Today was my 4th weigh in and I am not sure how I feel about it. I am excited that I have 30 days left to go, but I don't feel like I made that big of a change. Everyone tells me how small I look, but I am scared it won't cut it for the competition. What if I can't build enough muscle? What if my glutes deflate? I need to look like this:
Everyone tells me I will see the results the last 30 days and I am anxious. I am impatiently waiting for Glen to call so I can get in my second workout of the day; we are supposed to focus on the leg press. Last night my quads hurt so bad and I was so hungry at 2 am that I couldn't sleep most of the night. Since my back isn't sore anymore, I spent my morning doing pull ups and rows. I did:
5 sets of wide grip pull ups (8-10 reps)
5 sets of narrow grip pull ups (8-10 reps)
5 sets of TRX close rows (15-20 reps)
I am trying very hard not to over train, but I want to make sure I do everything possible to have the advantage. My waist had dropped another half an inch, which is barely visible. My abs hurt so bad but I still want to do mountain climbers, leg lifts, and TRX pikes. I am going to let them calm down and then I am going to start doing 20 minutes of abs right before bed. That way I don't waste my time during the day working on my six pack. Get ready to see some major changes in the next 30 days. I am going to pop in my Slim Naturally meditation track and if Glen doesn't call by then, I am going to hit the gym again on my own. There is no way I am losing this thing.
Although, I the scale has barely dropped, I have lost over 2 inches in my waist and hips. I need to lose 2 more inches in the next 30 days. Next week I am meeting with a stage coach to go over presentation, shoes and suit. I am also going to start tanning and primping for the show. I'll keep you all up to date on my progress.
Since September 1st, I have made a small change every week towards a healthier me; I planned my meals around my workouts, I scheduled a specific time of day that I dedicated to the gym, I learned from my mistakes. Many times we wait for motivation to act, but I believe it is the other way around; You need to act in order to find your motivation. Even if that action is packing a gym bag every night or making your lunch, it is a small step in the right direction, and eventually you will go to the gym and start planning all your meals.
I noticed after the third week, the hunger and muscle pain was gone. Normally that is a good thing, but I knew it meant I plateaued and needed to change. Until the competition is over, I see comfort as a negative because it is a sign my body isn't progressing anymore. After yesterday's double workout, I am sore and hungry again. This morning, I visited the North Point gym to get in some sprints and abs before I let Glen work out my quads and upper pectorals. He is really specific about the training.
Workout:
8 minutes of sprints:
1 minute walk (I did 3.5mph)
1 minute sprint (I did 10.0 mph)
repeat 3 more times
20 Hanging leg raises (lift knees to make it easier)
4 sets
8 minutes of sprints
40 mountain climbers (20 each side)
4 sets
8 minutes of sprints
BOSU opposite leg reach (16 on each side)
4 sets
8 minutes of sprints
Clear Glass Single Cup Coffee Maker
Last week I mentioned that my addiction to coffee was causing my stomach to bloat. After speaking with Glen, turns out it was the quality of my coffee, and not the quantity. Poor quality coffee can throw off your body's pH balance (something I need to do more research into) which is what caused the bloating.
To fix this problem, I bought organic, pH balanced coffee with no additives and a clear glass mug. I am slowly turning into a "Purist". My laundry has no smell, I use vinegar to clean my floors, everything I consume is organic, I meditate at least once a week, and now my mug is clear glass. I don't recognize me anymore. I hope my next step does not include crocs and all hemp clothing.
When I was a kid my friend had one of those above ground pools. I used to love to swim in circles until I built up a current that would allow me to float around and around with ease. After a while I would get bored and force myself to stop floating. I would turn around and fight my way against the current, dodging the pool toys. In the beginning I could barely move, but eventually I would take a few tiny steps, which would turn into strides, and eventually I would change the direction of the water and everything in it. Life is no different from that experience. If you are bored, try something new.
My point is that you don't change overnight. I slowly incorporated healthier choices which eventually became a drastic life change. I struggled with cutting out sugar, but now I don't even think about it. I used to sneak bites of bread, but now it smells sour to me. Working out 5 days a week used to exhaust me, but now I need to work out longer and harder to feel the same fatigue.
