Gluten Free Pumpkin Brownies!

PUMPKIN BROWNIES

TIS the season for everythangggg pumpkin! Seriously. You can use it to make anything! Pancakes, Donuts, Cakes, Smoothies, WHATEVER you want! So versatile and delicious!

First YOUTUBE Video, Funfetti Mugcake, and a Tiramisu Recipe!

Hey everyone!

GUESS WHAT?! I just uploaded my first YouTube Video! It's my Intro to my Channel as well as a DELICIOUS and EASY Funfetti Mugcake Recipe! So please check out the video, like, and Subscribe to my channel! I'm aiming to put out like 2-3 videos a week of different things like:

• Lifestyle Tips
• Fitness Tips
• Workouts in the Gym and at Home
• Food/Baking/Cooking
• Vlogs
• ETC!

And I'm super super excited to get this journey going. I actually could not sleep last night because I was so happy hahah! :P I know I know, silly Josie. Anyways, keep reading below for the TIRAMISU recipe!

Vegas Olympia and Update!

I know.... I kinda suck at blogging right?

WELL Here I am giving you all an update on my life, a little rundown of the 2014 Olympia, working with the BEST Company out there, Quest Nutrition, and my plans for the future!

So this whole weekend can be summed up in one word: SURREAL.

I still can't believe that I got a chance to go to Vegas to help rep the best protein company out there, QUEST! #onaquest. It was such a blast meeting the whole Quest team, hearing their vision and goals for the future and for the company, and just seeing such HUMBLE people get together not just to make money or profit from selling products, but with the goal of making a positive CHANGE in people's LIVES from their products. They're not about selling the most or being all above others and mighty, but they genuinely want to make a positive healthy impact on people. They want to help stop obesity, help stop health-related diseases, eating disorders, self hate and body image disorders. They want people to know that they can live a healthier lifestyle, and that starts with what they put in their body. I can't even remember everything that was said this weekend, but basically, this company cares about PEOPLE. And I absolutely loved that.

Now to the Expo itself. It was a BLAST! I've been to the Arnold Expo in the past in Ohio, but never to work a booth, and I thought those were crowded and tight spaced and miserable at times, but the Olympia was surprisingly less crowded than I would have thought! Maybe it was bigger space in the convention center, or maybe it was because I was in the Quest booth the majority of time, which had tons of space for all of us to walk around. It was so much fun to meet all the people in line, actually get approached for pictures, definitely all a new experience for me and I could not have asked for a better weekend. By the end of Saturday we were just chucking Quest Bars at people's heads! So if you went, I hope you got yourself a bag stuffed with Quest Bars and Quest Chips! I'm pretty sure we gave away THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS of products this weekend! And it's all for YOU. Quest doesn't get stingy on those samples as you can tell! :P
I really hope I get asked back to the next big expo and get to rep the amazingness that is Quest Nutrition again! <3

The PEOPLE though, that was probably my favorite part of the whole weekend. I got to meet @FreshFitNHealthy, or Sarah, from Instagram who I'd been chatting with a while before the expo, and we clicked INSTANTLY. Like, best friend status, in less than 48 hours. She's so sweet, down to earth, and adorable and probably like my tall Floridan twin if I ever had one.
I got to meet Clark Pagaduan, the man who's been my connect to Quest Nutrition for the LONGEST time. He's the absolute funniest and sweetest guy EVER! Also met Mike who works for Quest as well, but more with the Youtube side!

Then I got to finally meet Crystal @spoonfuloffit who I've been Instagramming with for like 2 years! We started off way back when the fitness community was small on IG, and we finally got to catch up! And she was such a doll! Other IGers that worked the booth were Kevin Fit Men Cook, Kim @pbeechie, Nicolette @njstramfam, Anthony The Fit Bald Man, Tony @tmpecus (who I already met at the past Arnold Expo), Alyse @bitesizedfitness, ...... and we all had such a good time! I also got to meet some other Instagrammers that weren't working the Quest Booth, like Sweet Mama Mel, the awesome twins @HealthNutLife and @CookEatLift, MelissaSarahWee all the way from Singapore, Timbahwolf the bada** flexible dieter, Kyla @theleanqueen, and SO SO SO MANY MORE that I can't simply post them all down. But I'll be posting random throw backs to the Olympia on my own Instagram page if ya want to see all the fun we had :)

Not to mention the completely new people that I got to meet! These fitness YouTubers were SUCH a fun group and I loved every second hanging out with them! Definitely check them all out:
Nikki Blacketter and her boo Christian Guzman
Maxx Chewning
ChelseaLifts
Michael Kory
Tony Do
Matty Fusaro and his fiance Brittany!

