1 week til the madness begins!

UNO week!  Craziness.  I really stepped up the cardio the last couple weeks, and it has made a huge difference.  I have been doing at least 45 minutes (50 is magic), usually on the sit-down bike (the easiest one..haha) every morning.  The low intensity fasted cardio sure does make a ginormous difference.   It's kind of weird, there's almost like an automatic switch that just occurs when my brain seems to know that leaning out has become the main priority, not putting on muscle anymore.  And I also seem to just know how much to step it up.  Well.. I guess we'll SEE if I knew how much to..lol  I am so so so excited for the show next week!!  I won't lie though, I am a bit more excited for the following 2.  I will be lean already for them, and it'll be interesting to compete 2 weeks apart for a couple shows.  PLUS, the beautiful super Jaki is going to take some pics the weekend after this first show, so I'm realllly excited about that too.  Just to have some. :)

Here's what my food is looking like now, on a medium carb day:

1/2 c. oats, 6 egg whites, 1/4 c pumpkin

1/3 c. oatmeal, 1 scoop whey

4 oz chicken, 1/2 yam, 1/2 c. veggies

5 oz tilapia, 1-2 c. veggies

5 oz tilapia, 1 c. veggies, 2 c. spinach

Protein pancake (3 egg whites, casein) with 1/4 c. pumpkin, cinnamon 

I still have been keeping 2 higher carb days a week, as well as doing a few low ones per week, as opposed to one or two low ones.  The energy can definitely take a dip, and let's just say that 'Spacey' was my middle name at our volleyball game this week. 

Last fall when I competed, I did the traditional carb deplete for 3 days with zero sodium, then carb load the day before the show while cutting water.  I have mentioned how I felt completely flat.  SO, this time around, I am doing things completely different.  I am going to do what Layne Norton suggests in the awesome new series from bodybuilding.com (shoutout to super Jaki and Ron Torres for their amazingness putting it together) here: Peak Weak by Layne Norton .  Essentially, he makes perfect sense why cutting sodium and water doesn't make you look your best.  Your body will just change the hormone levels to keep at equilibrium.  So, I'm going to try sticking to what I've been doing, which makes me feel great anyway, then just drink enough water on Saturday to satiate thirst.  Check it out if you compete, (or, even if you don't) I think it's some great advice, and we'll see how it works out!! 

And finally, some picaroos!  yayyy.  The first in the suit was 2 weeks out, taken on the 20th.  The others are 1 1/2 weeks out, taken on Tuesday I think. 

                                               

 

My weight went as low as 137.2 pounds for two days this week (during the low carb ones) and went back up to 139 after my high carb day this week.  Notice that my weight was still like 142 two weeks ago.. so don't ever get discouraged if the scale isn't showing a huge difference.  You are probably still leaning out, just putting on muscle, too.

Alright, time to hit the sack.  I'm really good at that lately. :)

Burrito and Midget Wrestling..!

Well crap, it's been way too long since my last post! I have a lot I could write about.. where to begin, where to begin..  aha!!

BURRITOOOO!!!!

So I decided to try a cheat meal... *gasp*.  During my prep for my first show back in September, I did not cheat.  I don't quite know how I had such an iron clad will right out of the gates, but I did.  I like to think it's a sign I was meant to do this.. haha  Well, I did have one day where my energy just completely crashed and I left the gym after one set of DB chest press, got home and said 'We're going to Subway'.  That became Quizno's and I only got a little steak flatbread wrap and salad.. so cheating is kinda pushing it.  That IS how I discovered I needed more than one high carb day a week though. :)  Anyway, back to the burrito.  I thought hey, it's been 4 weeks into the diet, maybe using a cheat meal to shock the system could work!  So I continued to consume an entirrrrre Cafe Ole burrito.  Stuffed doesn't even describe it.  Well, pictures say a thousand words, right?  Exhibit A:

Triplets?  Quite possible.

I was not even CLOSE to hungry the next day.  I felt like a bloated, full mess.  There was probably 10,000mg of sodium in that amazing, delicious steak burrito too.  I had to make myself eat my scheduled meals the next day.  Not counting down til the next meal: that was a first. haha But then a couple of days later, I actually did feel better.  I don't know if it had anything to do with the burrito, though.  And since I don't crave a cheeseburger or pizza or anything while I'm dieting, (well, I can live without it anyway) I'm gonna stick to my higher carb days as my reloads. 

