2013 LA Fit Expo Update!

I'm terribly sorry for the lack of updates, but as most of you know Christian is one of the finalists for the 2013 Bodybuilding.com Bodyspace Spokesmodel contest.

We are so excited and thrilled that he's made it this far! So thank you all so much for the support! If any of you are going to the LA Fit Expo (it's the same weekend as IMATS *Cries*) Christian will be on stage! :) for the first time, yay!

So we've just been super busy this past month and last month (well ever since he found out he was a finalist) just preparing for everything.. and of course school (mine and our kids), Baby Sophia, and Work.. it's been killer but I know this will all be worth it!

I do want to mention, there will be some makeup videos in the works (Like a Lorac Pro Palette tutorial that was requested, a huge massive collective haul that was also requested) and some fitness videos too.. because I am still in the Bodybuilding.com 100k Body Transformation challenge! I entered December 23rd and my end date is March 17! So i've been working hard on my body to get it to where I want it to be.. 

I know it's only been 1 month but i'm proud to say i've healthily and safely lost 6lbs! :) My goal was to lose a total of 22lbs for this challenge.. but I really am hoping to lose 30lbs in total (my real ultimate goal) I know some of you are like wth?! 30lbs is too much, but seriously i'm 5'0 and my current weight is definitely not where it should be and where I want it to be.. 

So thank you everyone for being so patient and supporting us! truly appreciate all the love and support from our friends, family and blogger/twitter/FB/IG friends! :) you guys ROCK!

Quick Vlog! My NEW 12 week weight loss journey has begun!

Hi Everyone! this challenge couldn't have happened at a better time! :) 

When I entered the last transformation challenge (back in april - ended in July) my 3rd baby was 3 months old and i guess that's also why I didn't lose as much fat as I had wanted.. but I'm hoping now that she's 9 months, all those extra hormones etc that was holding onto fat for my baby (while i was breastfeeding at the time).. is gone and my body is now ready for some serious transformation.

so with that said, today i started off my workout (since this past week been going hard at the gym)

Decided to shoulders and some cardio..

Shoulders:

Barbell Shoulder Press

45lbs x 8 (warm up)

45lbs x 5

45lbs x 5

45lbs x 5

65lbs x 5

65lbs x 5

Rear Delt Raise:

7.5lbs x 10

7.5lbs x 10

7.5lbs x 10

7.5lbs x 10

Side Lateral Raise:

7.5lbs x 12

7.5lbs x 12

7.5lbs x 12

Front Dumbbell Raise:

7.5lbs x 12

7.5lbs x 12

7.5lbs x 12

Superset:

Upright Dumbbell Rows:

15lbs x 10

15lbs x 10

15lbs x 10

Standing Dumbbell Military Press:

15lbs x 10

15lbs x 10

15lbs x 10

Incline Bench Front Dumbbell Delt Raises:

7.5lbs x 10

7.5lbs x 10

7.5lbs x 10

Then after that did 30 mins of HIIT..

30 sec sprints on and off for a whole 30 mins.. i was dunzo!

That concluded my workout for this morning.. might come back later tonight! who knows :P

Merry Xmas Eve everyone! Happy Holidays!

Don't forget to check out my YouTube channel for ALL my video updates/vlogs etc etc etc! lol

Xtian's 2013 BodySpace Spokesmodel Finalist Video

This is Xtian's 2013 BodySpace Spokesmodel Finalist Video on his fitness journey..

I hope you will all watch! :)
you can subscribe to his channel youtube.com/xtian67

Xtian made it to Semi-Finals!

I just would like to take the time to thank everyone who voted for Xtian continuously throughout the month of November. It truly paid off because He made it to Semi-Finals!

There are 20 Men & 20 Women Semi-Finalists.. which next they are to do a 3-5 minute video about themselves (for everyone to get to know them better kind of deal).. and then pictures of course to see how their body is (to see how close they are for competition in January) From there, they will choose top 5 men and top 5 females to go to finals in January! We will find out on December 14th if he made it! please cross your fingers for us!

I'm so excited and of course proud of my Husband who has worked endlessly for his dreams!

Thank you all again for the support!

Wish us luck!

Just a quick update! :D black friday, Sophie bear..

Hi Everyone! I can't believe November came and went.. just like most of this year!

Tomorrow is the last day to vote for Xtian, so please do if you haven't already! (you can vote everyday) Here is the LINK:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2013-bodyspace-spokesmodel-search-voting.html#data

Like previous post, been super busy with School, Kids, Work and just life! trying to find time for myself has been hard, but been managing to go to the gym at least 2-3 times a week when I can.