Actually, their YouTube accounts inspired ME. [Here's the UPDATE :P ]

Yup, I want to make my own FOR REAL YouTube account. I know I kind of/not really/[it sucked] YouTube videos in the past when I wanted to do vlogs on my bikini journey, but that kind of fell through. This time I'm going in 110%! I want to post workout videos, baking and cooking videos, random vlogs, how I'm living just a regular lifestyle, balanced and intuitive, help you all out who are struggling with any type of ED, and more. I feel like it'll be more interactive that way too! I'm going to post it all! My LIFE. And I hope you all enjoy it, because I know I'll enjoy making it!

So YES.
That was my recap on the Olympia, the amazingness of Quest as a company, the great friends and long lasting relationships created, and my goals for the future!

<3 Josie

Junk Food Confessions & The Maintainable Lifestyle Rules

So I uploaded a new YouTube video HERE on my Junk Food Confessions, based off of Jenna Marbles video HERE!
Hope to make you all feel a little less guilty about your slip ups! <3
And at the end I kinda babble about the lifestyle and binging.

Soooo here's just a short little list of things I'm incorporating into MY own lifestyle to make it comfortable and maintainable!

• workout at least 4x a week
• have a treat when needed, but savor the taste and never have more than you need
• make sure your workout makes up for the treat
• broaden social activities to keep busy
• more family and friends time
• eat clean 80-90% of the time
• NO restricting [no no carbs, no fats, no protein, etc]
• no starvation
• eat when you're hungry, don't when you're not
• make sure to learn "head hunger" from "stomach hunger" - are you just bored or actually hungry?
• tips: drink water - then see if you're hungry
• get yourself busy with an activity
• if you're actually hungry, then eat!
• compliment yourself at least 1x/day and love yourself
• eat nutrient dense food over empty calories
• ex: if you're eating a treat, instead of a pure bar of sugar, eat something with whole nuts in it for some dietary fats and protein
• ENJOY THE LIFESTYLE

Truth and #confessiontime...

Soooo now that I have different forms of social media, ill explain what I'll be using each for!

Blog: itsvmfitness.blogspot.com
I’ll be using my blog to update with longer posts and updates! More informational updates or fitness and health related things!


YouTube: YouTube.com/user/thevmfitness
I'll be using my YouTube for random vlogs about my bikini competition journey, and other things like q&a’s, workouts, reviews, cooking, etc!


Tumblr: vmfitness.tumblr.com
Ill use this tumblr to post everything I post on my INSTAGRAM (instagram.com/vmfitness) for those of you who donlt have Instagram! PLUS other daily things, more quotes, maybe random updates on foods I eat, workouts, etc! More of a daily blog than my blogspot blog!!


Twitter: twitter.com/vmfitness
This will be where all my random rantings and thoughts will be :P

Thanks for following my lifestyle journey fitfam! I love you ALL! <3

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If you follow me on my instagram, then you probably saw this post:

"Confession time: been pretty slacking this past week with foods and workouts... I've kinda lost my own motivation! Sorry to let you all down but I'm not always on point either! School was stressful with tests and reviews so I missed workouts (no excuse I know), this ebook is making me taste all these clean treats (still no excuse), and I've just been slackingggg. I've been giving myself excuses and reasons for slacking and thinking its ok.. Like "I have 14 more weeks left" or "eh it won't affect me thatttt much" etc etc. but in all honesty, I gotta take my own advice!! Stop getting in the habit of puttin things off, stop thinking that these little things WILL add up over time... A #randomthoughts of Josie this morning! I even thought of backing out of my bikini competition because of certain things (LENGTHY: but ill put the reasons why in a blog post this week!) however I'm still going to do it and go for it! Just needed to post this pic today, I CAN DO IT! YOU can do it!! You have to BELIEVE in your power to change and get motivated and go out there and kick some serious fat in the a$$! Even when you have days/weeks/times of low motivation, and slacking in the lifestyle, you have to pick yourself up, KNOW YOU CAN DO THIS, WANT to do it, and then simple, DO IT!  again, you don't fail until you completely give up. DONT DO IT. Also, the dessert volume of my ebook may have to be finished early.. There aren't as many recipes as I had hoped butttt if I keep making any more tasty desserts and eating them(been baking like 2-3 a day!) ill blow up like a whale! "

So yeah, basically the past week following my spring break [which ALSO was a bad week with workouts and eating] didn't go so well... that makes 2 weeks in a row of not doing so well... but you know what? IT'S OK! It already happened... it's in the past. Nothing I can do about it now! My excuses were weak too... just busy with school, and trying to get this ebook out to you all, made me bake a LOT, and therefor eat and taste a lot haha [guiltyyyy]. 