Other than that burrito 3 weeks ago, progress has been awesome!  I have been debating and debating about whether to do the Gold's Gym Classic show as well on the 2nd.  It would suddenly cut 2 weeks off my anticipated show prep, but I'm feeling like I could be ready.  3 WEEKS.  Holy crap.  Helloooo cardio!  I haven't been writing down my food or counting calories, but rather going based on how my body is feeling.  I am really liking this method, too.  I don't recommend it for starting out, but after a while, it can be super beneficial to play it by ear.  If I feel like I need to cut out some carbs, I will.  If I feel like my body needs some, I'll add some back.  Regardless, I'm eating my meals every 2 1/2-3 hours like before, and still weighing and measuring the food, just not counting the calories or grams anymore.  It also helps that I'm pretty much eating the same exact thing every day.. :)

This last weekend was the Arnold Sports Festival, and I racked up 47 hours at the office in 3 days!  It was crazy and awesome and I loved it.  It wouldn't have been half as fun without Isaac, our photographer, keeping me entertained and staying up til the wee hours in the morning IM'ing while we were both working(shoutout hardbody.com!).  But the webcast also made it super exciting, as well as getting the photos before they were even posted on our website (bodybuilding.com, btw).  My job is to post the photos and results on the site, also btw. :)  This madness equated into no workout on Friday or Saturday.  I really don't feel like I lost any progress, though, cuz I ate the seemingly 5 chickens I packed, and a whole lot of green beans, and my back workout on Sunday was bomb!  Needless to say, it was awesomely motivating to see all of the pro's compete, and to see all of the pics of the super fit ladies at the expo.  There was some midget wrestling too.. which had me dying of laughter (it's also posted on hardbody.com... ab workout from laughing? yessir!). 

Since I haven't posted progress pics here for a few weeks, I'll put a few up that I've taken over the last couple of weeks.

   

                        7 weeks (2 weeks ago)                                                                            6 weeks

                                                                          5 1/2 weeks

p.s. YIKES on putting the suit on.  I was all leaned out and had 5 pounds less muscle last time I wore it..it didn't exactly look the same! lol  But it was good for motivation!!  I'll be upping the cardio from my usual 20 minutes of intervals or 30 minutes lower intensity, to 30 minimum (I did 20 minutes of intervals on the bike and then 20 moderate intensity on the elliptical after lifting today).  3 weeks?  BRING IT!!

bounce or no bounce

Two nights ago I did not want to go bust out legs and cardio, let alone get up from cuddling with my puppy and watching American Idol.. I made it, though, because there isn’t an option to NOT go at this point.  After legs I told myself, ‘ok, at least do 10 minutes of cardio’.  Well 10 minutes hit and I was in the middle of a Rise Against song, so it was ok-til the end of the song.  That was at 12 minutes, and well, that random number just doesn’t jive with my time divvying, so 15 minutes it was.  Not a lot of cardio time when you take it as a whole, but 150% more than I first intended on doing!  Tack on some hanging leg raises afterward that I had no intention of doing, and voolah, I felt much better about myself.

Move onto last night, when I saw an old ‘gym friend’ (you know, the people that are always there the same time as you, you start nodding, maybe occasionally smiling in recognition at).  This one actually started talking to Forrest and I this winter when I was trying to bulk up and is a really cool guy.  Anyway, he’d been MIA the last couple weeks cuz of school.  It absolutely made my day when he came over after I was supersetting some wide bent over barbell rows and barbell curls, and said, ‘You know I’m not hitting on you, I know you have a boyfriend.  But you look really good!!’  That’s all it took to put a lil bounce in my step on my way up the stairs to the stepmill, especially coming from someone who has seen my progress. 