I'm not going to lie, I Slipped from my strict diet after the Elite Ambition transformation challenge.. and After Thankgiving - that didn't help either.. can you believe I gained 10lbs! LOL.. so It's time to get back on track before Xmas comes! so I'm going to be back on my healthy eating regimen.. I'm tired of eating like crap these past couple months and it really shows in the gym (and of course physically) I mean i'm still a size 3, but i've gained the weight mostly in my abdominal area..

On a brighter note, Sophia Turned 8 months on November 16th.. and she's just a joy to have around! Her big sisters love her to pieces and love her company as we all do.

Also before I forget, I quickly wanted to mention I'm going to be selling Authentic MAC Makeup at discounted prices! I have just a few Holiday Sets left.. so if you're interested, please e-mail me! (BeautyAndTheBrute@gmail.com - for pricing and information) 

I have just a couple of these left & am offering other bundles too!

As for Black Friday - Did you all order anything? I wasn't going to buy anything (because of being broke, BUT! Thanks to me selling my other items on Poshmark  - I was able to get what I wanted!) 

Check out my PoshMark Closets

www.poshmark.com/closet/xtine <-- clothes="clothes" font="font">

www.poshmark.com/closet/xtine22 <-- font="font" makeup="makeup">

Sedona Lace Vortex Brush Set

it was on sale for like 40 w/ brush belt (retails 70+)

Unfortunately mine is backordered until 1/1/2013 LOL.. it's okay i'll still get it!

Sugar Pill Heart Breaker Palette

Was on sale for 23 - retails for 35

I got some other stuff too from BH Cosmetics.. I'll do a haul video when I receive my items.. as well as Hubby & I got some stuff from BodyBuilding.com (woot woot cute gym clothes for me! lol) and we'll either do a separate video for that or do a fitness faves video together..

I also was going to do a haul video on items I got in the beginning of the month, but I think i'll just add that to the collective Black Friday/Cyber Monday Haul.. yes? no? (comment below!)

Since I posted that picture above on Instagram, people said they wanted to see a Lorac Pro Palette tutorial, so I'm going to be doing that soon! I actually sold my Urban Decay Naked 2 palette and replaced it with this.. and I love, love, LOVE it! 

Please don't forget to subscribe to our YT Channel for our latest and greatest videos :P

Subscribe HERE--> http://www.YouTube.com/BeautyAndTheBrute

And you can also find us here for faster and more recent updates!

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/beautyandbrute

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/beautyandthebrute

Instagram: http://instagram.com/beautyandbrute

P.S. If you'd like to request ANY type of videos, please don't hesistate too!

Video :: My Squat Progress

Hi all!

My Goodness! it's so hard to keep up nowadays, now that school is full swing for myself and my kids.. not to mention i've been working graveyard shifts now so i'm always tired! 

but I wanted to share my video with you (because I said I was going to).. of my squat progress! From when I first started lifting (2010) until now.. there are a lot of videos that I did not add, only the ones worth showing! (including my 185lb squats that i'm very proud of!) 

Sometimes I get a lot of questions - why do I squat?! well I want a nice perky round booty! :) 

anywho here it is! don't forget to comment, rate & subscribe!

thanks a lot! more videos coming soon!

Did you vote for Xtian Today? (if not, please do! it literally takes 5 seconds and you don't need to be registered!)
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2013-bodyspace-spokesmodel-search-voting.html#data
His name on there is "Xtian"

> Scroll down and find "Xtian"
> Click "Click to view profile" (Under his name & picture)
> Click "Vote Now"

Share this information with anyone and everyone! and PLEASE try your best to vote everyday! It only takes a second and you don't have to be a registered member of bodybuilding.com!

We appreciate all the support! :) Thank you so much!

Gym Session :: 06/19/2012

I know it's been awhile since my last post.. but i've been going to the gym/exercising every day and my blog was starting to look redundant with the same exercises etc.. soo wanted to change it up a bit.. i think i'm done building muscle (was lifting super heavy).. and now to lean out.. so dropping the weight and upping the reps.. we'll see how this goes!  

So For today's workout... 

Week 3 :: Weight Loss Update - Cardio/HIIT

Hi Everyone! I know week 3 is a little late, but I still wanted to put this up for those that were interested! 
This week I concentrated on adding Cardio into my routine and I go on to talk about the type of cardio that I like to do (HIIT - High Intensity Interval Training)



High Intensity Interval Training is definitely more effective than just running on a treadmill or jogging at a steady pace because your body goes into whats called a steady state. Meaning your body is used to the same pace you're going.. thus trying to conserve the fat/calories so you typically don't lose much calories nor fat..but it is good for your heart.  HIIT is great because of the short periods of high intensity and alternating with low intensity, it tricks the body, making your heart lungs and entire body work harder.. burning more calories, thus burning more fat.


When you do too much cardio though, it tends to burn away the muscle that you've worked so hard to build.. and my main goal is lose the fat and gain lean muscle! so I definitely don't want to do that! 