Time to MOVE ON. I'm holding tons of water weight and I do feel puffy! But nothing that getting back to routine can't fix right?! 

Oh yeah, I mentioned that I was thinking about backing out of my bikini competition journey... 

Ahhh sighhh I had soooo many reasons for doing this competition and prep, lots and lots of reasons, but the main one that I'll share with you here is because I really wanted to get control of my eating habits, aka 

BINGING.

I thought 

"Hey, if I can get through this prep and hard tough journey, then YEAH I can do anything! I can refuse junk food, stop at 1 cookie, not eat the whole box of [insert delicious naughty food of choice]"

Unfortunately though, it seems that this hasn't happened... I'm still struggling with binging... During spring break I found myself going back to old ways, eating everything I could get my hands on.. and now back at school, I'm still having hard times with control. So I thought,

"Is this comp really helping me achieve that goal I set for myself? Or is it just making me crave MORE because I'm restricting and is it completely making me do what I'm trying NOT to do?"

And while it is true, that it is NOT helping as of now.... I think I'm still going to go through with it... Ah I don't know... it's such a mental struggle... I honestly don't know what to do... That's right guys

I ADMIT I AM WEAK

I AM HUMAN

I am torn now.... 1 of any of these things could happen:

1. Continue this journey hoping that I can find this control that I crave and yearn for, hoping that I'll reach my goal...
2. Continue this journey and find myself binging again..
3. Decide not to compete and just enjoy the healthy lifestyle...

I'm also TERRIFIED of post competition, when it's all over and I get to eat normal healthy lifestyle again... so many horror stories of ladies just BINGING until they're swollen and gain back alll the lost weight again.... and I feel like that will most definitely happen to me...

I know so many of you support me on this ride to my first bikini competition, and I don't want to let any of YOU down.. but I do have to decide what's best for ME. Well it's all in the air right now.. not sure what I'll do.... Will be thinking it over the next few days/weeks etc....

But as of now, I AM STARTING FRESH. Back on the clean eating train after the past few weeks of slacking. I'm just going to continue healthy eating, working out, and see what I decide and where I'm at with the bikini competition journey...


To be continued....


Josie

My First BIKINI COMPETITION and @MrGeecue

That's right! IT'S OFFICIAL!
I announced on my Instagram the other day when my competition will be!

I posted it mainly as motivation for myself, so that I CAN NOT back out! I was planning on doing an earlier show, but I felt I would NOT be ready in time. Instead of stressing out about it and killing myself over the anxiety and cardio and stress, I decided to do a longer, more comfortable prep for the

JUNE 22

NPC Maryland State & East Coast Classic

It'll be in Rockville, MD and if any of you want to come out and support, that is MIGHTYYY FINEEE BY ME! <3

Social Media GALORE, Week 3 Update, and Supps

HELLO HELLOOOOO

Small update for you all!

Don't know if you noticed the new side bar of all my different social media, but YEAH! Check it out!
Now I have a:
BLOG, Instagram, Youtube account, Twitter, Tumblr, and Pinterest!
CRAZYYYY

Hmmm now all that's left is a facebook..... hehe just kidding I think the social media world may get sick of me soon enough!

Check out my new YOUTUBE VIDEO HERE about my updated supplements! This time I actually tell you why they're beneficial, so I hope it helps!! <3

And now for a little update:

Not yet where I want to be, but working hard every day to get there. 

Taking some progress pics for the coach @mrgeecue from Instagram this morning! Came across this quote and I love it. It all comes down to YOU and what YOU do behind the scenes when no ones watching. Will you grab that cookie? That cupcake or donut? Or will you say "NO, be proud of yourself, wake up tomorrow feeling ACCOMPLISHED, HAPPY, and STRONG that you resisted". Ill choose the latter please!! I could have easily eaten greasy fried tortilla chips at work yesterday, especially because I was in a bad mood about certain tables, but I told myself NO, what you do in private, will show on that stage. Do you want to regret all the things you could have NOT DONE while you're up on that stage in that Itty bitty bikini? NO! This applies to all of you too!!! Spring and summer is around the corner, full of beaches and half naked frolicking!! Do you want to regret all those things you did that cheated yourself of your goal? NO!! Not saying be strict and 100% pound town all the time, but don't set yourself back farther from your goals! KNOW WHAT YOU WANT, know WHAT YOU GOTTA DO TO GET IT, then, DO IT!! You got this #fitfam !!!

