Tosca Reno

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Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Tracks

Happy Wednesday Bloggers...

I just downloaded a bunch of new music onto my iPod. This is definitely one of my key pieces of gym equipment, especially for cardio. 

When I first started doing weights years and years ago I was very nervous to make that giant leap into the so-called "men's" section. By the "men's" section I mean the free weights. Even the machines had me jittering. I started off doing BodyPump weight-lifting classes with a few of my friends at Goodlife in Milton, Ontario. This gave me a bit more confidence. But the things that really gave me courage to walk over there were my hat and my iPod. Actually, at that time I think it was my CD Walkman. Anyway, I would tuck my hat on my head, put my earphones in my ears, and walk on over. I kept my focus on me and what I was doing and the bulky, grunting men didn't even bother me. As I became more and more comfortable with the area I realized the guys weren't even noticing anyone else but themselves anyway. Soon enough I was right there with them, going in on sets, and trading tips. Who would have ever thought!

Back to my original reason for writing. I wanted to share 5 songs I just put on my iPod that are seriously pumping me up. Some old, some new, but all good! Check them out on iTunes:

1. List of Demands - Saul Williams
2. Bleeding Love - Leona Lewis
3. Starlight - Muse
4. Police and the Private - Metric
5. No Air - Jordin Sparks

4 comments:

  1. I agree about feeling intimidated in the beginning and still pretty much go through the same ritual, not because I am intimidated anymore but because I go into a zone and let the music fuel my intensity and passion for training. I pull on my visor plug my ipod into my ears and get tunnel vision as I go through my plan in my head and lock into the muscle group I intend to torture.

    (I am known to bob my head and move to the music, was told today I am entertaining and inspiring to watch) The top 5 songs that get me going lately are 1. Fake It-Seether, 2. Paralyzer-Finger Eleven 3.Word Up-Korn 4. Self Esteem- Offspring 5. Dont Stop The Music Rhianna

    I enjoy the comraderie with the gym rats but have found some women to be "haters" SMILE...these are typically the ones who dont seriously train for competition or for body transformation but for the "beach body" in booty shorts. LOL
    I do however love sharing my passion with women who have decided to improve their lives with fitness and clean eating. They are amazed when I tell them that I too was overweight and struggle with eating clean everyday like them. My first recomendations are to get your books and check out Oxygen and Clean Eating magazines for reliable and motivating information.
    I too still ask questions when I see someone who has a hard body, good form and trains hard like I me. My question for you and readers is where can I find quality information and guidance to help me with natural/clean figure/bodybuilding contest preperation?
    I am training for my first figure show and may also do a cross over with bodybuilding but have not really found many books or magazines that focus on women's figure or bodybuilding contest preperation. I am a visual learner and like to see what I am striving for along the way. (ie what my body should look like at so many weeks out, off/on season) I am a member of a team through my gym and have a FABULOUS trainer but I am a knowledge junkie and love to buy and read EVERYTHING I can to help educate myself and get an edge mentally.
    Thanks for the music suggestions and inspiration to train hard and eat clean to achieve a meaner leaner physique for ME.

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  2. Hey Tosca!

    I am not yet a clean lean workout machine, but I hope to be. I visit the site every day in order to read the blog. I own all the books, even the workout journal, which I don't use (yet). I am using the receips often. The guys at my house love the overnight porridge. Thanks for all the advice! It's all still very overwhelming for me so I suppose my real question is this... If someone (I) has been overweight most of their life, where does one start? What would be the first changes a person should make? There is so much relevant wonderful information out there but it seems like such a huge amount to do all at once...
    Thanks again for everything! Keep blogging!
    ~D

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  3. Tosca--I would love to know what kind of protein bars you eat. I am having a very difficult time finding something that is totally clean--they all seem to have palm kernel oil and other ingredients I really want to avoid. Can you help??? Love your books, and Oxygen magazine--your story is very inspiring!

    Janine

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  4. Hi.
    First off- thank you so much for your all your books. I read through them every night before bed, to keep my inspired to eating clean and the workout book to keep me on my workout routine.

    I was wondering if you could help me with this:

    For the last week it has been bodypump, cardio the next, then bodypump, etc. I love bodypump so much, but I don't think it will give me the total strengthening and zoning I want.

    Any suggestions? After class should I do some of the exercises that I want to do that we don't do at body pump. I'm torn between doing body pump 3 days a week as my weight training days!

    Thanks so much,
    Krissy

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