oldsoulmadenew

[oldsoulmadenew]

Summer-Ready Arms and Abs

[oldsoulmadenew]

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A post shared by Olivia Gravengaard (@oldsoulmadenew)

Finally! Due to the lack of a sissy squat machine and after many failed attempts at various variations, I finally found a method that works. I still have some kinks to work out, but my quads were on fire, nonetheless. Plus, you can try different thickness bands til you find what works.

[oldsoulmadenew]

Had some fun with my hair today, and I'm still getting used to these black roots. Just trying to shake things up and branch out. Today has been a bit rough for other reasons, but I'm hoping the long weekend clears my busy mind and lets me relax and offer myself more wholly to others.

[oldsoulmadenew]

Thank you all for respecting and supporting my decision to step away from the Gram for awhile while I sorted out my priorities and reconnected with my self. I've learned quite a few things during these past few weeks, which I'll be sharing with y'all soon. In Other news, I'm still bulking and will continue to do so through the end of December, with my tentative prep kicking off in January. I look forward to sharing this journey with you guys and seeing how y'all grow alongside me.

[oldsoulmadenew]

I hope you all know that I strive to be transparent with my thoughts and feelings and share myself openly with you. In keeping with that, I want to let you all know that I have decided to take a social media break. A week ago, it hit me that I am not satisfied with my priorities at the moment and I feel that my daily choices do not align with my long-term goals. That's not to say that I believe social media is bad, in and of itself, but that it has distracted me from what I deem important, yet have failed to pursue lately. With that said, I will be back in a few weeks if I find what I need in that time. So thank you all for your loving support and I will see you all soon and share my experience. Don't let the world's priorities drive your own. Find what makes you tick and return to your roots if you need to. Keep striving and never settle, Liv

[oldsoulmadenew]

Rocked leg day with my bestie who probably wanted to kill me afterwards. But I'm so glad to share this passion with others who commit just as much to growing and challenging themselves. I've had an incredible weekend with this one, taking my attention off of social media and myself. I've been thinking a lot about my priorities, which I've alluded to in previous posts, but I'm anticipating some changes to come, which I'll share with you all in time.

[oldsoulmadenew]

What I've been learning lately is that our brains often seem programmed to pick out the negative: the people we're closest to start to drive us crazy with the smallest things, we remember even the tiniest negative moments throughout the day, and many of us have no trouble identifying all of the things we DON'T like about ourselves. Sure, this may help us survive and recognize danger in a sinister environment, but what happens when we become a danger to ourselves? When our internal environment becomes toxic with disdain and negativity? I challenge you to examine your thoughts and confront any negativity that arises. Try to combat it with a positive thought and see how your day changes. Give someone the benefit of the doubt, write down even the tiniest moments of joy throughout your day, and confront yourself in the mirror with things you appreciate about all that you are. Then watch the world blossom.

[oldsoulmadenew]

Can you guess what I worked today? Too bad I didn't get a video of me wobbling around after I finished my last set of walking lunges. I'm feeling super puffy and bloated right now, so I rocked my @squeezmeskinny1 waist trainer under a sweatshirt and sweat like none other. I know the bloat will resolve, so I'm trying to stay objective in the mean time. On another note, I feel like my inner quads (vastus medialis) are finally starting to develop. I realized a couple of months ago that I was developing some imbalances, especially around my knees. So I've worked on changing my foot placement and really connecting with all muscles of the quads throughout my leg workouts. Focus. Evaluate. Adjust. Forge forward.

[oldsoulmadenew]

These scrubs used to be loose #bulkingproblems

[oldsoulmadenew]

Success. A word that drives so many of us, yet a word that is too seldom defined to the extent it should be. What does success look like for you? What does it FEEL like? How will it affect those around you? Your relationships? Is it numerically based- a dollar amount or number of children? Is it educational or work-related- a degree obtained or tenure reached? What is your success? I'm starting to question the concept in my life. Do you need to re-establish your definition?