Why would you wake up one day and expect to run 7 miles without walking it first? How can you expect to change the way you look if you don't make any effort to change the way you eat? Pick something small and attainable, and do it next week. It could be waking up a little early to eat breakfast, or cutting out bread, rice, pasta or any other starches from your dinner. Maybe you are not drinking your 8 glasses of water a day. Make a change this week, and if you make it through, add something else in next week.
Change was not meant to be easy. If it were, everyone would be successful.
This weekend was perfect. I had my 4 balanced meals, I went to two parties on Saturday, I went all of Sunday without Coffee, and I even snuck in a 7.5 mile run on Sunday morning.
Eating out is getting easier each time I go. On Friday night, I split a salad and ordered the grilled chicken breast with a side of sauteed spinach at an Italian restaurant, Vie Veneto. It came with potatoes, and although I did pop one in my mouth the rest were donated.
Saturday was similar. Since we were invited to two birthday parties, I ate a quick meal before the first one so I would not be tempted by desserts or pizza. When we got there, I sipped on my virgin, sugar free mojito and had a great time. Three hours later we drove to an Afghan restaurant, where I had the most amazing chicken kabob and a ton of spinach, before heading out to the second birthday party. What I realized is my body responds really well to chicken and spinach, so I am going to incorporate more into my diet. It is definitely the best dinner for shedding excess water weight.
On Sunday, I went for a 7.5 mile run, in the rain. It was great except that I was starving the rest of the day. For the purpose of my competition, I need to avoid long runs, but I love them so I keep them to one time a week. If you want to understand the difference between a long run and sprints, compare the body of a marathoner to that of a sprinter. The two girls on the left are marathoners; the long runs deplete their bodies of fat and muscle. The two girls on the left have a more athletic build; the sprints deplete their glycogen stores but keep their muscles well defined.
I realized that I have developed this fetish of watching others eat foods I can't have. The first time it happened was at dinner with a group of friends. I watched as they dug into the different chocolate delights and I listened to how they described the foods. My favorite part was watching the spoon sink into the various creams and cakes. There was one dessert no one had touched, so I begged them to dig in and tell me about it.
It has happened a few times since, but I realized it was a problem on Sunday. Ali gave into this giant chocolate chunk cookie at Plutos. After all the work and time I have put into this competition, I knew I didn't even want a taste, but I waited impatiently for him to eat it. Turns out he wanted to save it until I wasn't around, but I forced him to eat it any way. I watched how he slowly tore off a piece of the cookie, so I knew it was slightly chewy. I wanted to know if it was salty, it looked like one of those cookies that weren't too sweet and had that slight salt taste. He didn't know how to answer so I made him come close so I could smell his breath. I knew right away it was a good cookie. Then I started to laugh because I realized I was officially insane. I want people to eat foods while I watch, describe the texture and flavor, then finally let me smell their breath. It's like I get to enjoy the food without the calories. It's weird.
Today I worked on legs with Larissa, and then again with Glen. I am 39 days away from the show and it is time to "fine tune' my muscles. With Glen, I did two exercises for an hour, single leg hamstring curl and rear delt flys. I was exhausted in a whole new way. For the next two weeks, to get over my plateau, I will do double days of strength training. I am going to be cranky.
I have 13 days before my diet becomes insane; eating the same exact thing, at the same time of day, everyday, for 3 weeks, and ending the 4th week with the hell diet. I'm scared because Glen and Maria still have not told me what I will be eating. In anticipation, I have cleared my schedule for the entire month of October. My last time away from home is October 1st, when I drive down to LA to check out my reception venue and then I am not leaving SF for 30 full days. I will not eat out a single meal, I will not go too far from home, and I will start incorporating sprints at the end of every workout, 5 days a week. I'm even boycotting a trip to the Key West in the middle of October.
To wean myself off the coffee, I have a 6 week plan. I am cutting down to 1 venti a day for the next week. The following week, I will only have a grande a day and the week after it will be 1 tall a day. Then I will only have a tall 3 days a week, and the last 3 weeks of the competition I will have no coffee. I am worried it will mess with my body's pH balance and make me retain water.