The exercises you'll see are featured in my one post:
http://www.beautyandthebrute.com/2012/05/gym-session-05092012.html


And the exercises mention in ONE set are:
Bodyweight Squats - 12 reps
Spiderman Pushups - 12 reps
Jumping Lunges - 12 reps
Plank to Pushups - 12 reps
Mountain Climbers - 12 reps
--- rest 90 seconds


all of those are considered ONE set! I started doing just 3 sets.. but have worked my way to doing 4 or 5.. and the thing I love most about doing this cardio complex is that it's so much more fun than just running on a treadmill for 30-45 minutes.  This literally only takes me 15-20 minutes and really gets my heart pumping and gets me sweating tons!


Thank you all for the support during my challenge! Next week I am hoping to do an updated progression shot.. to help keep me motivated and work harder then the past few weeks.. I'm definitely still not where I want to be, and remember results to happen over night.. so I definitely am not discouraged but rather.. more motivated!


If you have any questions, please feel free to ask! Until my next video/Blog Post! :)

Week 2 Weight Loss Update!

Hi Everyone! So yes! it's end of week 2 of my 12 week weight loss challenge.  For those that are just tuning in - you can find the reason why i'm trying to lose weight and what this 12 week challenge is in the post HERE

In 2 weeks, I've lost a total of 7 pounds! Very proud of myself for still eating well and exercising.  I have not went over my caloric goal at all these past two weeks, and for that I'm very proud. I'm also proud that despite the caloric deficit - I'm still able to breast feed my Daughter (who is now 2 months old!)






In the video I talk about supplements that I take, since I've been messaged a few times and asked on YT and MFP if I'm currently taking any stimulants/fat burners etc while I'm trying to lose weight. If you watched my first video - I mentioned that already that I am breastfeeding.


So that means I cannot take any caffeine or any stimulants/pre-workout supplements/fat burners or else it will effect my daughter and of course I do not want that.. so I want to clear the air - I Am NOT taking any fat burners or stimulants (ie. pre-workout supplements etc).. The only products I am taking are Pictured here:

Combat Powder Protein :: How I take this:

16 oz water

1 Scoop (1 serving size)

mixed in a shaker bottle

I will take this only when I have not met my calories for the day (my goal is 1500 calories per day)  and if I'm still hungry at the end of the day. I try not to eat after 8PM, but if I do 'eat' anything, it's going to be a protein shake.  

Or I will take this protein shake if I've had a really monstrous workout (typically leg days cause I'll squat and deadliest super heavy).. then I will take this post workout.

Armor-V = MultiVitamin I take daily

Fish Oil = So many benefits (i.e.: aids in lowering high cholesterol, treating heart disease, treating anxiety/depression and it can also help with weight loss naturally) 

Iron = Need it because I'm anemic. Was anemic during pregnancy and doctor says I need to take it for a few months after pregnancy. I probably will stop taking it soon though (after next check up)

Fenugreek Seed And Blessed Thistle = For Breastfeeding to increase my milk supply. 

So those are the only things that i'm taking.. This past week I've been mainly working out in my husband and my home gym.  You'll hear him in some of the video while I'm working out because he is so supportive of me - that he trains me! 

For Week 3, My goal is to incorporate more cardio into my routine. Right now I sort of go to the gym every other day.. and my "rest" days - I want to really use those to my advantage and put in some hard work doing cardio complexes (which I will discuss in week 3!)  

Thank you to everyone who's been so supportive of my journey! And thank you to all the new subbies on our YT channel - I'm so thankful! I'm hoping this inspires you other ladies and mommies out there! If I can do this while I have a newborn and 2 other tots :) you can too! Don't forget to visit my Mommy website as well! (www.WorldForMoms.com) 

If you have any questions that you'd like me to address in my next weekly weight loss update - please leave a comment here, on YT, e-mail me or message me on twitter or YT! :) 

Till Next time!

My Week 1 Weight Loss Update!

So for those of you who didn't know - I had my 3rd baby the Middle of March, and was cleared to start exercising again at 6 weeks post pregnancy.  So to kickstart my weight loss journey, I entered in a body transformation.


It's the Elite Ambition Transformation sponsored by Dymatize Nutrition

It's a 12 Week Competition (84 days to be exact) and pretty much whoever has the best transformation by judging before and after pics by the bodybuilding.com judges - wins! 

The prizes are as follows:

There is a Male and Female Grand Prize winner which will be:

And the runners up will receive:

• Second Place (one entrant) — $2000 Cash, $400 of Dymatize Products (Bodybuilding.com retail value)
• Third Place (one entrant) — $1000 Cash, $300 of Dymatize Products (Bodybuilding.com retail value)
• Fourth Place — $250 of Dymatize Products (Bodybuilding.com retail value)
• Fifth - Tenth Place — $100 of Dymatize Products (Bodybuilding.com retail value)

So yes, I had to post quite embarrassing 'before' photos of me. I was kind of grossed out at how big I had gotten after having Sophia, but I really had to remind myself that I just had a baby and of course My Body was not the same as it was before.. but that motivated me to want to get in the best shape of my life, not only for me.. but for my kids! I want to be a good role model for them because I think it's important they know they need to take care of themselves and be healthy... to live a long and healthy life.