[oldsoulmadenew]

I got to spend some time with my family tonight, Christmas shopping and catching up. It's strange to go from being homeschooled- i.e. home all of the time and continuously surrounded by my family- to seeing them every couple of weeks and hearing about my siblings second-hand. In nursing, prioritization is a daily theme. But it's also a vital component of our personal lives, as well. We establish goals and values, yet if our daily priorities don't reflect them, our goals will forever be unattainable and our values are not guiding our choices. For instance, I say that I value family and friends, yet I must admit that I haven't invested enough in either since I've gotten home from college. I'm in the process of re-affirming and reconstructing my goals and values, and I would encourage you to do the same. Are your daily choices in line with your goals? Are you giving your attention to those things that you claim to value? Are you slacking in some area and possibly denying it? Make today your day to turn things around.

[oldsoulmadenew]

Don't ever settle for someone who doesn't look at you the way Macro looks at his mom..😢💓 Hit shoulders and chest tonight, and while I definitely feel like a chest split is in the works, I definitely was not getting my camera to pick one up 😂. Regardless, I'm glad to see some improvement in my shoulders, though I really want to hone in on my core now. It's easy to slack on core work when abs aren't showing through the fluff, but I know it will pay off when I lean out. Plus, a solid core is vital for proper form and muscular balance, and I know it is a weak point for me. Here's to continuous improvement and always striving for more.

[oldsoulmadenew]

Happy #transformationtuesday . On the left, I was 18, living on <1000 calories a day, and straining to smile through my constant brain fog and exhaustion. On the right, I'm 40+ pounds heavier, eating ~2500 calories a day, continuously feeling stronger, and free of the mental fog in which I lived for so many years. Am I always "feeling myself"? Heck no. But I am learning to embrace who I am, regardless of my appearance or weight and I have let go of so much of my anxiety surrounding food. I promise, recovery is worth it.

[oldsoulmadenew]

Pretty sure I sweat out straight long island iced tea during my workout today. I'm not much of a drinker at all- maybe twice a year- but I let loose and threw back last night. And, honestly, despite feeling a bit guilty about the calories, I really did have a good time just relaxing and dancing like a moron and relinquishing my craving for constant control. Do I recommend this as a lifestyle? Heck no. But sometimes, a true, healthy balance requires a dose of impulsivity.

[oldsoulmadenew]

Heading out with bae for the night to celebrate with friends. Going to try to let my hair down (literally and figuratively) and have fun without letting anxiety take over. Here's to letting loose.

[oldsoulmadenew]

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RDL's left me dreading the stairs down to the locker room. Also, my heart rate got up to 140 during these so either I'm doing them well or my cardiovascular conditioning is 💩. I won't venture a guess as to which is true. I had a cringe moment today when I noticed cellulite on my butt. I went from feeling stellar and loving the booty pump at the gym, to being frustrated with my appearance as soon as my leggings came off. It's funny how my mindset is so susceptible to shifts in mood and appearance from hour to your. But I'm noticing it and choosing to breathe through those moments. Cellulite and fat are normal and often exist even in a state of excellent health and fitness. They are part of the female physiology in most people and only IG filters make us think otherwise. So keep being a beast, keep lifting heavy, and give yourself a break--- no, give yourself kudos because you're amazing and nothing skin-deep can define you.

[oldsoulmadenew]

Just posing with my pupper as a pre-game to leg-day. Macro has developed a sore spot on his back that hasn't been healing and is abnormally demarcated from the rest of his fur/skin, so he's on antibiotics and steroids right now. <<I know, we crazy bodybuilders even juice up our pups 😜>>. We're hoping it resolves on its own, as I don't really want to put this guy through any more medical trauma, such as surgery. In the mean time were keeping it covered in style and trying not to scream as the steroids make him pee boatloads and incessantly 😣.