Almond butter is also being cut from the team. After the first time I measured out my little cups, I started eye-balling the pours, which were very quickly turning into double the amount. Yesterday was the final straw. As I was scooping almond butter into the jars, using my scale to stay honest, I realized that I had probably consumed 3 tbsp worth of almond butter simply by licking my fingers to "clean" the knife and around the jars. I like it a little too much, so I am sticking with raw almonds and avocados for my added fats.
I am keeping my hot chocolate, without the xylitol, because it is only 30 calories (1 gram protein, 2 grams fat, 3 grams carbohydrates) and it helps with my chocolate cravings. It tastes like very dark chocolate and it is growing on me.
I am allowing myself one more green juice this weekend and then I am cutting them out. I feel like it is hard to gage how many calories I am actually consuming. Even though they are packed with essential nutrients, without the added fiber of whole vegetables, my body digests the carbs too quickly and I am hungry very soon after. I will reintroduce my beloved juices after my competition.
Although today is Friday, I am planning as if it were Sunday. All my meals are ready to go for the weekend; my yams are cut into wedges, my chicken is in bite sized cubes, and the almonds are easier to eat than avocado. I need this weekend to be perfect. Even though the scale isn't going down, which is because the muscles I am gaining weigh more than the fat I had, I feel leaner than ever. If I retain water it will show up on Monday and I am dying to see my waist go down another inch.
Here is a list of things that will throw off the scale, for those of you who are not used to dropping 4 lbs of water in 2 days:
too much salt
too much sugar
not enough sleep
too much sleep
dairy
wheat
preservative (alcohol fits in this category)
not enough fiber
too much fiber
too many carbs, protein, fat
not enough carbs, protein, fat
I think you guys get the picture. We (and I mean especially me) use the weekend as a free-for-all. We think our body knows it's Friday night and will be able to keep up with the roller coaster ride we take it on. Although I am not working out, I need to eat exactly what I eat the rest of the week, which is easier when I don't go anywhere. This weekend, I will be in SF, but next weekend I am packing a cooler.
I am completely focused and anxious for October to come and pass.
Today, I was feeling a little drained but I didn't want to miss out on my workout. I started the day with 6 am yoga, a little upper body, and 18 minutes of sprints.
We did a Tabata Upper Body workout to burn out the muscles quickly:
4 minutes of push ups. 20 seconds on 10 seconds of rest for 8 rounds (I did 64 reps)
4 minutes of bent over 35lb plate row. 20 seconds on 10 seconds of rest for 8 rounds (I did 97 reps)
We finished with 5 rounds of a 2 minute jog followed by and all out 1 minute sprint. I finished at a little over 2 miles in 18 minutes. This workout is great when you are in a time crunch; you move as fast as you can for a set amount of time and then go home. Done and done! Now I just need to make sure I drink enough water.
We all do it, we say yes to everything because we are worried we will miss an opportunity; more fun, more money, more love, more memories, more happiness. What we don't realize is that if we say yes to everything, we are crowding the space for something truly amazing to happen in our lives. I will get how this applies to weight loss at the end of my rant.
The Rant:
Anyone who knew me before would tell you what a push over I was. The running joke was if you asked me to do anything 3 times I would say yes. I was always worried about disappointing my friends, missing out on the best time ever (which was every time), or getting left out of the loop.
After college, and 6 careers later, when I finally found my dream job, I took on any and every responsibility thrown my way. I worked from 5 am until 8 pm, 6 days a week, because the only time I turned down a client was if the time slot was full. Whenever my bosses gave me a revenue goal, I beat it, and as a result the following month my goal would increase. When they offered me a management job, I said yes, completely unsure if it was a direction that made sense for me. If I said no, someone else would have taken it and I didn't want to disappoint those who gave me the offer.
In addition to working insane hours, I had to balance a relationship, friendships, and my family. I hated saying no. I would finish my 12 hour shift, freshen up quickly, then drive 2 hours in traffic to meet with my friends. I spent my one free day a week with my parents, because that's what they expected. I had no me time.
I was terrified of saying no. I got sick all the time, but worked anyway. When I went to bed I think I died for the 4 hours I shut my eyes. I felt drained and lost.