So if you ever notice anyone who is busting their bum, or you can tell has made improvements, TELL THEM!  That little comment is all it takes sometimes to make their motivation go from ehhhh to HECK YEAHHH!!! J

Ahhhh time

Saturday I took some time to relax and get a pedi with Bon (Happy Valentine's Day BFF), and took a faaaabulous bodyflow class at Gold's.  With all the lifting it's important to remember to stretch.. and I certainly am guilty of forgetting..all the time.  It also made me realize that my right hip is way tighter than my left.. time to evaluate my form while lifting. haha  It felt amazing to relax that day.  This progress pic was taken on Sunday:  (I know, I'm like an angel with the light shining on me. haha)

It also felt amazing to be out and about while the sun was in the sky!!  Thank goodness the days are getting longer.. the thought of brewskis on the patio..a pool - I don't care which one, any one - .. this is when I miss summer and the beach with my sister...ahhh.  Those are also the thoughts that go through my head when we have to 'visualize our happy place' the last 5 minutes of bodyflow while laying there with our eyes closed.  Whoever invented that part of the class - I'd like to personally thank you.  You are the bomb.com.

Today was a high carb day!!  I didn't keep track, but I'm pretttty sure I'm over 200g (possibly 250) and man do I feel bloated and amazing!! lol  I paired it with shoulder day.  Sooo, please carbs, go straight to the delts.  Thank you very much. Sincerely, me. :)  

Cliffs:

- STRETCH

- take a day to say ahhhhh



Why kill yourself?

The scale boycott continues, and I think for good reason.  Increasing my weight training and my protein intake obviously causes a sweet increase in muscle for me.  I know it is considered very difficult to put on muscle while leaning out, so I feel very fortunate cuz I believe this is exactly what’s going on…up 3 pounds (as of Tuesday, when I decided to boycott the scale) and yet my muscles are popping their heads out and my jeans are getting looser.  I’m sure weirder things have happened in this world, and I’ll take it. 

I was just reading one of Erin Stern’s blog entries from 2 weeks before she became 2010 Ms. Figure Olympia (p.s. loooove her), http://www.hardbody.com/news/category/hardbody-blogger/erin-stern/ and I love pretty much everything she wrote.  She said she felt like she looked like hair on a stick the year before because she conformed to what the ‘typical’ competitor does, which is circuit training and hours of cardio.  Looking at my pics from last year, I feel like I was a very slender/skinny version of what I want to be this year.  It’s a good reminder to keep myself doing what makes me feel like I look my best: lifting heavy, eating some carbs, and not killing myself with cardio.  If you have a pretty dang good metabolism going, why starve yourself and ruin it?  

Me in September, looking flat.                 Erin, in September at the Olympia, def NOT looking flat.

I also realized how much I LOVE when I can see what a competitor eats throughout the day.. so here’s what I ate yesterday:

1/3 c. oatmeal (sugar free flavored packet), 1 scoop of vanilla whey, ¼ cup canned pumpkin (all mixed together after the oatmeal cooks..sooo good)

Low carb wrap (La Tortilla Smart and Delicious brand), 1 T. pb

5 oz baked chicken, 1/3 yam, 1 c. steamed veggies

Apple

1 can tuna, veggies and spinach, fat free Italian dressing

Frozen cool whip w/ sugar free chocolate syrup, and a sugar free jello cup (these little treats keep me sane)

Low carb wrap, can of tuna, 4 egg whites, and fat free cheese

Whey (post-workout)

Protein pancake: 1 scoop casein, 3 egg whites, 1 T. pb, and sugar free syrup

Total:

1680 calories

33g fat

212g protein

134g carbs

This really is a pretty dang typical day.  Add in a sugar free rockstar, some coffee, and bottle after bottle of water with wyler’s light in it… and there ya go.  I’m also not cycling my carbs as much as I will be here in a few weeks.  Back to that why-kill-yourself motto.. J

p.s.  I’m not giving my abs an option of not showing up this time…just fyi. J 

Cardio is gonna keep workin on leaning those hips!

Blurry, but I like the quad sweep poking through. :)

Progress pics 9 1/2 weeks - taken 2/8

A week longer? why yes please!

Last week, as I was entering in the contest dates online at bodybuilding.com (shout out to the best company EVER! and yes, I do have the best job ever), I realized my first NGA show was not on the 9th of April as I originally thought, but rather, the 16th.  First, I was flabbergasted I was even off..I mean, contest prep is all about the countdown, and this is stuff I usually know.. but then I was pleasantly happy about being a week ahead of the game!  Woohoo for being uninformed!!  But anywhoozer, so far, prep is going fantastically. :)  I took these progress pics almost a week ago (oops on updating..)