So! with that being said.. I started this competitions at  153.6 (body building.com rounded it to 154lbs -  *merrp* lol).  After week one I weighed in at 148.0lbs! I know that healthy weight loss is 1-2lbs per week, but remember since I'm just starting out, I have a lot of water weight to lose.. hence why it was more than 1-2lbs. 

Here is a quick video on some of the exercises I did (and that i've blogged about in my 'Gym Session' Posts!) to help me lose weight for week 1.  

Keep in mind that I ate clean - meaning NO fast food! I tracked everything I ate on myfitnesspal (which if you have it - you can add me 'MyFitBeauty') 

For my diet, I just did a basic caloric deficit.  Before I signed up for the contest, for 2 weeks I tracked everything I ate to gauge how many calories I was eating that caused me to maintain my weight.

From there, I decided to cut 300 calories from my diet.. this has been working for me so far.. I can't cut my calories too much because I am breastfeeding Sophia which also makes it a little harder for me to have a drastic transformation because I cannot take any pre-workout supplements etc.  So yes i'm doing this with NO stimulants (no caffeine, no pre workout supps/drinks) and yes sleepless nights, lack of sleep does take it's toll on me.. where days I have huge migraines from lack of sleep.. but it's not an excuse for me! 

I'm very motivated! and will continue to stay motivated for myself, my kids & my friends and blog/twitter friends that supporting me to the finish line of this challenge! so until next week's video and blog post.. :)

Official article on Bodybuilding.com Article on My Husband :: Live Shredded Challenge!

Hi Everyone, I'm not sure if you all remember, back in December I had posted the winners of the Bodybuilding.com Musclepharm Live Shredded transformation challenge winners (Click here to see that blog post)


And before then (November 23rd) I had posted that My Husband Christian had entered in an online contest (Bodybuilding.com) MusclePharm Live shredded transformation challenge, and posted his final pictures, and his essay etc. (Click Here to see that blog post)


Well I had mentioned it on twitter (for those of you who follow me on there) that Bodybuilding.com was going to have an article on My Husband on their website about his transformation/His Story. 


So I wanted to share this with all of you, who had supported us throughout his entire journey! Thank you all for the support you have given us through retweeting our links, commenting on pictures and blog posts and subscribing/watching our videos. :) 


Here is where you can find My Husband's Article about his win:
Bodybuilding.com/fun/christian

Thumbnail of his article (he's in the middle) :) 

And here is an excerpt from his official article (Click HERE to see full article)

For those of you who are interested in wanting to lose weight/live a healthier lifestyle - I really recommend checking out BodyBuilding.com (We are NOT affiliated with them, we are just regular members) and signing up for the bodyspace section, where you can get free workouts etc! If you do decide to join (It's free) don't forget to add us!

Xtian :: http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/Xtian/

              Xtine :: http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/myfitbeauty/

My Husband's Body Transformation challenge progress + Hydrostatic Body fat testing

Hi everyone! :) I know my last post about my husband was back in September (Post is here) 


Well i'm proud to say, My Husband has less than 30 days in his challenge (The Live Shredded body transformation challenge on bodybuilding.com) , it's the home stretch! He made his first video (I recorded some footage and his brother also did some footage - his brother edited everything!) I'd love it if you all could please watch his videos, subscribe to him (although we are going to combine our channels later on), and please RT/share his videos on your facebook page, twitter or anywhere! 

This was his original First photo when i posted it back in September:

You can definitely see the difference in his back muscles :)

Here are his before pictures (when he started back in August 28, 2011)

And this is him 2 months afterwards (this pic taken October 22, 2011)

Here is his Official/Detailed video 

Thank you so much for watching it! :) Hope you "Like" it! <3

The prize for this contest is 10k, plus SOO many neat things (like a photoshoot, plus 2 year supply of supplements by the company that is sponsoring the whole contest.. and so much more)! I'm so excited for my Husband! I have so much faith in him that he can transform his body even more! thank you to everyone who RT'd my tweets, watched his video and just have supported us! :) 


He is actually going to have more videos since we're on the home stretch right now! and after the baby comes, i'm definitely going to do the same thing (especially if there is another contest like this on that website, i'm definitely going to join!) 


Thank you to everyone who has asked us questions on how to stay fit, lose weight (he's usually answering the male questions and i'd answer the women's questions!) so we really appreciate it! 


wish us luck! i'll keep you all posted on his next video!