It got so bad, a good friend sent me to see a coach. After a few months of working with her, I decided I needed to change the direction of my life; I had to quit the job I loved. I was so scared of what they would think of me and who would get my clients. Would they be alright without me? Who will need me if I leave?
Quitting was the hardest thing I ever did. To be honest, I struggled with all the free time I had and went into a small depression. After about a week of watching sitcoms and surfing the net I started getting to know me. I picked up a new certification, signed up for tennis lessons, called back old friends, and did what I wanted. Other changes were that my parents would not get to see me every weekend, I would only see friends who made a similar effort to see me, and I cut out people and things that were negative in my life.
In 3 full months, my schedule is almost full (with people coming out of thin air), I am training for this competition which will open new doors, and I am meeting amazing people who introduce me to new avenues in health and fitness. My old job never gave me the time or space to do any of this. Money will come and go, but if you do what truely makes you happy you will never work a day in your life.
End of Rant:
The moral is that you don't have to say yes to everything; the restaurant your friend picked out; every dessert (trust me they all taste like sugar); every drink handed to you (every night is the same); all the responsibility put on you at work. Figure out what is important to you and stick to it.
If your health is important, stand up for it. Pick a restaurant or activity that will keep you on track, for example don't eat at your favorite Indian restaurant.
When you schedule in a workout it is your time. If someone wants it, say no. It is just as important as a meeting with a client or a friend. If you are unwell or unhappy with yourself it will affect how others see you, and eventually your job when you have to take a sick day or die. You won't lose your job or friends if you are strong and honest. In fact you might inspire them.
If you are trying to cut out sugar, learn to turn down dessert. Saying you have no will power is like saying you have no abdominal muscles; they exist, but they need work in order to surface. Save the "YES" for the special moments like birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, or gourmet restaurants.
In the beginning I saw saying "NO" to my favorite foods as a negative, but each time I turned from a bad food, I said yes to a healthier one and I cannot begin to tell you how amazing I feel.
Only do what makes sense for you. After all, you are in charge of your body and mind.
Yesterday's workout was sort of awesome! Since it was a cardio day, we worked on smaller muscle groups, then ended with cardio and abs.
Cardio Core Workout:
Bis and Tris Circuit: (3 sets)
10-12 Barbell bicep curls (heavy weight)
15-20 Dumbell bicep curlsn (half the weight of the heavy weight)
10-12 Tricep cable pull down
15-20 Dumbell tricep kickbacks (half the weight of the cable pull downs)
Cardio Core Circuit: (4 sets)
500 meter row as fast as possible or .25 mile sprint on treadmill, as fast as possible
1 minute plank on ball
20 romanian twists (20 each side)
15 leg raises with ball (drop ball if it's too heavy)
Although I ate perfect yesterday, I still don't feel like I fully recovered from the weekend. My belly feels bloated, like I can't suck it in, and it kinda hurts. This feeling sucks, so I did some research on possible causes and realized that diet and stress are the two culprits.
I have introduced a few things to my diet that other competitors claim are "safe" foods. However, I don't think my body likes them.
Let's start with my number 2 weakness, coffee. I have read that coffee stimulates the digestive track, which leads to bloating. I have about 2 ventis a day, so I may need to cut that down a bit.
My dessert gums, although sugar free, may have some adverse side effects. Even though I am not eating sugar, the sweetness still triggers the insulin effect. Also, the chewing action causes my body thinks there is food coming so the digestion process begins. Any air I swallow while chewing also bloats my belly. I can't believe I need to cut down on gum.
I am also cutting out all artificial sweeteners, no matter who clean and wholesome they are. Xylitol and stevia, which are naturally derived from plants, have several side effects which range from moderate, such as their laxative effect, to more severe, such as changes to liver function.
Stress might be another reason my stomach feels bloated. There is nothing in my life that is particularly stressful, but after some research I realized that there are things I am doing that may be causing increased cortisol levels in my system. Although I am drinking water, it is very possible that I am not drinking enough. Also, over training could be another cause. Today, my stomach hurt pretty bad after 45 minutes of upper body resistance training followed by a 75 minute run to Hopper's Hands and back. I definitely did not eat enough at 6 am to sustain that level of activity. I burned over 900 calories today in 2 hours, which is a very low estimate. I love my long runs, but I need to rest and eat appropriately around them.
