Many many changes :)

So this fall has been full of changes. First the competition, a new "real" job, and I am graduating from college (finally). I would have to say the niggest change was the competition bc it created lasting changes. Anyway, I am doig great with my meal plans (back on track and right on par) but trying to find a workout routine with the new work schedule. I hit every muscle group this week by splitting but I just don'tfeel good. I am used to being in the gym almost everyday and half the time feels weird. I will figure it out. SO I came up with a great breakfast dish. A healthy version of th breakfast casserole. I will post it a little later. I have soo man errands to run today and I am still finishing out my shiftsat the restaurant so full time work and full time school and full time chef is a lot :) take care.

New training schedule

My Husband decided that I am seeing better results from the track workouts so no more long tiresome runs. Instead I get to do 2 days of 30 min runs (a breeze compared to prep) and I get to do 2 track workouts. The latter I was not thrilled about because track workouts are hard and grueling but I have to agree with him, my legs are building and tightening with the track workouts. So my dog and I went to the track this morning and sprinted. She did so great I went to go buy her as treat and oops locked her and my keys in the car. Luckily a man at subway (next door) got my car open. Sorry :/ Hopefully the day will go a little more smooth. On the bright side, my eating is better and so is my bloat. I am sure the eating helps but I also read that it takes about 2 weeks for it to start to disappear. Whatever the case...good riddens bloat and hello muscles :) Have a fabulous Friday!

yumminess

I tested the baked pumkin pie oatmeal recipe and my husband loved it. I am not a giant fan but I do have some darn good advice on waffels:

whole grain low fat eggo brand
My husband loves to add peanut butter as a topping which is great for someone trying to put on weight but for figure girls its a really bad idea. Now I love peanut butter, but until I get my pb2 I have to watch my intake. Instead of topping it with the peanut butter try greek yogurt with vanilla protein and 1 TBsp peanut butter. I had about a cup left so I added 1 scoop of vanilla protein, and 1 tbsp of pb to 1 c. of yogurt. I just used a bit of that (prob 1/4) and my sugar free syrup. To die for! new fave :) much better than peanut butter. It was like a cream cheese bagel :)

The calories came out to an even 300! I am trying to maintain 3-350 calories about 6 times a day.

Doing better today

I struggled with staying clean yesterday. I know I am not prepping for contest but I really wanted to stay strict on a diet (not crazy like prep but really clean) so that I could really build on what I gained and not have a harder prep. My diet has not been great, ok not even good. I have had a cheat meal/treat about everyday but today. It hasn't even been 2 weeks since the show so I know I need to go easy on myself but the faster I can switch my mind frame the better off I will be. I was really trying this week but when it hits afternoon I get cravings pretty bad. After a few days of failed attempts, I got mad. I don't like to fail. I don't even like to admit that I can't do something. So I got mad and I am doing it. There is fire I needed! I already feel better. I have decided against heavy carbs (no bread or pasta) because it just makes me retain water too much. I am going back to my 4 week out meal plan. I researched a lot the last few days and I should have just had one meal Saturday night then implemented my 4 week plan while slowly bringing back some carbs. Post competition is just as important as pre! I was told this but I had no clue how hard it really could be. So have a plan and stick to it. Tell a friend and hold yourself accountable...your body will thank you.

On a lighter note, I just ordered the most talked about peanut butter:

PB2...it's 45 calories, 1.5 g fat, 5g carbs, and 6g protein! The best stuff in the world if you love peanut butter. I love it so much that I cheated in contest prep and ate a rather large amount. My trainer (my husband) discovered the half eaten jar (it was small I swear) and freaked out. So with PB2 I can have my cake and eat it too :) I can't believe I just confessed that story to everyone! By the way, they have a chocolate peanut butter too. I am off to my new clean meal plan...Enjoy your evening everyone!

new products

PB2 I have heard about alot, protein freeze (protein ice cream) and arctic freeze (low cal), I also love torrani sugar free syrup, and capella drops. I am searching the web and blogs for clean products in the off season. I want to make note so I don't forget and so that I can tell my husband about the great finds. Ya'll enjoy them too! Have a great day everyone!

cooking

a few of my favorite places to get recipes are Bethenny Frankel's website, Tosca's Clean eating (cookbook, magazine, or even the website where people post their favorite recipes), and a new one that is great is on facebook: Recipes for figure and bodybuilding gals. Between these three sites I am loaded with healthy food choices. That is my problem right now. Choices. :) Enjoy the sites and experiment with the recipes. The majority of them are fabulous! Eat up!

Off to work I go....

