My blog is moving to a new home, here.
Sometimes you just need a change of scenery, y'know?
See you there :)
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Trip to Fort Lauderdale: Inspiration/Motivation Found
I haven't written a post in a few weeks because law school is rudely interrupting my blogging career. But I'm still working my butt off in both school and my contest prep program. Here are some updates:
Trip to Florida (& the Resulting Inspiration!)
Last weekend I flew to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Florida is my team's (Team Bombshell) "base". During this trip, I got to meet my coaches (Shannon Dey and Gennifer Strobo) as well as several of my Bombshell teammates. This was very exciting for me for 2 reasons: first, it's hard to really feel like you're truly part of a team when you haven't met your coaches or teammates in person. Second, I really look up to Shannon and Gennifer because they're experts in preparing for competitions. They are role models for me and I loved getting to know them in person.
I also got to help out backstage with the Fort Lauderdale Cup (a bikini, figure & fitness competition held annually in Ft. Lauderdale). I originally planned to compete in this show, but since I switched from the bikini division to figure, I couldn't be ready in time (oh, and that little obstacle called "the first year of law school" slowed me down as well). Here's a picture of some of the gorgeous figure competitors onstage from Flex online:
I helped out backstage and had a great time meeting people and watching the competitors onstage. Here's a picture of me with one of my favorite competitors, Jaime Baird. She's incredibly beautiful inside and out. Additionally, her husband, Eddie, is a pro competitor and an attorney! So he and I talked about law school while assisting backstage.
I left Florida feeling inspired and motivated again. It suddenly seemed a little easier to stick to my strict diet, because I had met other women who did the same thing with incredible results. The best part about the whole trip was how nice everybody was. Every single one of the pro competitors I met was kind, gracious and willing to give me tips & advice.
Progress Update
I told my best friend out loud that I wanted to compete on March 17 in San Diego for my first figure competition. As I said this, it suddenly became real. My coach told me last night that she thinks I can definitely be ready by then (as long as I quit my "nibbling" habit - I'm workin' on it!). Here is the flyer for the competition:
Also, I got my first figure competition suit! It's not a fancy one because I'm mostly using it just to take weekly progress pictures (believe it or not, the top professional competitors purchase custom-made suits that cost hundreds or even THOUSANDS of dollars!)
Those Last 2 Reps...
Training in the gym has been going well. I've recently learned the vital importance of those last 1 or 2 reps of each exercise. When my coaches told me months ago to "push harder" in the weight room, I thought to myself, "I don't know how!" But recently, I've learned that I must push beyond the point where my body said, "Ok, this hurts now... time to quit." And I've been seeing better results (and feeling more sore!) because of this.
The point is, don't be afraid to push your body to it's absolute limit (*without injuring yourself!). You are probably capable of more than you thought.
Personal trainer certification?
Lastly, I have realized that at some point in the future, I want to share my love for fitness and training with others. I know firsthand how confusing all the information available can be, and I want to help people figure out what works for them and see results.
I bought a book about personal training certification (for Dummies... ha ha!) and will hopefully find time over winter break to start looking into it.
Trip to Florida (& the Resulting Inspiration!)
Last weekend I flew to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Florida is my team's (Team Bombshell) "base". During this trip, I got to meet my coaches (Shannon Dey and Gennifer Strobo) as well as several of my Bombshell teammates. This was very exciting for me for 2 reasons: first, it's hard to really feel like you're truly part of a team when you haven't met your coaches or teammates in person. Second, I really look up to Shannon and Gennifer because they're experts in preparing for competitions. They are role models for me and I loved getting to know them in person.
I also got to help out backstage with the Fort Lauderdale Cup (a bikini, figure & fitness competition held annually in Ft. Lauderdale). I originally planned to compete in this show, but since I switched from the bikini division to figure, I couldn't be ready in time (oh, and that little obstacle called "the first year of law school" slowed me down as well). Here's a picture of some of the gorgeous figure competitors onstage from Flex online:
I helped out backstage and had a great time meeting people and watching the competitors onstage. Here's a picture of me with one of my favorite competitors, Jaime Baird. She's incredibly beautiful inside and out. Additionally, her husband, Eddie, is a pro competitor and an attorney! So he and I talked about law school while assisting backstage.
I left Florida feeling inspired and motivated again. It suddenly seemed a little easier to stick to my strict diet, because I had met other women who did the same thing with incredible results. The best part about the whole trip was how nice everybody was. Every single one of the pro competitors I met was kind, gracious and willing to give me tips & advice.
Progress Update
I told my best friend out loud that I wanted to compete on March 17 in San Diego for my first figure competition. As I said this, it suddenly became real. My coach told me last night that she thinks I can definitely be ready by then (as long as I quit my "nibbling" habit - I'm workin' on it!). Here is the flyer for the competition:
Also, I got my first figure competition suit! It's not a fancy one because I'm mostly using it just to take weekly progress pictures (believe it or not, the top professional competitors purchase custom-made suits that cost hundreds or even THOUSANDS of dollars!)
Those Last 2 Reps...
Training in the gym has been going well. I've recently learned the vital importance of those last 1 or 2 reps of each exercise. When my coaches told me months ago to "push harder" in the weight room, I thought to myself, "I don't know how!" But recently, I've learned that I must push beyond the point where my body said, "Ok, this hurts now... time to quit." And I've been seeing better results (and feeling more sore!) because of this.
The point is, don't be afraid to push your body to it's absolute limit (*without injuring yourself!). You are probably capable of more than you thought.
Personal trainer certification?
Lastly, I have realized that at some point in the future, I want to share my love for fitness and training with others. I know firsthand how confusing all the information available can be, and I want to help people figure out what works for them and see results.
I bought a book about personal training certification (for Dummies... ha ha!) and will hopefully find time over winter break to start looking into it.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Things That Help Me Survive My Fitness Journey
Today I'm writing about the things I use to help me along my fitness journey. Maybe they will be helpful to other people as well.
1. Extra Dessert Delights Sugarfree Gum
This gum comes in several flavors. My absolute favorite is Apple Pie, with Key Lime Pie coming in second place. Some people are grossed out by the concept of dessert-flavored gum, but I think it's awesome! I have a major sweet tooth, so whenever I feel a craving for something sugary, I immediately grab a piece of this gum. It satisfies my craving and keeps me from reaching for a cookie or other treat.
2. Tea and Truvia
As I mentioned earlier, I have a raging sweet tooth. Along with the gum, I use tea with Truvia to keep me satisfied if I'm hungry before my next scheduled meal (my favorite flavors are Vanilla Chai and Vanilla Caramel; you can find them in most grocery stores.)
Regarding the Truvia: I've tried a million different sweeteners and this is my favorite. I love the taste of Splenda but I like using a more natural product. Truvia is made from stevia, which is a leaf.
3. Lululemon workout gear
Lululemon = best workout gear ever.
Sometimes I use Lululemon purchases as "rewards", for example: I tell myself if I complete all the scheduled workouts for 2 full weeks, I get to buy a new workout top. Creating "mini-goals" can be very helpful.
4. Muscle & Fitness Hers magazine subscription
This is my favorite magazine of all time. It is filled with useful articles about workouts and nutrition, as well as coverage of the latest figure, bikini & fitness competitions. I find it extremely inspirational. Just about any time I'm doing cardio on a machine, I bring an issue of M&F Hers solely for motivation.
4. A cooler, food scale, and tupperware
Most competitors eat about 6-7 meals per day every 2-3 hours. If you do this, it can be hard to stay on track and always have your scheduled meals ready. Thus, I spend a few hours every weekend cooking mass quantities of food and portioning them out into tupperware containers (or plastic bags). I freeze them, and then they are ready to be grabbed and eaten throughout the week.
I use a food scale because it's really tough to guess quantities. 4 ounces of tilapia doesn't look the same size at 4 ounces of steak. I rely on my scale to keep me on point with my diet plan. My scale was about $25 from Amazon and it's been awesome.
5. Visualization Board
If you don't know where you want to go, how are you going to get there?
A visualization board is the answer to this question. It's a board with pictures of people I look up to in the fitness industry, as well as some motivational quotes. I also have a dry-erase board where I write down my goals.
On your own visualization board, you can put up pictures of anything you want for your life. They don't have to be fitness related. Put it somewhere where you'll see it often as a reminder of why you're working so hard.
1. Extra Dessert Delights Sugarfree Gum
This gum comes in several flavors. My absolute favorite is Apple Pie, with Key Lime Pie coming in second place. Some people are grossed out by the concept of dessert-flavored gum, but I think it's awesome! I have a major sweet tooth, so whenever I feel a craving for something sugary, I immediately grab a piece of this gum. It satisfies my craving and keeps me from reaching for a cookie or other treat.
2. Tea and Truvia
As I mentioned earlier, I have a raging sweet tooth. Along with the gum, I use tea with Truvia to keep me satisfied if I'm hungry before my next scheduled meal (my favorite flavors are Vanilla Chai and Vanilla Caramel; you can find them in most grocery stores.)
Regarding the Truvia: I've tried a million different sweeteners and this is my favorite. I love the taste of Splenda but I like using a more natural product. Truvia is made from stevia, which is a leaf.
3. Lululemon workout gear
Lululemon = best workout gear ever.
Sometimes I use Lululemon purchases as "rewards", for example: I tell myself if I complete all the scheduled workouts for 2 full weeks, I get to buy a new workout top. Creating "mini-goals" can be very helpful.
4. Muscle & Fitness Hers magazine subscription
This is my favorite magazine of all time. It is filled with useful articles about workouts and nutrition, as well as coverage of the latest figure, bikini & fitness competitions. I find it extremely inspirational. Just about any time I'm doing cardio on a machine, I bring an issue of M&F Hers solely for motivation.
4. A cooler, food scale, and tupperware
Most competitors eat about 6-7 meals per day every 2-3 hours. If you do this, it can be hard to stay on track and always have your scheduled meals ready. Thus, I spend a few hours every weekend cooking mass quantities of food and portioning them out into tupperware containers (or plastic bags). I freeze them, and then they are ready to be grabbed and eaten throughout the week.
I use a food scale because it's really tough to guess quantities. 4 ounces of tilapia doesn't look the same size at 4 ounces of steak. I rely on my scale to keep me on point with my diet plan. My scale was about $25 from Amazon and it's been awesome.
5. Visualization Board
If you don't know where you want to go, how are you going to get there?
A visualization board is the answer to this question. It's a board with pictures of people I look up to in the fitness industry, as well as some motivational quotes. I also have a dry-erase board where I write down my goals.
On your own visualization board, you can put up pictures of anything you want for your life. They don't have to be fitness related. Put it somewhere where you'll see it often as a reminder of why you're working so hard.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Consistency + Patience = Results
I struggled this week with school and figure competition training. I've reflected on that for the last couple of hours (during a pedicure which my gross, callused feet desperately needed), and I can see that the universe has been trying to teach me 2 important lessons: faith and patience.
Struggles in School...
Regarding law school, the first few weeks were pretty exciting because it was a brand new endeavor. But now I'm realizing that the pace and workload are going to increase significantly as we get closer to December. Final exams will be here before I know it, and on top of that everyone will be trying to secure a great 1L summer job. Because of these reasons, it would not be wise to let myself start getting behind in my reading. I've got to keep reading cases until my eyes fall out of my head. Is the end result of all this work going to be worth it?
... And in the Weight Room
In terms of my figure competition training, I've been getting a little discouraged about how long it takes to see results in my body. When you work SO hard for something, it's natural to want to see overnight results. I want Nicole Wilkins' muscles right NOW! Bodies, however, do not change overnight. One of my awesome Team Bombshell coaches, Gen Strobo (who is competing at the Figure Olympia as I write this! GO GEN!) reminded me of this as I complained in an email to her that I'd been struggling. She insisted that with consistency in my diet and workouts, day in & day out, I WILL see results.
But It'll All Work Out...
The struggles I've had this week both in the classroom and the weight room have illustrated that, first of all, nothing worth having is easy, nor does it come instantly. Second, in order to stay motivated and focused on my goals, I must keep reminding myself to have faith in my everyday efforts, even though they seem small. Sure, individual court cases in my textbooks can seem unimportant and boring ... but every single case counts toward learning the law & ultimately becoming a great lawyer. And every time I curl a dumbbell or do a lat pulldown or a squat, my body is a little bit closer to the awesome figure competitor shape that I want. All the effort counts.
Struggles in School...
Regarding law school, the first few weeks were pretty exciting because it was a brand new endeavor. But now I'm realizing that the pace and workload are going to increase significantly as we get closer to December. Final exams will be here before I know it, and on top of that everyone will be trying to secure a great 1L summer job. Because of these reasons, it would not be wise to let myself start getting behind in my reading. I've got to keep reading cases until my eyes fall out of my head. Is the end result of all this work going to be worth it?
... And in the Weight Room
In terms of my figure competition training, I've been getting a little discouraged about how long it takes to see results in my body. When you work SO hard for something, it's natural to want to see overnight results. I want Nicole Wilkins' muscles right NOW! Bodies, however, do not change overnight. One of my awesome Team Bombshell coaches, Gen Strobo (who is competing at the Figure Olympia as I write this! GO GEN!) reminded me of this as I complained in an email to her that I'd been struggling. She insisted that with consistency in my diet and workouts, day in & day out, I WILL see results.
But It'll All Work Out...
The struggles I've had this week both in the classroom and the weight room have illustrated that, first of all, nothing worth having is easy, nor does it come instantly. Second, in order to stay motivated and focused on my goals, I must keep reminding myself to have faith in my everyday efforts, even though they seem small. Sure, individual court cases in my textbooks can seem unimportant and boring ... but every single case counts toward learning the law & ultimately becoming a great lawyer. And every time I curl a dumbbell or do a lat pulldown or a squat, my body is a little bit closer to the awesome figure competitor shape that I want. All the effort counts.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
"...What are you training for? What is a figure competition?"
The title of this post sums up many of the questions I get about why the heck I'm working out so much and following such a strict diet. I'm going to try to answer these questions here...
First: What is a Figure Competition?
I am training for a figure competition. What is that, you ask? It's a female body competition that includes less heavy muscle mass than bodybuilding, but more muscle mass than the bikini division. The easiest way to understand is by comparing pictures, so I included some below. The first picture is of Nicole Wilkins, a figure competitor & one of my biggest fitness idols.
This next picture is Nicole Nagrani, a bikini competitor. In bikini, the poses are different and there is less muscle mass.
And this photo is Iris Kyle, a bodybuilder. Can you now see the difference between the three divisions?
The division I have chosen is figure. Figure competitors are judged on muscular symmetry and tone, and muscle size is downplayed. In the competition, the women stand onstage in front of judges, wearing a special swimsuit designed for these competitions, and clear high-heels. They stand side-by-side and make quarter-turns so the judges can compare them in terms of symmetry, conditioning, leanness, muscularity, femininity, presentation, and even skin tone, makeup & hair.
Next question ... Why are you doing this?
Now that I've shown you what my ultimate goal looks like, the next question might be ... why? Well, because I LOVE the fitness lifestyle. It's certainly not cut out for everybody, but I love it for a long list of reasons, including:
- I love setting high goals and working toward them
- I love the regimented, planned-out lifestyle (it's the "Type A" in me)
- I love being able to eat 6 times per day (no starvation!)
- I love lifting weights and the empowering feeling that comes with that
- I love watching my body change from month to month
... I could go on and on!
When I tell people about certain elements of my fitness lifestyle (the strict diet, the 5AM cardio sessions, the early bedtime, etc), I get some raised eyebrows. This is understandable. The way I have chosen to live is certainly not considered "normal", and it's definitely not easy. But I love it, and will never "go back" to my old ways, which included...
- Obsessive amounts of boring cardio with a constant focus on calories burned
- Practically starving myself and struggling to find the "right" diet (Vegan/vegetarian? Raw food only? Juicing? Counting every calorie? I tried 'em all.)
- Never being skinny enough. Hating my body and punishing it every day.
Today, I feel strong physically and emotionally. I finally found my sport, and I hope to pursue it for many years. My goal is to eventually become an "IFBB Pro" (IFBB stands for "International Federation of Bodybuilders"). In order to do this, I must first earn my IFBB Pro Card by winning some upper-level competitions! This might take me a couple of years, but I have no doubt in my mind that I'll do it!
First: What is a Figure Competition?
I am training for a figure competition. What is that, you ask? It's a female body competition that includes less heavy muscle mass than bodybuilding, but more muscle mass than the bikini division. The easiest way to understand is by comparing pictures, so I included some below. The first picture is of Nicole Wilkins, a figure competitor & one of my biggest fitness idols.
This next picture is Nicole Nagrani, a bikini competitor. In bikini, the poses are different and there is less muscle mass.
And this photo is Iris Kyle, a bodybuilder. Can you now see the difference between the three divisions?
The division I have chosen is figure. Figure competitors are judged on muscular symmetry and tone, and muscle size is downplayed. In the competition, the women stand onstage in front of judges, wearing a special swimsuit designed for these competitions, and clear high-heels. They stand side-by-side and make quarter-turns so the judges can compare them in terms of symmetry, conditioning, leanness, muscularity, femininity, presentation, and even skin tone, makeup & hair.
Next question ... Why are you doing this?
Now that I've shown you what my ultimate goal looks like, the next question might be ... why? Well, because I LOVE the fitness lifestyle. It's certainly not cut out for everybody, but I love it for a long list of reasons, including:
- I love setting high goals and working toward them
- I love the regimented, planned-out lifestyle (it's the "Type A" in me)
- I love being able to eat 6 times per day (no starvation!)
- I love lifting weights and the empowering feeling that comes with that
- I love watching my body change from month to month
... I could go on and on!
When I tell people about certain elements of my fitness lifestyle (the strict diet, the 5AM cardio sessions, the early bedtime, etc), I get some raised eyebrows. This is understandable. The way I have chosen to live is certainly not considered "normal", and it's definitely not easy. But I love it, and will never "go back" to my old ways, which included...
- Obsessive amounts of boring cardio with a constant focus on calories burned
- Practically starving myself and struggling to find the "right" diet (Vegan/vegetarian? Raw food only? Juicing? Counting every calorie? I tried 'em all.)
- Never being skinny enough. Hating my body and punishing it every day.
Today, I feel strong physically and emotionally. I finally found my sport, and I hope to pursue it for many years. My goal is to eventually become an "IFBB Pro" (IFBB stands for "International Federation of Bodybuilders"). In order to do this, I must first earn my IFBB Pro Card by winning some upper-level competitions! This might take me a couple of years, but I have no doubt in my mind that I'll do it!
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
11 Days Until First Bikini Contest
I'm 11 days out from my bikini competition, and my life has pretty much been absorbed by thinking, planning for, worrying about, getting excited about, etc., the big day! I have had moments where I am a complete grumpy monster and I can't stand to even LOOK at another human being, let alone speak to them. But today, at this moment, I feel calm. I am confused by this, since yesterday morning I was definitely "The Monster". Maybe my calmness comes from the fact that I just ate Meal #3 of 6 (and I LOVE TO EAT), or maybe it's because I spent extra time this morning focusing on taking deep, conscious breaths ... or maybe this last week prior to the show won't actually be as bad as I'd expected!
On Saturday, I did a fun photo shoot with a photographer named Paul Folk. He was great, very professional but also very kind. We shot at my local gym, so I felt "at home". We used issues of Oxygen and Muscle & Fitness Hers magazines for pose inspiration. Paul has put a bunch of the final (i.e. Photoshopped) images on his website, and I really like them!
Being my typical perfectionist self, I don't think my body is PERFECT in these images... I'd like my waist to shrink a little and my body fat to drop a bit, but overall, I am proud of how far I've come. But with some hard work these next couple weeks, I think I can at least look like I belong on the bikini competition stage, even if I likely won't place.
*Update Post-Competition*
Here are some pictures from my May 24 competition, the Fitness New Mexico.
Here is my competitor number, which is pinned to your bikini.
Here is me with hair and makeup done by the professionals! I did look and feel a bit drag-queen-ish. But it looks good onstage under the bright lights. Next time I don't think I'll wear hair extensions; I'll go for a more natural, "me" look.
Here I am in my suit! As you can see, I needed to be leaner for this competition. I didn't really understand this reality until post-competition. For next time, I'll be more prepared. I am just happy to have survived my first show!
On Saturday, I did a fun photo shoot with a photographer named Paul Folk. He was great, very professional but also very kind. We shot at my local gym, so I felt "at home". We used issues of Oxygen and Muscle & Fitness Hers magazines for pose inspiration. Paul has put a bunch of the final (i.e. Photoshopped) images on his website, and I really like them!
Being my typical perfectionist self, I don't think my body is PERFECT in these images... I'd like my waist to shrink a little and my body fat to drop a bit, but overall, I am proud of how far I've come. But with some hard work these next couple weeks, I think I can at least look like I belong on the bikini competition stage, even if I likely won't place.
*Update Post-Competition*
Here are some pictures from my May 24 competition, the Fitness New Mexico.
Here is my competitor number, which is pinned to your bikini.
Here is me with hair and makeup done by the professionals! I did look and feel a bit drag-queen-ish. But it looks good onstage under the bright lights. Next time I don't think I'll wear hair extensions; I'll go for a more natural, "me" look.
Here I am in my suit! As you can see, I needed to be leaner for this competition. I didn't really understand this reality until post-competition. For next time, I'll be more prepared. I am just happy to have survived my first show!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Thank You Glutamine & Other Thoughts
I began taking glutamine 3 or so weeks ago because I read that it's helpful for muscle recovery after strenuous exercise as well as helping you avoid getting sick. I have to say that it's been very helpful for me on both counts!
I tend to be a person who gets sick fairly frequently. I am often stressed out, which I think contributes to that (I'm working on keeping my stress levels under control, but it's not easy!). And lately I've been at the germ-filled gym at least once per day, so the fact that I haven't been sick in several weeks surprises me -- and I am SO grateful for it. The point of this story is that I am so glad I started taking glutamine because I think it helped me avoid sickness during a time when my immune system is compromised (because I have been working out so hard).
"Your goals, minus your doubts, equal your reality." - Ralph Marston
This quote applies to me today. For whatever reason, this morning I began having crazy, doubtful thoughts about myself almost immediately. Maybe it was initiated by the Buff Girl at the gym who always makes me a little jealous with her awesome physique (and I know she's a MOM too! *sigh*). Maybe it's the fact that I have a fitness photo shoot on Saturday and my first competition in two weeks. Either way, my thoughts were crazy and I knew if I didn't do something about this, my whole day would head downhill.
So I practiced a few minutes of deep breathing and meditation after my run on the treadmill, like usual, with an emphasis on letting go of my ridiculous, self-doubting thoughts. My wonderful counselor taught me that I can acknowledge the crazy thought, but then tell it to get lost. And I can work on letting go of the tight grip of control I try to maintain on every aspect of my life. Things WILL work out, even if I don't micromanage them. Life has proved this to me over and over again.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
2.5 Weeks Out! Haven't Completely Fallen Off Deep End Yet...
Like I said in the title of this post, I have not COMPLETELY fallen off the deep end (i.e. lost my mind / had a major breakdown), but I've come pretty close. Competition prep is HARD. There is no denying that. It's hard mentally, it's hard physically, and it's hard on the people close to you.
Workout routine:
- Fasted cardio (on empty stomach) first thing in the morning every day for 35-45 minutes. I switch around between the stepmill, elliptical and treadmill to avoid boredom and injury.
- Weights: After work I hit the weight room for 45-60 minutes hitting various bodyparts with various intensities. Sometimes I do only 10-12 reps with heavier weight; sometimes I do 20 reps with less weight (particularly for glutes. Come on butt, perk up!)
- Weekends: I have not been taking breaks on weekends. In fact, I have been doing twice daily cardio sessions on Saturday and Sunday, plus a plyometric workout on Saturday.
- Supplements added: I am afraid of injuring myself and losing muscle mass from all this exercise combined with a low-carb, relatively low-calorie diet. So I added glutamine and BCAA supplements to my diet. They do seem to be helping; I feel like I SHOULD be more sore than I actually am. And, it hasn't been all that hard getting up at 4:40 AM for cardio. My body is now used to being awake that early.
DIET
This is definitely the hardest part for me. I don't mind exercising all day long, but when it comes to SAYING NO to that jar of peanut butter, especially at 11 PM when I'm practically sleepwalking, it takes every ounce of willpower I have.
My diet hasn't changed much from the last time I wrote about it. But I am following it more closely than I used to. A big part of success with the diet is preparation. Here's what that involves:
- Grocery store: I'm here a couple of times a week, stocking up on the same foods repeatedly. Cucumbers, asparagus, tilapia, salmon, 93% lean ground beef, chicken breasts, balsamic vinegar, vanilla extract (I put it on my baked asparagus!), eggs, grapefruit ... these are some of the "staple" items. I go through them pretty fast, but fortunately none of them are very expensive.
- My beloved cooler: I tote my cooler with my every day now (they have cute ones at Target, for those who need one), even on weekends. It just makes me feel better to be prepared. I get tired of rinsing my tupperware containers over and over, but as the saying goes, nothing that's worth having is easy.
- Eating out: This happens rarely, if ever, during my contest prep. I did have a nice dinner with my boyfriend last weekend and it was a bit of a cheat, but for my sanity, I really needed it. If I do have to eat out for some reason, I plan ahead: I eat a small meal beforehand at home, and at the restaurant I generally just order a salad with dressing on the side and most of the "fun stuff" (cheese, nuts, etc) removed.
TEAM BOMBSHELL
I am very excited to report that today I signed up to join TEAM BOMBSHELL!
Their website is located at http://www.bombshellfitness.com
This is a team of competitors led by coach Shannon Dey. I kept hearing about them over and over while following coverage of the Olympia, the Arnold, and other major figure/bikini competitions. I filled out my application and submitted my payment today, so I should be receiving my nutrition and workout plans from them very soon. I will be sad to say goodbye to my current trainer, but excited to venture down this new path.
Workout routine:
- Fasted cardio (on empty stomach) first thing in the morning every day for 35-45 minutes. I switch around between the stepmill, elliptical and treadmill to avoid boredom and injury.
- Weights: After work I hit the weight room for 45-60 minutes hitting various bodyparts with various intensities. Sometimes I do only 10-12 reps with heavier weight; sometimes I do 20 reps with less weight (particularly for glutes. Come on butt, perk up!)
- Weekends: I have not been taking breaks on weekends. In fact, I have been doing twice daily cardio sessions on Saturday and Sunday, plus a plyometric workout on Saturday.
- Supplements added: I am afraid of injuring myself and losing muscle mass from all this exercise combined with a low-carb, relatively low-calorie diet. So I added glutamine and BCAA supplements to my diet. They do seem to be helping; I feel like I SHOULD be more sore than I actually am. And, it hasn't been all that hard getting up at 4:40 AM for cardio. My body is now used to being awake that early.
DIET
This is definitely the hardest part for me. I don't mind exercising all day long, but when it comes to SAYING NO to that jar of peanut butter, especially at 11 PM when I'm practically sleepwalking, it takes every ounce of willpower I have.
My diet hasn't changed much from the last time I wrote about it. But I am following it more closely than I used to. A big part of success with the diet is preparation. Here's what that involves:
- Grocery store: I'm here a couple of times a week, stocking up on the same foods repeatedly. Cucumbers, asparagus, tilapia, salmon, 93% lean ground beef, chicken breasts, balsamic vinegar, vanilla extract (I put it on my baked asparagus!), eggs, grapefruit ... these are some of the "staple" items. I go through them pretty fast, but fortunately none of them are very expensive.
- My beloved cooler: I tote my cooler with my every day now (they have cute ones at Target, for those who need one), even on weekends. It just makes me feel better to be prepared. I get tired of rinsing my tupperware containers over and over, but as the saying goes, nothing that's worth having is easy.
- Eating out: This happens rarely, if ever, during my contest prep. I did have a nice dinner with my boyfriend last weekend and it was a bit of a cheat, but for my sanity, I really needed it. If I do have to eat out for some reason, I plan ahead: I eat a small meal beforehand at home, and at the restaurant I generally just order a salad with dressing on the side and most of the "fun stuff" (cheese, nuts, etc) removed.
TEAM BOMBSHELL
I am very excited to report that today I signed up to join TEAM BOMBSHELL!
Their website is located at http://www.bombshellfitness.com
This is a team of competitors led by coach Shannon Dey. I kept hearing about them over and over while following coverage of the Olympia, the Arnold, and other major figure/bikini competitions. I filled out my application and submitted my payment today, so I should be receiving my nutrition and workout plans from them very soon. I will be sad to say goodbye to my current trainer, but excited to venture down this new path.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Trying Out Some New Supplements
Hello!
Happy Easter. It's a happy holiday, but I kind of wish my gym still opened up at it's normal time. I've been antsy all morning to get in there and do some cardio. My trainer Julie told me to do 40 minutes of high-intensity cardio 6 times per week, plus four 30-minute sessions separately from that. Sounds like a lot, but it's doable. I'm getting increasingly excited for my competition as the days pass by.
I am still needing to cut down on body fat and drop a few pounds in these last four weeks. I was reading the new issue of Muscle & Fitness Hers magazine yesterday, and I came upon an article called "Kiss Fat Goodbye". It examines several fat-loss supplements, including caffeine, green tea extract, yohimbine, capsaicin (the stuff that makes peppers spicy), and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). The article recommended that people looking to drop fat (i.e. ME!) should take ALL of these supplements daily, and they explained when & how much to take.
I already consume caffeine, of course (what competitor doesn't??), but I do not currently use the other supplements. But with only four weeks til showtime, I took this article seriously and ordered a couple of the supplements from Bodybuilding.com (green tea extract and yohimbine). I will begin taking them when they arrive in the next few days and report back the results.
One thing that had me raise my eyebrows a little in the article was the amount of caffeine that M&F Hers recommended consuming. Most resources online recommend 200-300 mg of caffeine per day. So I've been trying very hard not to exceed that. But the section on caffeine in the article recommends "200-400 milligrams of a caffeine supplement between meals two or three times a day with one of those doses 30-60 minutes before workouts on training days." Hm. That adds up to a lot more than 200-300 mg. I will have to do some more investigation into the caffeine question.
Off to the elliptical machine! :-)
Happy Easter. It's a happy holiday, but I kind of wish my gym still opened up at it's normal time. I've been antsy all morning to get in there and do some cardio. My trainer Julie told me to do 40 minutes of high-intensity cardio 6 times per week, plus four 30-minute sessions separately from that. Sounds like a lot, but it's doable. I'm getting increasingly excited for my competition as the days pass by.
I am still needing to cut down on body fat and drop a few pounds in these last four weeks. I was reading the new issue of Muscle & Fitness Hers magazine yesterday, and I came upon an article called "Kiss Fat Goodbye". It examines several fat-loss supplements, including caffeine, green tea extract, yohimbine, capsaicin (the stuff that makes peppers spicy), and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). The article recommended that people looking to drop fat (i.e. ME!) should take ALL of these supplements daily, and they explained when & how much to take.
I already consume caffeine, of course (what competitor doesn't??), but I do not currently use the other supplements. But with only four weeks til showtime, I took this article seriously and ordered a couple of the supplements from Bodybuilding.com (green tea extract and yohimbine). I will begin taking them when they arrive in the next few days and report back the results.
One thing that had me raise my eyebrows a little in the article was the amount of caffeine that M&F Hers recommended consuming. Most resources online recommend 200-300 mg of caffeine per day. So I've been trying very hard not to exceed that. But the section on caffeine in the article recommends "200-400 milligrams of a caffeine supplement between meals two or three times a day with one of those doses 30-60 minutes before workouts on training days." Hm. That adds up to a lot more than 200-300 mg. I will have to do some more investigation into the caffeine question.
Off to the elliptical machine! :-)
Friday, April 22, 2011
Nicole Wilkins' "Pursuit of a Dream" DVD
I am so excited to soon receive in the mail a new DVD just released by one of my biggest role models, Nicole Wilkins! It's a documentary following her as she works her butt off to prepare for the Figure Olympia. And ... she's going to autograph my copy! Doesn't get much better than that! :-)
Her DVD can be purchased here:
http://www.nicolewilkins.com/store/dvd.php
This is my army of asparagus I cooked last night ... since it's a diuretic and helps you drop water weight, I am eating this stuff like there is NO tomorrow!
Today was a long workout day. I woke up at 6:30 AM (on a day OFF from work -- that was my "sleeping in"!), had a little BSN Syntha-6 whey protein, and headed to the gym for 35 minutes on the treadmill (steady-state plus a few intervals thrown in). Then I ate Meal #2 (eggs, tuna, grapefruit) and returned to the gym for a back/glutes workout and another 40 minutes of cardio (elliptical). *Whew!*
I am 4 weeks out from my first competition and I think I'm going to have things under control in time for the show (crossing fingers!). I have almost everything lined up -- tan, makeup, hotel room, bikini, sportswear-themed outfit (I will explain in a moment), hair extensions, support system (i.e. my wonderful boyfriend).
I feel good about my body right now, but my trainer Julie does want me to drop another 6 pounds or so before May 21. In order to do that, there will be even MORE cardio than I could ever imagine during these next 4 weeks. But I don't even care -- I am motivated and excited! Some of my motivation has come from comments from people I've received recently that have really brightened my day. One co-worker's daugher declared that I seemed like a "Miss America" contestant. A stranger at the gym noted that I'd really "toned up" and that I looked great. Since I tend to be extremely hard on myself, these kinds of comments cause me to pause and give myself a little mental pat on the back.
Also, my diet needs to be spot on. And I have been doing well! I feel like I'm constantly cooking, grocery shopping or filling little tupperware containers with measured-out food portions. It takes a lot of time for all this, but for me, it's worth it. I'm realizing that all the fitness pros are right when they say that diet is KEY to success.
Here is my costume for the "fitness-wear" round of the competition. I don't really understand what this round is all about, but apparently all Fitness America shows include this. So reluctantly, I ordered this costume from 3wishes.com. And actually ... I really like it! I guess I have my Halloween costume lined up for this year as well :-)
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Examples of meals & diet macros
Picture of the same breakfast I eat every single morning (although today I had 3 oz. of ahi tuna; that could also be lean ground beef, chicken, or another fish). When I am not preparing for a contest, I replace the grapefruit with 1/2 cup (uncooked) oatmeal. Also please note the Red Hot -- hot sauce has become a staple in my diet!
Also a picture of the massive amount of fish I cooked for myself the other night. That was Sunday night, and today is Tuesday, and it's almost already gone!
Today I entered my current meal plan into MyFoodDiary.com to see the breakdown of macronutrients. Here it is:
Calories: Approx. 1500
Fat: 62 g (About .5 g for every pound of bodyweight)
Carbs: 64 g (About .5 g for every pound of bodyweight)
Sugar: 30 g
Protein: 158 g (A little over 1 g for every lb of bodyweight)
Fiber: 16 g
We will see how Julie changes the diet between now and May 21 (contest date)...
Monday, April 18, 2011
(Slightly Less Than) 5 Weeks Out
This weekend I traveled to visit the law school I'll attend this fall for a "Preview Day". I am proud of myself, because I kept up my clean eating on the trip! I bought this massive cooler and packed a TON of food. I used my new fancy food scale to measure everything out into tupperware -- ground beef, salmon, chicken, protein powder, etc. It was a carefully calculated operation, and it was successful! I didn't eat any of the free (unhealthy) food offered to me. I ate my own food, and only purchased one meal (a salad from California Pizza Kitchen). I think this was a great success! I proved to myself that it IS possible to prepare to a high degree for traveling.
I also managed a workout in the (tiny) hotel gym. I ran intervals for 40 minutes on an empty stomach before the law school event.
I have been a lot better about being strict with the contest prep diet. I know myself better now: if croissants or Oreos are sitting out in the open at my house, I WILL break into them late at night when I'm tired and my motivation is down. So, I hide them from myself. Also, I have been good about cooking massive amounts of food ahead of time, so I never run out of sources of lean protein or veggies. And I am seeing results! My stomach is the most difficult area for me to change, but it's leaner and tighter!
I have also been doing massive amounts of cardio. Last week, Julie had me do 6 sessions of 40 minutes at high intensity. This week, it'll be 6 sessions of 60 minutes each. Weeks 3 & 4 will be 7 sessions of 20 minutes each, doing intervals. I have been weight training as well, with a focus on legs/glutes, but still working out every body part at least once weekly.
With less than 5 weeks until the competition, I am a little nervous, admittedly. This is my first show, so I don't entirely know what I'm doing. But, I do think of myself as an intelligent, hard-working person, so I know I won't totally screw this up. I purchased another set of Jessica Simpson Hairdo extensions yesterday because it seems like most of the top bikini pros wear extensions to their competitions. The look of having full, big hair seems popular. My next big challenge is posing. I'm going to start housesitting this week in a big, beautiful home -- and I will have privacy! -- so I am going to film myself practicing posing, then send the video to Julie for analysis. I have performed on stage before as a dancer, so I know a little bit about stage presence. But these bikini pros really have a lot of attitude, confidence, and swagger that I will need to work on developing. I've been watching YouTube videos of girls like Nicole Nagrani and Jaime Baird posing, and it helps me get an idea of what I'm supposed to do.
Gotta get back to work -- 'til next time.
I also managed a workout in the (tiny) hotel gym. I ran intervals for 40 minutes on an empty stomach before the law school event.
I have been a lot better about being strict with the contest prep diet. I know myself better now: if croissants or Oreos are sitting out in the open at my house, I WILL break into them late at night when I'm tired and my motivation is down. So, I hide them from myself. Also, I have been good about cooking massive amounts of food ahead of time, so I never run out of sources of lean protein or veggies. And I am seeing results! My stomach is the most difficult area for me to change, but it's leaner and tighter!
I have also been doing massive amounts of cardio. Last week, Julie had me do 6 sessions of 40 minutes at high intensity. This week, it'll be 6 sessions of 60 minutes each. Weeks 3 & 4 will be 7 sessions of 20 minutes each, doing intervals. I have been weight training as well, with a focus on legs/glutes, but still working out every body part at least once weekly.
With less than 5 weeks until the competition, I am a little nervous, admittedly. This is my first show, so I don't entirely know what I'm doing. But, I do think of myself as an intelligent, hard-working person, so I know I won't totally screw this up. I purchased another set of Jessica Simpson Hairdo extensions yesterday because it seems like most of the top bikini pros wear extensions to their competitions. The look of having full, big hair seems popular. My next big challenge is posing. I'm going to start housesitting this week in a big, beautiful home -- and I will have privacy! -- so I am going to film myself practicing posing, then send the video to Julie for analysis. I have performed on stage before as a dancer, so I know a little bit about stage presence. But these bikini pros really have a lot of attitude, confidence, and swagger that I will need to work on developing. I've been watching YouTube videos of girls like Nicole Nagrani and Jaime Baird posing, and it helps me get an idea of what I'm supposed to do.
Gotta get back to work -- 'til next time.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
5 Weeks & 2 Days ... *Deep Breath* !!
Five weeks and 2 days until I will be a 130-lb, abs-and-glutes-of-steel machine walking onstage in some high heels and a very small bikini! I am so excited!
That's not to suggest that the last couple weeks have been easy. This diet is definitely the biggest challenge for me during contest prep. I love the workouts, especially when I get to lift heavy and feel that burning sensation in my muscles. But the diet ... it makes me mildly cranky ALL the time, which is not how I want to come across. Is this worth it? I hope so. I am serious about this, and the opportunities that it could possibly bring in the future (if all the planets align!). I would LOVE to be sponsored or be in a fitness magazine like the ones I read. I would love to have a body that people were inspired by. I really think I have all the qualities to become that -- dedication, motivation, work ethic, etc. Now if I could just get my brain to BELIEVE it, 100 percent. Little lingering doubts float around my mind ... they aren't as prevalent as they used to be (which is a great sign!) but they haven't disappeared completely.
Here's my current diet plan:
5 AM -- I take one OxyElite Pro capsule and one Lean Out capsule and head to the gym for 40 minutes cardio
6 AM -- Return home and eat Meal #1: 3 egg whites + 1 full egg, 3 oz. lean protein (often ground beef), and 1/2 grapefruit with Splenda
8:30 AM -- At work, Meal #2: lately I've been making my version of a blueberry muffin ... 1/4 cup frozen blueberries microwaved with 1 scoop BSN protein power and a little water. The consistency makes my brain think it's a treat!
12 PM -- Meal #3: 5 oz lean protein (today, chicken) with 2 cups veggies (salad + fat-free dressing)
3 PM -- Meal #4: 5 oz lean protein + 1/4 cup almonds (or 1 tbs peanut butter)
6 PM -- Meal #6: 8 oz lean protein + 2 cups veggies (lately my favorite is asparagus with balsamic vinegar and a teeny bit of vanilla extract -- thanks to Rachel Mac!)
8 PM -- Usually have some SF jello + fat-free Cool-Whip for dessert
Once a week is the carb-loading night where have a ton of carbs, including 1 cup oatmeal or brown rice, a sweet potato, a banana, etc. It's a big meal, and I usually can't eat everything that Julie wants me to eat.
I am trying to be more creative with my diet, experimenting with new recipes -- and I bought bison for the first time the other day!
That's it for now ... time to look at some motivational pictures so I keep myself on track!
That's not to suggest that the last couple weeks have been easy. This diet is definitely the biggest challenge for me during contest prep. I love the workouts, especially when I get to lift heavy and feel that burning sensation in my muscles. But the diet ... it makes me mildly cranky ALL the time, which is not how I want to come across. Is this worth it? I hope so. I am serious about this, and the opportunities that it could possibly bring in the future (if all the planets align!). I would LOVE to be sponsored or be in a fitness magazine like the ones I read. I would love to have a body that people were inspired by. I really think I have all the qualities to become that -- dedication, motivation, work ethic, etc. Now if I could just get my brain to BELIEVE it, 100 percent. Little lingering doubts float around my mind ... they aren't as prevalent as they used to be (which is a great sign!) but they haven't disappeared completely.
Here's my current diet plan:
5 AM -- I take one OxyElite Pro capsule and one Lean Out capsule and head to the gym for 40 minutes cardio
6 AM -- Return home and eat Meal #1: 3 egg whites + 1 full egg, 3 oz. lean protein (often ground beef), and 1/2 grapefruit with Splenda
8:30 AM -- At work, Meal #2: lately I've been making my version of a blueberry muffin ... 1/4 cup frozen blueberries microwaved with 1 scoop BSN protein power and a little water. The consistency makes my brain think it's a treat!
12 PM -- Meal #3: 5 oz lean protein (today, chicken) with 2 cups veggies (salad + fat-free dressing)
3 PM -- Meal #4: 5 oz lean protein + 1/4 cup almonds (or 1 tbs peanut butter)
6 PM -- Meal #6: 8 oz lean protein + 2 cups veggies (lately my favorite is asparagus with balsamic vinegar and a teeny bit of vanilla extract -- thanks to Rachel Mac!)
8 PM -- Usually have some SF jello + fat-free Cool-Whip for dessert
Once a week is the carb-loading night where have a ton of carbs, including 1 cup oatmeal or brown rice, a sweet potato, a banana, etc. It's a big meal, and I usually can't eat everything that Julie wants me to eat.
I am trying to be more creative with my diet, experimenting with new recipes -- and I bought bison for the first time the other day!
That's it for now ... time to look at some motivational pictures so I keep myself on track!
Friday, April 8, 2011
Inspired Again!
Today, I started out grumpy. Mainly because it's SNOWING outside! It's APRIL for pete's sake! I am so mentally exhausted of the winter. I want the sunshine and the springtime! So I came to work with a chip on my shoulder because of that. It's a stupid reason, I know.
Since I started out the day this way, I needed a little inspiration to perk me up. Fortunately I found that in a wonderful blog by Rachel Mac:
http://blog.questproteinbar.com/the-rachel-mac-transformation-part-1/#
I particularly fell in love with this blog because Rachel is a litigator, working sometimes 12+ hours per day -- but she still found time to enter her first bikini competition (the amateur competition at the Arnold). She describes herself as a "bookish" girl who didn't find much success in team sports in middle or high school, but she finally found her sport with competing.
I could relate to Rachel so much. Her blog gave me hope that when I start law school (and later become an attorney), I will still be able to pursue what I love -- training, eating clean, and competing! I have been worrying for quite some time that I'd have to cut all that short when law school begins this fall.
Thank you Rachel for inspiring me! I think the day will go better from here :-)
Since I started out the day this way, I needed a little inspiration to perk me up. Fortunately I found that in a wonderful blog by Rachel Mac:
http://blog.questproteinbar.com/the-rachel-mac-transformation-part-1/#
I particularly fell in love with this blog because Rachel is a litigator, working sometimes 12+ hours per day -- but she still found time to enter her first bikini competition (the amateur competition at the Arnold). She describes herself as a "bookish" girl who didn't find much success in team sports in middle or high school, but she finally found her sport with competing.
I could relate to Rachel so much. Her blog gave me hope that when I start law school (and later become an attorney), I will still be able to pursue what I love -- training, eating clean, and competing! I have been worrying for quite some time that I'd have to cut all that short when law school begins this fall.
Thank you Rachel for inspiring me! I think the day will go better from here :-)
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Back on Track Post-Sickness
I am finally feeling "back on track" after my sinus infection (actually, the infection isn't totally gone yet; the doctor said they are quite slow to get out of your system, and the antibiotics work for a full ten days, but I feel a great deal better). I worked out yesterday during lunch (weight training) as well as after work (35 minutes treadmill sprint intervals). The back of my jaw still hurts a little but otherwise the pain from the infection has subsided.
I am approximately 7 and a half weeks from my competition, and I am more excited than nervous at this point. My body looks pretty good (and my trainer Julie seems to agree), so now it's mainly a matter of keeping tightly to my diet and dropping body fat for the next several weeks. I've been doing well on the diet (I'd say I stick with it 90-95 percent of the time). I start to make poorer choices when I'm tired, late at night. Last night, for example, was a high-carb load night, so I had a huge bowl of oatmeal with a ton of blueberries. That was fine, but as I got more tired, I ate the frosting off a sugar cookie (thank you Mom for leaving those out in the open -- I plan to throw them away discreetly today!) and a little piece of sourdough bread. These choices are not the "good carbs" that Julie wants me to be eating. Plus, I'm pretty certain by now that I'm at least sensitive to gluten. My stomach makes gurgly noises (in protest!) when I eat bread or other gluten-filled foods. This has helped encourage me to avoid them and stick to oats, veggies, and fruit for my carbohydrates.
My two competition suits should be coming in the mail soon. I think I've decided on my "themed sportswear" too, with Julie's approval. It's a little tennis player Halloween costume that's white with red trim. It's about $35 from Amazon, so it's not too bad; I am still slightly annoyed that I have to buy another outfit in the first place, but that's okay.
That's it for the current moment. Trying to remind myself to take deep breaths and let go of the negative thoughts that frequently want to take over my mind (judgments, comparisons, etc.). I have to keep believing and trusting that I am a beautiful, strong women who deserves to be in a bikini competition because she works very hard and looks fabulous.
I am approximately 7 and a half weeks from my competition, and I am more excited than nervous at this point. My body looks pretty good (and my trainer Julie seems to agree), so now it's mainly a matter of keeping tightly to my diet and dropping body fat for the next several weeks. I've been doing well on the diet (I'd say I stick with it 90-95 percent of the time). I start to make poorer choices when I'm tired, late at night. Last night, for example, was a high-carb load night, so I had a huge bowl of oatmeal with a ton of blueberries. That was fine, but as I got more tired, I ate the frosting off a sugar cookie (thank you Mom for leaving those out in the open -- I plan to throw them away discreetly today!) and a little piece of sourdough bread. These choices are not the "good carbs" that Julie wants me to be eating. Plus, I'm pretty certain by now that I'm at least sensitive to gluten. My stomach makes gurgly noises (in protest!) when I eat bread or other gluten-filled foods. This has helped encourage me to avoid them and stick to oats, veggies, and fruit for my carbohydrates.