Somethings I used to do to reduce stress include yoga and meditation. I have time for both, but lately I have been filling it up online and in the kitchen. Kelly Howell does my favorite guided meditation. The reason most of us don't lose the weight we want to is mostly psychological. Yes, we do get fatter because we eat more and move less, but why? She has a downloadable track, on ITunes, called Slim Naturally that is amazing. I need to add that back to my nightly routine.
For those of you waiting for today's upper body workout, here it is:
Circuit 1: 3 sets
10-12 assisted pull ups
10-12 push ups
15 TRX pikes
Circuit 2: 3 sets
10-12 low cable rows
15 cable chest press
20 BOSU crunches
Circuit 3: Burnout
Narrow push up to renegade row.
Do as many as possible, rest 1 min, and repeat 2 more times.
Add in a 7 mile run if you want to feel slightly sick.
People always associate hormonal imbalance with weight loss troubles, but I never thought that losing weight would cause my hormones to go out of whack. The past few weeks, I have been insane; one moment I want to go out and party then five minutes later I don't want to talk to anyone. I snap at those closest to me. I sometimes feel very strongly about things that really don't matter. Last Saturday, I wanted to rip out my waiter's eyeballs for messing up my dinner, and I might still be a little angry about that. My CHEK certified friend, Ashley, explained that because my bodyfat is dropping so quickly, my hormones are having a hard time adjusting. They will eventually, but in the meantime it will be a bumpy ride. Again it's not me your mad at, it's my crazy hormones.
I am slowly becoming less social each week, mostly because I get sleepy around 10 pm. I wake up everyday between 4:30 am and 5:30 am, so it makes sense that I crash so early.
I have also developed super human tastebuds. I can smell when a fish is more than a day old or if it was frozen. I can taste the difference between organic free range meat and Costco meat. I am paying more now for my food than ever in my life and I feel good about finally treating my body the way it deserves. I crave eating out less and less. Going through the hassel of guessing which foods might be good for me, only to be disappointed by their quantity and quality is getting old. I have 3 more weeks of somewhat free eating and I want to enjoy it, but still see results.
Cuts of Meats I can eat:
Flank Steak
Round Eye
Filet Mignon
Today is weight in Monday, although I didn't drop the extra 2 lbs I wanted to, I feel great. I love my shoulders and I can see the muscles in my legs when I do lunges or step ups. I feel stronger and more confident. To see last weeks weight in, click on Day 14.
I am obsessed with the way I feel these days. I admit I still get small pangs of hunger. Also, I miss "real" food and not thinking about everything I put in my body. Now, I feel light and strong, I sleep better and workout harder, I feel like an energizer bunny. I hope after the contest, I don't forget this feeling and go back to my old ways.
I used to enjoy a coffee and either a bran muffin or toast for breakfast, especially when I was in a rush. I rarely ate salads; Although I had plenty of veggies, it's nothing compared to now. I ate some form chocolate everyday. I had desserts 5 to 7 times a week. Last night, my husband had a Swenson's sundae, after I reassured him I would be ok, and I didn't even miss it. I don't miss the 5 minutes of tastebud bliss, followed by hours of remorse, and finally months of carrying the dessert around my waist. Although I was never fat, as my friends will tell you, I do prefer a solid waist as opposed to flabby one.
I think a good compromise would be the 90/10 rule. If I have 28 meals a week (4 per day, 7 days a week), I could enjoy 2-3 things a week that didn't follow my perfect diet and eat well the rest of the time. That could either be 3 meals split over several days or 1 full on cheat day. Have any of you tried eating just one of the meals I've posted? They're not that bad and they do keep you full for a while. What if you ate 3 of my meals a week? You could have 1 perfect day a week and see the difference for yourself.
It takes some work. Sunday, I spent one full hour baking, measuring, and boxing up meals for the next 3 days. It may be a hassel at the time, but it makes my day when I can just grab a ready meal out of the fridge. Below is my rice, yams, and spaghetti squash. I also broiled ground turkey and chicken breasts, which I keep in separate containers until the day of.