Today I made a cinnamon raisin pumpkin protein bread...thats a long name :) It turned out pretty good. I will post the recipe later. I have decided to keep a food journal. I really want to hold myself accountable for the choices I make in off season. I think the best way to do that is to put it on paper and review at the end of the week. As much as I love to cook and workout, I have to get to studying because it is my last semester. I will also be graduating in December. This fall is crammed with events. So much to work on. SO with that said I must get to studying because like everything else in life it all came at the same time. Tests, projects, and papers the week before and the week after my show. When it rains it pours. Oh well at least it will all be done and then I can truly focus more on my hobby and passion. Take care friends and make sure you choose your food wisely :)

Halloween

Everyone with kids...Good morning America did a great show on healthy halloween treats:

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Halloween/video/perfect-halloween-snacks-12003234

I almost forgot

This is another good treat!
1 lb ground turkey breast
cumin, mrs. dash fiesta blend, chili pepper flakes to taste
1 can black beans drained and rinsed
1 can corn drained and rinsed
1/2 medium onion
1 bell pepper
1 tomato diced

Instead of tomato, onion, and bell pepper you can make it easier and use rotel. I prefer to use veggies for a lower sodium version.

Start by browning the turkey in a large sautee pan. Once it is perfectly cooked, add in the rest of the ingredients and cook about 5-10 more minutes on medium heat. Voila! a big batch of great tastey turkey. Since it has beans and corn, I like to put it in my egg white omelette in the morning. My husband likes to put his with quinoa for lunch. You can do many different things with this so its great to have a big batch on hand. Salsa goes great on top just make sure it is a healthy version.

Yogurt heaven

So I just rediscovered one of my favorites... 1/2 cup greek yogurt, 1/2 scoop vanilla protein, your favorite fruit (I use frozen and just thaw about 1/2 a cup) then 1/4 c. grapenuts. Let it sit overnight and it is the most delicious treat you will have :) It would be perfect post workout or as your morning snack. Enjoy your day!

I am back

Finally feeling balanced and back to normal. Ready to fight for more muscle and a top spot in the next competition. Everyone talks about the post competition and even though I was aware of the dangers, I think I still fell. The whole point in improving is learning where you went wrong and how to change it so that you don't do it again. I think that post-competition doesn't need to be so "post-competition". What I mean by that is view it as another day. Don't think of it as such a great moment when you can eat new things....you will experience post-competition food blues. THe first trip to the grocery store is like a kid in a candy store. Although everything I bought was healthy, I bought everything. I was the chef this week. Keep your cheat to one meal Saturday night. Wake-up Sunday with your menu planned and follow through with it. Have your training routine planned just like before. The more you are preparred and the more quickly you return to a "normal" routine, the better you will be. I gave myself Saturday night and Sunday which turned into one thing here, one thing there (but I haven't had that in so long). Very, Very, BAD! You could always eat whatever you wanted but you chose not to because you valued your goals of achieving a healthier body. So stick to one meal Saturday after the show. If it does happen to you, rest assured you will get back on track. Just remember your reasons for doing the show, say no, and go to the gym. After getting into a somewhat new training schedule, I am feeling better and ready to enter the gym lifting heavier and working harder than ever. Ya'll have a great Friday!

Working out

Had the best workout the past two days. It felt soooo good to get back in the gym. I am now trying to build some size for the next competition. My workouts are long and heavy and I love it. My husband is the best trainer ever...if you need one go to www.bodiesforperfection.com or email him at bodiesforperfection@gmail.com. He is getting his website up and running so it is a work in progress. I will be blogging about training, recipes, and competing. Once his website is done I will be moving there. I did legs today :) I am so pumped about improving. That's the greatest thing about fitness and health. You never stop getting better. There is sooo much inofrmation on health and exercise that you are always learning new things. Anyway, thanks for reading about my workout!

Cooking

As the competition got closer, everyone began to warn me about watching myself after the competition. Sometimes post competition can be harder than pre-contest because you have this new found freedom to eat a variety of foods. I made sure to keep things healthy but I have had so much fun buying healthy food and cooking a variety of things. Just the joy in creating something that tastes great and is great for you thrills me. Everything I have made has been super healthy and within my calorie goals, but you can't see in my fridge. For some that would not be a problem (hopefully all of the food will get eaten). Let me first say that my husband is my trainer and he ate my competition food. I was a little frustrated at first but I found it to be easier to cook double my food for him and for myself. Long story made short: the fridge is completely stocked. We have three different kinds of protein, 3 differet carbs to choose from, and 3 different veggies. We also have a desert (the chocolate protein pudding), and I just made super high protein pancakes. :) These pancakes are awesome! here is the recipe:

1/2c. fat free cottage cheese
1/2 c. oatmeal
4 egg whites
1 scoop vanilla protein
1 tsp cinnamon

put it all in a blender and blend....there is your pancake batter. The whole batch is 395 calories, 58 g. protein, 4 g fat, and 36g carbs. Serve it with sugr free syrup or agave and you have a perfect meal.

I think I am too excited about having options. The first few days are ok but I really need to give myself boundaries by setting a consistent meal plan again. I obviously can have different and more food but it just needs to be more consistent or I end up making too much food. I got a little excited about cooking :) I am sure my husband will do his best to eat. Thank goodness he is a strongman competitor and can pack away some food. I would be in serious trouble if he wasn't. So lesson is, calm down on the betty crocker syndrome :) Everyone have a great night.

Pudding

Here is what I did:

1 package of sugar free, fat free chocolate pudding mix (I used jello instant)
2 scoops chocolate protein powder
2 cups fat free milk
2 tbsp peanut butter
refrigerate and then enjoy

Nutritional info
Calories 180
protein 18
carbs 10
fat 4 (from natural peanut butter)
sugar 6

*you could drastically cut back on calories by leaving out the protein and just having chocolate peanut butter but you might as well sneak in your protein :) Each serving is 1/2 c. so it shoul make 4 cups.

Peanut Butter!!

What is it with peanut butter and figure girls? I have to confess my sins and tell you all that I cheated on my diet with a super (I mean super) large portion of peanut butter. I did everything I could to fix the slip up and well lesson learned. My trainer found out :( let me just say I paid the price. I thought I was alone in my longing for peanut butter but backstage the girls were all talking about peanut butter. I even discovered chocolate and white chocolate peanut butter! OMG. All I can say is no. I would have to hide that like there is no tomorrow. I saw it at the store today and boy I wanted to buy it. I still declined (thankfully) because I would completely regret it if I went to town on it. We all know I would. I think however that I can make a better version. Sugar free, fat free chocolate pudding mix with a bit of natural peanut butter or almond butter. It would be less sugar and probably less calories. I am going to test this today and let you all know how it turns out. Let's just pray it isn't gone in 2 seconds flat :)

Post-contest

I can't believe I am finally saying post-contest. It has been along journey that really paid off. I came in 5th our of 15 in my class. For my first competition I would say that is pretty awesome. I am really happy with how I placed. I already have ideas and ways to improve at the next show. Becuase I was top 5, I qualified for Junior Nationals in South Carolina in May. I have officially caught the competition bug. :) Yesterday I got to eat pizza, a small piece of chocolate peanut butter desert with 2 strawberries, and I had whole wheat french toast (sugar free syrup) yesterday morning. It is a bit much that I had numerous cheats but I would say not too drastic. At least I didn't pig out and overload myself too bad. That was my indulgence. Today I am back to my eating plan but with a few less restrictions that what I have had. It feels great. I am ready to get back to the grind and get on with the next round :) Hopefully this time around is a little less stressful than last. I think your first cmopetition is a giant learning experience. I was always told that but it isn't just with training and the competition, it is with yourself. Best experience ever. So I am now on cloud 9 and ready to be on my happy little way. Hope yuo all have a great week. Stay tuned for off season updates...

M&F hers

Found a great ad that says: "Yes, I eat egg whites cold. Hide peanut butter from myself. Have a chicken breast in my purse. Carry a gallon jug." Love it! My new fav magazine is M & F Hers!

Happy FRIDAY??

Its friday, the day before the show. I am glad but the nerves have set in a bit. I am also exhausted. The hubby said I could have some sweetpotato around 1pm. Yeah :) I can't wait. I have a lot of last minute errands and some packing for the show get done. So...better get off to the store and on with the cooking! Goodbye friends!

TIred

Sorry my friends but I have to vent my low energy blues. Wishing I had my carbs! One more day and then the show! I think I can , I think I can....Coffee! This is much harder than I ever thought. I am really excited about the fact that I just found other competition bloggers :) Finally, other people to identify with! I am normal. :) My husband looked at me rather oddly the other day when I started baking desert and cooking all kinds of things that I couldn't eat. I just wanted to cook something enjoyable. I didn't want it or crave it. It was kind of nice. Is it odd? I found a few others blogging about some of the same things I have gone through. I am not weird...Thank Goodness. One more day....

The Show

Ok, I know this blog has primarily been about me and the show but trust me when I say figure competing is a whole new world that will change you. In a good way of course. I have learned so much about nutrition, exercise, and discipline that I have a completely different outlook on things. It has instilled dedication and a strong confidence in my abilities to push myself, a healthier perspective on food, and it has even influenced my career goals. It is amazing what one can achieve with hard work and knowledge. SO with all of these lessons I am going into my show feeling successful already. Don't get me wrong, I am pretty happy with the physical changes but the life changes are the best part. I have two days left until the show! I can't wait. Stay tuned for pictures and results! Take care ya'll!
p.s.~ the blogg won't always be about food and training...I promise!

Good Morning Everyone!

Good morning to all! Just a little information about our current activities: I am training for a fitness competition and Stephen is training for a strongman competition in December. I am near the end. It is the last 3 days (woohoo!!!). The last 3 days are grueling to say the least. No carbs, too much water, and tons of protein....but there are only 3 more days. In preparation for the next few days, I made 2 big pans of chicken breast and a few pans of white fish. I dropped a pan of chicken and holy stars Juggernaught though he died and went to heaven. THankfully, I beat him to the food. I almost had a meltdown. 5 second rules count right?!? I am a tad bit nervous as to what the day will be like but you make it what you want it right? So here we go...stay tuned for more details and have a great day everyone!

Hi Everyone!

I love movies. After recently watching Julia and Julie, I am now inspired to create a blog. I have been thinking for some time that our life is just beginning. In a way, it is. We are both about to graduate and we are finally experiencing the world. Some recent discussions of long term plans also inspired me to create this blog. I feel we have some awesome life experiences ahead of us. You wil have to stay tuned to discover what happens. It is a great opportunity to share the changes in our life and blog about our crazy but hopefully fun road ahead. Stay tuned everyone and have a great day!