered this sassy redhead- April- but it was WAY back when I first started blogging in like 2007 I think. She is sassy, driven and has a sexy-Demi-Moore-voice thing going on plus, she knows how to whip her body in to shape. This girl is someone that blows my mind with sticking to her diet plan. Snaps to you girlfriend. I finally met her in person at The Arnold Classic last year and oohhhhhh SHE'S SO PRECIOUS. LOVE YOU MISS APRIL!! 

Enjoy reading April's dish below. 

1. When did you first start working out and why?  I started working out when I was 14.  My aunt and I watched Dirty Dancing and I remember her saying she isn’t eating for a week and needs to work out more.  I used to get up before school and do Gilad’s Bodies in Motion on ESPN.  Then I would watch Bodyshaping.
2. Are you at your “Happy Place” right now – meaning more of a maintenance mode, or are you still in a weight loss mode?  I think I am at a happy place but I’m never satisfied.  I’m always in weight loss mode it seems.  I am trying to maintain also.  I know I don’t really NEED to lose 10 more lbs but I want to.
3. If you are in maintenance mode, do you feel that you work just as hard to maintain your level of fitness as you did to lose it?  I have the body type that has to work out hard just to maintain.  1 extra scoop of peanut butter and my body shows it.
4. What does your current workout “routine” look like now?   Right now I’m doing full body workouts with HIGH reps.  I also do cardio every morning for 60 minutes. 
5. What do you do for cardio? How often?   I do intervals mostly.  Depending on the day.  I have exercise ADD.  I do it 5 times a week 2 a days.  I do it first thing in the morning and also do HIIT with my weights.  I don’t do the HIIT as long because those are killer.  On the weekends I stay active and change it up by doing a step video, walking my dog or taking a bike ride with my husband.
6. Do you workout at home or the gym?  I work out at home.  I have a treadmill, smith machine, weight benches and various dumbbells.  I also LOVE step aerobics on the weekends.
7. What do you say to those that haven’t gotten fit and complain that they don’t because they “can’t get motivated”?  If you can’t get motivated then you really don’t want to be fit.  Take the first step and once you see changes then you’ll get motivated.
8. What about any/all of the excuses like “No time”, “No money”, “no gym”, “no support”?  There is always time at dark thirty.  I don’t use a gym and you don’t need money to walk.  It’s not always about becoming some fitness babe or getting buff.  You have this thing called a heart that is a very important organ that needs exercised.  I have lots of support but if this is something you want to do you don’t need others to get you through.
9. What does your “diet” look like i.e. how you eat, what is your Philosophy?  I eat 6 times a day, lean proteins and veggies mainly.  I don’t do well with a lot of carbs.  I feel my best on protein and healthy fats.  If I can’t pronounce it…I don’t eat it.
10. What changes have you made over the past several years in your diet and/or workout approach and why?  I don’t eat processed foods and mainly stick with lean protein, veggies and healthy fats.  I was diagnosed with IBS so I experimented with veggies that flare that up.  I also quit eating whole grains and things with gluten as much as possible.   On working out I started lifting heavier weights and noticed changes immediately.   I also thought I would never be able to run.  My husband would tell me I can do it but I didn’t believe it.  After doing interval work I’m now a runner!
11. What is your food weakness?  Nuts!  I will pass up the pizza, brownies and anything else you throw at me but I love nuts of all varieties.  I think it’s because back in my “fat free” phase nuts were forbidden.  Now I know otherwise.
12. What is your favorite healthy breakfast?  Oatmeal and egg whites of course!
13. When did you start blogging and why?  I started Jan 2007.  I had just started with my trainer and wanted to document my progress.
14. How has blogging enhanced your fitness efforts?  Blogging has helped just knowing there are people out there that are fit freaks as well.  People in my “real” life don’t understand my enthusiasm for being fit.  My fellow fit bloggers are my true friends and I’ve met many wonderful people through blogging.
15. What is your Twitter? @redhead75
16. What haven’t you done (fitness wise) that you’d like to try?  I have walked a 5k but never ran one.  That’s next on my agenda.  My pace walking was 5.3 and I won my overall age group! 
17. What motivates you to keep at it?  I love the endorphins.  I think since I’m a red head with low serotonin levels I NEED fitness in my life.
18. Are you a morning workout person or evening or lunchtime?  I am a morning and an after work, work out person.
19. What is YOUR biggest excuse that you find yourself battling in not wanting to workout a certain day?  I really don’t have that problem.  I don’t in cooperate rest days like I should.  If I don’t feel like working out then I know it’s probably best that I don’t.
20. Do you weigh yourself or measure yourself?  Right now neither.  I used to get obsessed by weighing.  I know now that 2 lbs on my frame is hard to do so I don’t get crazy about it anymore.  Now I go by how my pants fit.
21. LASTLY, feel free to add anything that you want to share to those that might not have started working out, those that lack motivation or think they can’t do it, etc.  You CAN do it if you want to.  I wasn’t born with great genetics or the knowledge to eat healthy.  I drank Pepsi from a baby bottle if you know what I mean.  It’s never too late to change and start over.  There are NO excuses and you’ve only got 1 body.  I’ve got a good excuse to not run but I will not use it…EVER!

If you are unsure of what to eat or how healthy something is stick with lean meats, vegetables , rice, oatmeal and some nuts….you can’t go wrong there.

Love the 80's jeans here April. Nice touch. 

And then, she does THIS:

Plus, if you feel like cheating on your diet today, check this out: