Thursday, February 27, 2014

Mmmmmm....Brownies....

I've got a sweet tooth, it really hits me at night.  I ordered some Quest bars, I got the variety pack and I am ANXIOUSLY awaiting their arrival.  I did my research on protein bars and these are by far the best when it comes to the protein/carb ratio and they have great ingredients.  Not sure if I will keep them on my food list for my entire prep or cut them out the last couple of weeks.

I was CRAVING something sweet Tuesday night.  I had baked a german chocolate cake for my father-in-law Monday for his birthday.  It was sitting there just staring at me, DARING me to take just one little bite.  I knew I couldn't that one little bite would turn into one little piece and possibly devouring the rest of the damn cake.

There is a gal I am friends with on bb.com, she is a WNBF pro competitor, super sweet and just plain awesome.  She posted a recipe on her blog for protein brownies, I had all of the ingredients on hand (although a different kind of protein so I adjusted the macros for the protein I used) and I whipped up a batch.

OH MY GOODNESS.  I am not lying when I say these are some of the yummiest brownies I've had!  Other protein brownie recipes I've tried have usually been dry or not that great of a chocolate flavor.  I will never make another protein brownie again these are it for me :)  I am satisfied having one and I will get to keep these in my prep all the way up to competition, whoop, whoop!!!

My workouts have been going great, I learned a lesson the hard way last night when it comes to pull ups.  Do NOT let yourself hang all the way down, fully extended and strain the crap out of yourself to get two more reps in.  I pulled some muscle that is right under my left pectoral.  It was freaky at first because after I lifted I went in the locker room to change into my running shoes and had such intense pain on my left side.  I didn't know at first if it was my heart or something else.

I almost didn't do my run but decided it had to not be my heart and be something else.  I got through my run, it wasn't the greatest but I did it.  When I got home and told Kyle what was going on he knew right away what had happened.  So I iced my left side and boob last night, took a muscle relaxer and woke up feeling much better today.

The trickiness of fitting in half marathon training along with competition training has begun.  I hope it starts to warm up around here so I can get outside, the treadmill runs are the worst.  I have to look straight in front of me which means I stare at a wall, or a person in front of me or at the screen watching the seconds very slowly go by.  I have to do that otherwise I run all "wonky" (Kyle loves that I use that word to describe my treadmill running) but really I can get crazy.  There have been many times where my foot hits the side and I just about go down in a sea of embarrassment bashing my face and body on the treadmill.  Only three more weeks of winter! ;)

I've been doing good this week leaning out for the big party on Saturday.  I woke up this morning feeling very lean, I can even see my abs :)  Pretty sure my boobs have shrank enough and my dress will fit pretty much perfectly.  It feels really good to know that I am learning enough to know how to do a fairly quick lean out the healthy way.

Rest day today and I am looking forward to it, although it is filled with work, a school conference for Bella and she has dance tonight.  Workouts will change starting tomorrow, looking forward to lower reps and heavier weight, build up some more before the REAL lean out begins :)

Monday, February 24, 2014

11 Weeks

Here we are, 11 weeks to go!  I have to say I am feeling AMAZING!

Added in cardio this last week, kept my calories the same and just that bit of added cardio really made a difference.

I was so, so happy when we did my measurements and body fat yesterday.  I was fully expecting my weight to be higher and body fat about the same.  Well my weight is down to 144 and my body fat is 15%!  This is my happy place right now, maintainable, still strong in all of my lifts, enough energy to do cardio.  At this moment I know I can maintain this body fat on a daily basis off season and that makes me happy :)

So here is what happened with my measurements.

Shoulders - Same (damn it, I want those wings BIGGER)
Arms - Same
Waist - Down 3/4 of an inch :)
Thighs - Grew another 3/4 of an inch
Chest - Down 1 1/3 inch, not a bad thing, just means my actual boobs are getting smaller again which means less fat :)

Very, very happy with my measurements, so is Kyle.  Always a good sign when you grow a bit in some area but still lose some pounds and body fat, I'm definitely headed in the right direction.

This morning I did it, I got up at 5am and went to the gym with Kyle!  My training is heading into INSANE mode, all by my own choices, but I'm ready for the challenge.  I am beginning my half marathon training this week!  I will be splitting up my runs by running in the morning and lifting in the evening, or lifting in the morning and running in the evening.