My two competition suits should be coming in the mail soon. I think I've decided on my "themed sportswear" too, with Julie's approval. It's a little tennis player Halloween costume that's white with red trim. It's about $35 from Amazon, so it's not too bad; I am still slightly annoyed that I have to buy another outfit in the first place, but that's okay.
That's it for the current moment. Trying to remind myself to take deep breaths and let go of the negative thoughts that frequently want to take over my mind (judgments, comparisons, etc.). I have to keep believing and trusting that I am a beautiful, strong women who deserves to be in a bikini competition because she works very hard and looks fabulous.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Preparing for competition with a cold
For the last few days I have had this nagging, stupid cold. Even when I'm not training for a competition, I am "bad" at being sick. I admit this. I deny how sick I actually am, and convince myself that I'm all better before I really am better. These tendencies have been even worse since I am a little over seven weeks out from competition. My brain tells me, "I don't care that you're sick! Do you want to look lean onstage or not?!" I realize how irrational and unhealthy this is, especially considering that diet is 80 percent of the equation anyway. I have just felt encouraged lately because my weight has dropped a little, and I want the scale to keep moving.
This morning (5 AM to be exact) on the elliptical, I must have looked pretty pathetic. I could hardly climb above level 12 before getting wiped out. I only did 30 minutes of half-assing it, instead of the 50 minutes I had planned to do. I guess my body was just not ready yet. It frustrates me so much, but sometimes I think this is the universe testing me ... can I love and take care of myself to listen to my body? Can I accept that it's not ready for hardcore training yet? *sigh* I'm workin' on it ...
I sent new pictures to Julie Lohre yesterday, and she seemed pleased with them. She said I looked "great"! I look at them, and my first reaction isn't that I look great, but then again, I tend to be harder on myself than is necessary. I am trusting that if I keep following the diet closely, my stomach will get lean and tight by the time May 21 rolls around. My legs look pretty good; I'm less concerned about them.
That is all for now. Hopefully today will be the finale of my stupid cold, so I can train hard once again.
This morning (5 AM to be exact) on the elliptical, I must have looked pretty pathetic. I could hardly climb above level 12 before getting wiped out. I only did 30 minutes of half-assing it, instead of the 50 minutes I had planned to do. I guess my body was just not ready yet. It frustrates me so much, but sometimes I think this is the universe testing me ... can I love and take care of myself to listen to my body? Can I accept that it's not ready for hardcore training yet? *sigh* I'm workin' on it ...
I sent new pictures to Julie Lohre yesterday, and she seemed pleased with them. She said I looked "great"! I look at them, and my first reaction isn't that I look great, but then again, I tend to be harder on myself than is necessary. I am trusting that if I keep following the diet closely, my stomach will get lean and tight by the time May 21 rolls around. My legs look pretty good; I'm less concerned about them.
That is all for now. Hopefully today will be the finale of my stupid cold, so I can train hard once again.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
8 Weeks Out Until Showtime
My first bikini contest will be on May 21, 2011 in Albuquerque, NM. I have a little less than 8 weeks left to tighten up and be ready to strut my stuff onstage!
I have been working with trainer Julie Lohre through email communication since November 2010. She took me through a muscle-building phase where I was eating what felt like quite a lot (and enjoying it!) but now, in March, we're trying to cut body fat to show off my hard-earned muscles. This means I'm on a strict, low-carb diet that I do not enjoy very much.
I have to confess that this diet is HARD. It consists of mainly lean meats, eggs, protein powder, and veggies. I get half a grapefruit in the morning, and that's the only fruit during the day. I really miss berries ... especially now that the weather is getting nice and they're less expensive. The diet is just repetitive and bland. I rely so much on sugar-free jello with fat-free Cool-Whip to distract me from other sweet, carb-laden foods.
I definitely haven't been "perfect" on this diet. My family doesn't make it easy for me. None of them eats very healthfully, and for whatever reason my mom always has some sort of cookie or baked good sitting on the counter. But I know that when I really strictly follow the diet, it works. I've lost a few pounds, so I'm closer to my "contest weight" now. I'm not sure what the final weight will be ... Julie probably has a number in mind.
My workouts as of late have consisted of 5 weekly high-intensity interval sessions (mainly on the elliptical or treadmill) plus 4 pretty hardcore workouts that have lots of reps with lighter weights than before, plus zillions (or what feels like zillions) of plyometric moves. Lots of bench jumps, frog jumps, etc. These workouts are exhausting, so it's nice that there's only 4 per week now.
In terms of getting ready for the show, I have purchased my clear high heels. I have ordered two suits (red and blue) from another bikini competitor. I have paid for my makeup to be done by a MAC makeup artist, and I've made my tanning appointment. I paid for two nights at the Hard Rock hotel. I have Julie's DVD explaining how to pose and other aspects of the competition.
In terms of what's left, I still need an outfit for the "themed sportswear" round. The lady running the show told me this is like a "sexy Halloween costume" round. I am considering a "sexy baseball player" outfit that is pretty cute (does anyone care that I've never played baseball/softball?). I need to decide whether to get my hair done professionally. I need to seriously practice my poses and transitions. But that's about it!
I have been working with trainer Julie Lohre through email communication since November 2010. She took me through a muscle-building phase where I was eating what felt like quite a lot (and enjoying it!) but now, in March, we're trying to cut body fat to show off my hard-earned muscles. This means I'm on a strict, low-carb diet that I do not enjoy very much.
I have to confess that this diet is HARD. It consists of mainly lean meats, eggs, protein powder, and veggies. I get half a grapefruit in the morning, and that's the only fruit during the day. I really miss berries ... especially now that the weather is getting nice and they're less expensive. The diet is just repetitive and bland. I rely so much on sugar-free jello with fat-free Cool-Whip to distract me from other sweet, carb-laden foods.
I definitely haven't been "perfect" on this diet. My family doesn't make it easy for me. None of them eats very healthfully, and for whatever reason my mom always has some sort of cookie or baked good sitting on the counter. But I know that when I really strictly follow the diet, it works. I've lost a few pounds, so I'm closer to my "contest weight" now. I'm not sure what the final weight will be ... Julie probably has a number in mind.
My workouts as of late have consisted of 5 weekly high-intensity interval sessions (mainly on the elliptical or treadmill) plus 4 pretty hardcore workouts that have lots of reps with lighter weights than before, plus zillions (or what feels like zillions) of plyometric moves. Lots of bench jumps, frog jumps, etc. These workouts are exhausting, so it's nice that there's only 4 per week now.
In terms of getting ready for the show, I have purchased my clear high heels. I have ordered two suits (red and blue) from another bikini competitor. I have paid for my makeup to be done by a MAC makeup artist, and I've made my tanning appointment. I paid for two nights at the Hard Rock hotel. I have Julie's DVD explaining how to pose and other aspects of the competition.
In terms of what's left, I still need an outfit for the "themed sportswear" round. The lady running the show told me this is like a "sexy Halloween costume" round. I am considering a "sexy baseball player" outfit that is pretty cute (does anyone care that I've never played baseball/softball?). I need to decide whether to get my hair done professionally. I need to seriously practice my poses and transitions. But that's about it!
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