I feel like I am definitely getting leaner.  My very accurate measuring devices, my pinching fingers, have told me so.  But, of course, there's still a long way to go!  My very inaccurate device, the scale, has actually showed an increase in weight.  Scale, you're pushing it buddy, you're about to be forsaken to the back of the closet, I swear.  I get incredibly motivated when I think about my competition though..  of COURSSSSE I'll be competing against myself, but when I think of someone else working harder than me, I think uh uhhhh girlfriend!! 

I had my weekly glass of red wine while at brunch on Sunday with some AWESOME peeps.  I decided today, though, that that really just doesn't fit my gameplan anymore.  So much for that.  It was fun while it lasted, alcohol, but I won't be seeing (feeling) you til April 30th!  Hasta la vista, baby.  Time to get this shreddedness on overdrive. 

Well, tomorrow.  Today is my first day off in quite a while. :) 

And time for progress pics again soon!  Maybe I'll buck up and do a full body back shot...that's where I'm going to see the most progress anyway..ugh. 

Veggies!!

You may have noticed, if you’ve ever dieted or even just tried to eat healthy, that veggies are a critical part of the meal plan.  They help fill you up with a low amount of calories, provide you with fiber, vitamins, yadda yadda yadda.  I’ve come to love the lil green buggers tons and tons, mostly for the full feeling they provide without the guilt of having to write down lots of calories in my diet journal (which btw says “I will lose weight this time!” on the cover.. cracks me up several times a day.)  Anyway, the last week before my show last September, is was pretty much strict tilapia and green beans (with about a case of sugar free jello (I love you cherry!!).. I should’ve become a spokesperson for them) I did not touch a green bean up until about a month ago because I got so incredibly sick of them during my show prep.  So I started giving myself pep talks to prepare for all of the green beans I was about to have to consume during my 12 weeks dieting this time, when LO’ and BEHOLD, I found an amazing and oh so delicious alternative, by accident!!  Albertson’s has their steamer bags of veggies 10/$10, which are so convenient and fabulous -  I go through one a day at least.  I loaded up on some broc and a mixed veggie one to blend with it for flavor (delicious, btw, it has onions, red peppers, and squash in it, which means a bit higher carbs, but not too bad).  I then proceeded to get some green beans (you can do it, Heather!!) and headed home with my overflowing bags of veggies and oatmeal boxes (5/$5, sugar free and flavored.. really Alby’s?? I’ve never been more of a fan of you than now.)  I didn’t even notice when I fixed my bags and put them in a container, and proceeded to stab the timer part of the microwave with a knife while cutting open one of the bags (microwave still works, it’s just a mystery how long you have left while reheating your dinner), but realized while eating my lunch at work, that they were not green beans, but rather SUGAR SNAP PEAS!!!  I instantly calorieking.com’ed them, and I am so excited to say that have just about the same nutritional profile as green beans!!  So, although I thank you for all that you did for me in the past, green beans, you have officially been replaced by marvelous, oh so crunchy and delicious, sugar snap peas.

1 cup of sugar snap peas (thank you calorieking.com):

Nutrition Facts
Calories 67	(281 kJ)
Total Fat	0.3g
Sat. Fat	0.1g
Cholesterol	0mg
Sodium	6mg
Total Carbs.	11.4g
Dietary Fiber	4.5g
Sugars	6.4g
Protein	5.2g
Calcium	67.2mg
Potassium	384mg

On a side note, weight this morning was 142.2, and when I was trying to be the hulk last night and flex for Forrest, I’m pretty sure I saw 2/3 of a 6 pack protruding… yippee!!  I’m hitting it harder and harder this week, including squatting with Forrest last night so he could spot me.  Gotta build those legs!!  I’m also experimenting with a super low carb day today…so far, so good.  I mean, good enough that I was just inspired to blog about peas, for cryin out loud.  I’m pretty much doing it just to see if I notice anything change.  Why, down 2% bodyfat in one day??  Yes please!!  Just kidding.  But I’m all about experimenting for the sake of those possibilities. J