I will run Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Wednesday, no runs on leg days which are Tuesday and Friday BUT I will do some other form of cardio on Thursdays.  Yes that means no rest days, I will continue to do this unless I start to lose too much weight and can just stick to my runs.  One of my run days I will do the 3-4 miles in sprint intervals, gotta get some HIIT in there!  Thursday will be more of a steady state cardio on the step mill, I'm addicted to that damn machine.

My lifts take me over an hour with my warm up and cool down, that is why I prefer to do them in the morning and head out for a nice 3-4 mile run right after work, less time away from home when Bella is up.  I just can't wait for it to get nice out when we can all be outside and we can run to the park, she and Kyle can play there and I will pick them up for a jog on the way back home :)

Posing and t-walk practice has begun as well.  I just FEEL so much more confident, in every way.  I'm so much wider up top it is very easy to get into the front and back poses, my arms just want to be there anyway :)  Side pose I've got DOWN, my booty is popping out so much, it is way, way better than it was.

Yesterday I told David I felt so much more confident than I did before the last competition.  He told me he can see it clearly, he is happy to finally see me actually strutting with some sass on my t-walk and hitting those poses HARD.  
Love feeling so AWESOME this far out!  Here is a little photo from Saturday of posing practice, tummy already lost its fluff ;)  I really love that on the side pose you can see my butt AND my hamstrings sticking out, yes, yes, yes!!!


Thursday, February 20, 2014

Competition Pictures!

So I didn't order photos from the competition, I debated but decided I didn't want to spend that kind of money on them.  Well the gal that won the Open class sent me a message letting me know the people who did the photos were selling the digital copies for 65% off.  I decided to go ahead and order mine.

I'm really, really glad I did.  I don't have a lot of photos from the competition, it is good to have these and see any issues with posing and other things that really need work.

The main thing I heard from the judges was to be leaner for the next competition, seeing these photos, they are absolutely right.  I was NOT lean enough and my booty, oh my booty needs some work.

I need to stress something, I am NOT sitting here picking myself apart and putting myself down.  Not in any way.  On this journey I will be changing a lot, constantly growing, losing body fat, gaining some body fat, some days I will be softer than others and that is OK.

So who wants to see some photos????  I'm not putting them ALL on here, some are multiple shots of the groups posing.

So in this one my posing is just BAD, not gonna lie, just my arms, I have them bent too much.

On the back pose I need to lean forward a bit more and lift my booty.

Side pose is good :)

Gotta get that booty LIFTED....I'm seeing more sprints in my future.




I love this shot, love my back and can't wait to see how much more defined it is for May!

 

These last two are my favorites, from my t-walk.  I plan to lean out more through my middle, legs and butt.  My arms and chest are great!!!

It was fun to see these photos, gives me even more drive!  Although I am trying to grow my hair out but seeing it like that in these pictures makes me just want to cut it, LOL :)

So, so happy to have these photos and I guess I better be making sure I can buy my photos from all of my competitions from here on out!

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

11.5 Weeks

How can I be less than 12 weeks from the competition already!!!  The time is just FLYING by!!!

Here's how I'm looking right now...


I am very, very happy with the size that I have put on.  You can't even tell in this photo how wide my chest has gotten, I'll have to make sure to get a better picture this weekend.

Tummy area is a bit "fluffy", shouldn't take long to slim that out.  I have been bad about getting my cardio in consistently.  I'm learning so many lessons on this journey, like keep up the cardio, I won't do enough for it to take away my muscles :)  Even when I begin my half marathon training on Sunday, it will help me lean out and keep me on track after the competition.

I had a really good shoulder session last night, added in something different to end the workout.  My shoulders were on FIRE and they had an amazing pump afterwards!

Today I did a 25 minute HIIT elliptical workout for lunch and will be heading to the gym after work to kill my back.  My eating is back to normal, I've got more energy and am ready to keep increasing my weights!

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

I Survived!

Ok so that was a LONG week of crappiness.  Influenza is what I had, whew, but still, ICKY.

Thankfully it wasn't the throw up type of influenza, just the kick you in the gut HARD, take everything out of you until it is over type of influenza.  

I did go to the gym Sunday and lift arms and chest, BAD idea.  It was a very slow workout, lighter weights, me sitting a lot between sets taking breaks.  David put up with me and I think he might have even felt a little bit bad for me ;)

Yesterday I slept off and on all day, throughout the past seven days I would eat when I thought I felt good enough too, although it didn't stay in my tummy long.  My main focus was trying to stay hydrated, that was difficult.  I woke up this morning feeling much better, completely exhausted but my tummy was finally no longer mad at me!

This morning I ate most of my oats and egg whites, have drank some coffee and lots of water.  I am looking forward to my lunch of ground turkey and broccoli.

Tonight I will be lifting shoulders, holding off on legs until Friday since I'm fairly certain I wouldn't be able to squat anything today.  I'm adding in cardio starting tomorrow, need to be doing that regularly now.  I plan on keeping off the four pounds I've lost and working my butt off these next 11.5 weeks!!!!

GO TIME! :)

Friday, February 14, 2014

Stuck in a Nausea World

Ugh......I haven't felt like this since I was pregnant with Bella, to be completely honest.  The nausea just will not go away, I still can't eat hardly anything, even water is upsetting my stomach.

I did go to the doctor today, she is 99.9% sure it is some sort of stomach bug and my nausea won't go away because I'm not able to eat so she prescribed me some anti nausea medication.  They also did a blood test, just to make sure it isn't something else.

I got all the questions of, when was your last period?  Did Kyle have his check up after his vasectomy?  Yes I put that out there, sorry Kyle, actually he probably won't care at all that I shared that.  Anyway, we would be 110%, totally and completely taken aback if I were somehow pregnant.

My doctor will either call my by 5pm today or not until Monday.  No one likes waiting for a phone call, one to say, your blood work was normal and there is nothing going on!

It is the stomach bug though, I know it is.  I will get my anti nausea meds after work, take them, feel better and eat some Valentine's pizza with Bella, Lauryn and Kyle.

I have lost three pounds so far, not looking to lose anymore and I'm terrifying myself by imagining that my body has now been reduced to eating the muscle I have worked so hard to build up.  Kyle tells me otherwise, I'm not that far gone ;)

So, anti nausea meds after work, pizza for dinner and tomorrow I will wake up feeling much better, have a restful day and be back in the gym Sunday.

Things WILL go that way. :)


Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Bleh...

I am having one wacky week!  Felt like maybe a cold was coming on, so I drank Emergen C and that definitely helped.  But still my body is betraying me!!!

Tried to sleep peacefully last night and kept waking up super nauseous, but never threw up.  Made myself get up and shower, went to work and am fighting the nausea.  My body feels very weak, which would be because I can hardly eat anything.  I am not hungry, I'm afraid if I eat my tummy will get more upset.  I do not throw up, seriously, I will fight that all the way.  But I kind of feel like there is a rock just sitting in my stomach.

I had a massage last night and didn't feel 100%, went home and helped Bella make her Valentine's Day box and the nausea set in.  Yesterday I ate my oatmeal/egg white mix, protein shake, chicken breast & mixed veggies, tilapia & broccoli.  Certainly not anything that should upset my tummy like it is.

No gym for me tonight :(  I plan on going home, finishing Bella's Valentine's box and going to bed.  I don't think I have the flu, no temperature, but man do I feel like CRAP.

It is such a helpless feeling to feel this way, I really don't want to miss my shoulder workout tonight.  Here's to hoping that tomorrow morning I wake up feeling better!

Now to continue imagining I don't feel nauseous ;)

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

13 Weeks!!!

Time is just FLYING by!!!!  Busy, busy, busy and feeling like there are no extra moments in the day.  Now I remember why I like training so much in the morning, to have those extra hours at night.  It will happen again soon, just have to make the transition and STICK WITH IT!!!

I'm doing a three week cut right now, all to hopefully fit into my dress for Missy and Mindy's masquerade ball.  I'm not really focusing on a weight goal, just need to get my tummy flattened out and my boobs a tad bit smaller.  Big goals, especially getting the boobs smaller, LOL :)  I'm going down to 1700 calories a day this week and I'm looking forward to it!

My lifts have been so-so, my right arm is really bothering me again, damn tennis elbow.  Amazing how much that affects way more than just your elbow.  I have pain from my lower forearm that shoots through my elbow all the way up to my shoulder.  It really makes lifting difficult, my grip seems to be getting weak as well.

I'm looking good though, well I'm happy with how I'm looking anyways :)  I've been slacking though, have not been doing any posing or t-walk practice.  David and I decided that we HAVE to make it fit into our schedule no matter what, can't be neglecting that obviously.  Also in about four weeks I will be contacting a bodybuilding pro that lives here for some posing sessions, want to have some practice under my belt before then!

I have a massage tonight after work, can't wait, my right arm and shoulder are really needing it.  Lifting back on my lunch hour again, at least the heat is working in that room now, it will be a good workout :)

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Back - In The Beer Room

Yesterday morning was a no go for me to get up early, I am really, really having issues with getting up at 4:30am :(  It might have something to do with the freezing cold weather and lack of sleep (yes still having issues).  I had errands to run last night and a Union meeting so the only time I could lift was on my lunch hour.

Thankfully we do have a weight machine at my work, and an elliptical (yes I NEED to get my HIIT training started again) and a shower.  When it gets warmer I'll be outside running on my lunch hour too :)

So yesterday was back day, I was able to do my back workout and just had to modify it a little bit.  Lat pull downs instead of pull ups, cable rows instead of dumbbell rows, it was a good workout.  I had to have the weight at 150 pounds for my shoulder shrugs, that made me feel good ;)

Exercise equipment is not the only thing in that room, there are supplies, an old juxebox and beer, lots and lots of beer.  I know, beer?!?  Well we are a Teamsters Union Hall, of course we are going to have beer ;)  I snapped a little photo in the door of our cooler, got my pump on surrounded by beer that I can't drink, training mode!


It was freezing cold in there, the heater isn't working in that area right now, it was about 43 degrees.  I WAS going to do an elliptical workout but it is only like 38 degrees in there too, the same heater heats the small bathroom with the shower.  Maybe I'll get a little cardio in tonight after legs, we shall see!

Monday, February 3, 2014

14 Weeks!!!

Just 14 weeks out, only two weeks to go before calorie changes begin!  I'm still working on growing, changing up the lifting routine just a touch.  Going from the 12-6-6-6-12 sets to five sets of 8-12 reps.  Still lifting heavy just may have to go down in weight a little bit at first.

So measurements, holy crap.  The last time we did measurements was October 1st, obviously that was extremely close to my competition so I was leaned out a lot.

Here is how much I've grown since then:
Chest - 2.8 inches
Biceps - 1 inch
Hips - 2 inches
Waist - 1.5 inches
Thighs - 2 inches
Shoulders - 3 inches!!!!!

When it comes to my chest and waist, that is where my fat went when it came back.  I'm not saying I'm fat but my tummy is squishier than it was and some of my chest was just my boobs coming back.  But I have definitely gotten much wider in my chest.

The growth I was most excited about is my shoulders, trying to grow those wings and they are coming along nicely ;)  I feel like I am making great progress, Kyle feels the same way, I think he was very much pleasantly surprised :)

One thing I hadn't really thought about, of course it is common sense but I didn't think about it.  With all of this growing my clothes are not going to fit the same.

My little sisters turn 30 on March 2nd and they are having a masquerade ball for their party on March 1st.  I have kept my prom dress from my senior year because I LOVED it and it is a classic, timeless dress.  It is a very fitted column dress, light green, open back, gorgeous.  So I decided to try it on yesterday, OH MY GOODNESS.  It is pretty tight around my hips and butt, man my butt is growing and it is tight in my chest area.

I'm going to be looking for another dress because I'm pretty sure I won't be able to wear that one :(  Taking it off was a feat, the only way it comes off is over your head and I got stuck in it!  My chest has gotten too wide, for a moment I thought we were going to have to cut the sides so I could get it off!  We got it off without having to cut it and I realized I may never be able to wear it, BOOOOOO!!!!!!  But I'm still very happy with my growth :)

Then I changed and put on a little t-shirt, that was laughable.  To see how the sleeves do not fit right anymore because of my large shoulders and biceps.  Funny day yesterday of clothes not fitting correctly thanks to my growing muscles, at least I'm growing in a good way, right? :)