Gotta take some measurements now and all that jazz to see how much I've progressed [or if I haven't :O] over the last few weeks! Eek fingers crossed...

Once I get closer to my competition, I WILLLL share when and where it is, just in case you want to come out and support me! I would love to meet my wonderful supportive fit fam!!
I have a new plan now, more strict diet plan, and yesterday was the first day I adhered to it 100%!! SOOOOOO if every day for the next ____ weeks goes like yesterday, I should be seeing some AMAZING changes! AHHH wish me luck!

Bikini Journey Update & Ravish Sands

Hey Everyone!

Sorry for being so MIA on the blog lately!
I know I said I'd be doing updates on my bikini competition journey, but it looks like I'll just be doing more updates vlog style on my YOUTUBE account! So head over there to see the random videos I'll post regarding bikini prep!

I had a rough 2nd week of prep, meals prepped weren't tasty or fun, therefor that lead me to cheat a lot on my diet, a lotttttt. But I'm determined to make this 3rd Week PERFECT. No messing up!

STICKING TO THE PLAN, NO SELF SABOTAGE!

Ah this bikini journey is going to be a LOT tougher than I thought. I mean I knew it was going to be hard, thought I was prepared... Turns out haha I'M NOT! But you can never really prepare 100% mentally through these things! You just have to take it one day at a time!

Things I'm doing this week for a smoother 3rd week of comp prep:

• don't buy anymore bread or peanut butter
• prep tastier and more fun meals
• prepare alllll foods
• go to bed around 10-11, no staying up late = no late night munchies!
• just say NO to the temptations
• if the roomies have bad food, ignore it, remove yourself from the situation!
• keep yourself BUSY - study, clean, do something to keep mind off temptations!
• no more baking clean eating goodies - I'll eat the whole tray!

Ah that's all I can think of for now in how to stop self sabotaging my progress for this upcoming competition!

 

Another update!

I am now sponsored by the lovely RAVISHANDS SWIM WEAR Company! She makes the most BEAUTIFUL custom suits I've ever seen! Not just bikini competition suits either, also regular beach wear suits! Ahh to DIE FOR! They'll be making my suit for my competition EEKKKKK. It's going to look absolutely beautiful!

Check out her website if you're looking for your own competition suit or just a cute sexy suit to wear to the beach this spring/summer!

So fingers crossed my beautiful #fitfam that I stay strong, tough, and motivated this 3rd week!

My coach, Nate, or @mrgeecue on Instagram, or NapaFitPro on youtube, put it wonderfully:

"Imagine yourself in front of temptation.... I want you to feel empowered by the fact that you can resist."

That was just a perfect way of putting it, something I never realized, a new perspective and way of seeing things. I Loved it! AH and now I BELIEVE and hope that I can make it through these next few months!

Wish me luck!

Youtube!

  First Youtube video is UP!

  It's realllyyy nothing special, just a short little update and intro for the channel! BUT with my first youtube vid, that means it's UP AND RUNNINNNNN.

Be sure to subscribe for more random videos by me! 

CLICK HERE FOR MY AWKWARDNESS :P

<3
9/26/2014: Update: New Youtube Account HERE!

VMFITNESS on Youtube

YES, you heard right.

I, VMFITNESS, am starting a YOUTUBE account!

Am I crazy? Am I putting too much on myself with school, fitness, my IG, this blog, AND a youtube account? Hehe maybe... but I just want to help all my #fitfam out as much as I can and get closer to you all in this community!
So why the heck not start one?!
Not saying I'll be able to update every day, or even every week [I'm hoping to do a video a week.. we shall see how that goes....], BUT I will be posting here and there and try to keep up with it all for you shmexyyy fit peoples!

I'll let you alllll know when it's up an running! I'm actually very excited about this! Buttttt it may take me a while because I don't really know how to work youtube hehee, but I'll learn no worries!

It seems like a bunchh of you are mainly interested in:

• food videos
• health & nutrition
• tips
• workouts

So I'll try to incorporate everything you guys want into this channel!
Wish me luckkkk
<3

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And thanks for all your wonderful comments on my transformation pic! Means so much! This is solely from eating CLEAN, and consistent workouts! Just following my 2013 Plan! 
So far it's been going well! This is with a minor slip up last weekend [small binge & Jimmy John's sub], but that just proves that mess-ups can NOT derail all your hard work!

"One bad meal won't make you fat, just like one good meal won't make you fit"

I hope all you all are working hard on your goals this month and fresh year! Remember, CONSISTENCY is key in ANYTHING you do! That's a big part for me! But the more consistent you are, the quicker the results :]

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