Well, let's see, what can I write about that I haven't already. Nothing substantial has changed all that much, I'm increasing my time with Jed to two weekly sessions for awhile...pretty much until I get the hang of things/see improvements that others can see too/etc.
Eating has been easier, still not making the gains I want to. It's really hard to bulk, as it turns out, when your body was used to 2 meals a day and a bunch of junk food!
Anyway, let's see. I've done a lot better about eating clean, whole, non-GMO foods and that makes me feel amazing (both mind and body). It's rather inconvenient that there's only one Whole Foods Market on this island, but there are plenty of farmers' markets and one local butcher shop my friend has suggested I check out. Everything they sell is local, grass-fed, pasture raised, wild caught. All things that are music to my ears! Food prep day was intense, and I didn't even get around to prepping the fish -- this week I think I'm just going to double up on my chicken intake until I get better recipes for white fish, haha.
A friend of mine, from way back in college is also starting her training for a figure competition in May. I think it's so awesome! More people getting into this lifestyle, whether it's for the sake of competition or just health, or even aesthetics...it doesn't matter! This is a healthy lifestyle that takes dedication and will-power. It's slowly starting to come to me...I think the more minor changes I see in my body the easier it is for me to motivate myself to continue on and push harder. It will also be cool to see her transformation as well!
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
I never thought eating would be so hard
So far I'm almost done with my third week of training. There's been a more than expected amount of slacking off, especially in the diet department. The weekends are the toughest because I'm usually out and about and even if I do have my food with me (which has been rare) I usually can't find a way to heat it up (microwaves are ever more rare on the beaches...). Admittedly I also haven't really been trying when I do go out to eat to order things that are pretty in line with my diet, so it's all out cheating, not even just a little bit.
When I do follow my diet, it's not strict. Some meals I only eat the protein, most breakfasts I skip the egg; by far the hardest meal to fulfill has been the post workout meal -- protein shake, karbolyn, protein, AND vegetables. It's the most daunting thing ever, and Jed keeps telling me it gets easier but to be honest it seems to be getting harder. I've dropped 3 lbs since starting training, my waist is coming through, but my body fat percentage is still about the same. I know I need to start eating better to get the best results but honestly, it's so freakin' HARD! I always thought I was a good eater...now I feel like I'm failing :(
On the plus side this week has been really good for training. My friend Ross has decided to accompany me to the gym most days, so I have an accountability buddy. If I know someone else is counting on me to go to the gym it's harder for me to come up with reasons why I should "put it off". I know, I know...I shouldn't have any reason since 1. I have a goal to compete and 2. I'm paying someone to help me get to that goal but it's almost like college was for me...haha. I paid my tuition and went to class about 60% of the time...
Starting next week or the week after I'm going to probably do two sessions a week with Jed. It's a lot easier, more fun, and I can get the feedback I feel I need when he's there watching me. I might wait until after the holidays to do that though because it's going to be a lot of money. I definitely have to start budgeting this stuff or I'm going to be in big trouble before the competition even gets close.
Anyway, I'm off to finish my steak...ugggghhhh!
When I do follow my diet, it's not strict. Some meals I only eat the protein, most breakfasts I skip the egg; by far the hardest meal to fulfill has been the post workout meal -- protein shake, karbolyn, protein, AND vegetables. It's the most daunting thing ever, and Jed keeps telling me it gets easier but to be honest it seems to be getting harder. I've dropped 3 lbs since starting training, my waist is coming through, but my body fat percentage is still about the same. I know I need to start eating better to get the best results but honestly, it's so freakin' HARD! I always thought I was a good eater...now I feel like I'm failing :(
On the plus side this week has been really good for training. My friend Ross has decided to accompany me to the gym most days, so I have an accountability buddy. If I know someone else is counting on me to go to the gym it's harder for me to come up with reasons why I should "put it off". I know, I know...I shouldn't have any reason since 1. I have a goal to compete and 2. I'm paying someone to help me get to that goal but it's almost like college was for me...haha. I paid my tuition and went to class about 60% of the time...
Starting next week or the week after I'm going to probably do two sessions a week with Jed. It's a lot easier, more fun, and I can get the feedback I feel I need when he's there watching me. I might wait until after the holidays to do that though because it's going to be a lot of money. I definitely have to start budgeting this stuff or I'm going to be in big trouble before the competition even gets close.
Anyway, I'm off to finish my steak...ugggghhhh!
Thursday, November 7, 2013
A bit of progress maybe
Well, it's been what...two weeks since I started training. I'll freely admit I haven't been the best at keeping up with the diet or the training. I'm really bad about routine, especially with changing work schedules, but I'll get the hang of it. My new schedule allows me time to go to the gym either before or after work...or perhaps both!
Either way, with the diet (when I stick to it) I feel pretty good. It's still REALLY hard to eat so much food so often, but I do find that when I don't eat consistently I'm starving after 3 hours or so. I have turned into that geek with the lunch box! I might invest in a 6 pack bag, mostly for aesthetics but they seem so handy! My current lunch box holds maybe 3 meals but usually two is about all it can handle, and probably wouldn't be able to fit in a third if I actually used cold packs to keep things cool. Though usually there's a fridge available for use...that's always good.
Training has been really good. So far I've only met with Jed once for a training session but it was incredibly informative. He told me which muscles each exercise he had planned for me was targeting and the best form to use in order to isolate those muscles. With the competition the goal isn't just to get "big" it's to look like I'm not actually muscular but proportionate and still feminine.
Oh yeah, I went to see the Paradise Cup this past weekend. It opened my eyes to a lot of things. A couple of those being: my stomach doesn't need as much work as I thought (second pic shows how it usually looks, that's even after eating my post workout meal); lots of those girls had flat butts so as long as I keep working on mine I think I shouldn't have to worry about that part; and posing is probably going to be the hardest thing for me. It was good to see that and know that some of the girls who were competing in the Paradise Cup will most likely reappear in the Stingrey. There were a lot of them! I don't know how many for sure but they were all up on stage at once during prejudging and there were at least 35 girls. I'm nervous but not if that makes sense. I'm mostly doing this for me so whatever the outcome I know that I tried and it will be a fun experience. I'd definitely like to excel at this but just getting started right now is good enough for me.
Anyway, a few progress pictures here and I'll leave it at that. I'm starting to get definition in my arms/shoulders. No pics of the legs because, well honestly I'm not sure how to pose and take a picture of my legs so they don't just look like regular old legs, haha! Once I figure that out I'll post some of those progress pics up. Until then gonna keep hitting up the gym and choking down oatmeal!
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Training has officially begun!
Today is my self proclaimed official start date for my training to the 2014 Stingrey Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii. Final date TBD but most likely sometime in late April.
With that being said today I thoroughly messed up the diet plan Jed had laid out for me. It was pretty fool proof except for the fact that I was lazy and didn't go grocery shopping yesterday, because I thought I'd at least have enough to get me through breakfast in the morning. As it turns out the oats I had in the pantry were infested by tons of micro-sized ants, so my breakfast consisted of a packet of Alex's super sugary, pre-flavored oatmeal that isn't very filling because it's instant. Second meal was skipped because I didn't get around to the grocery store until it was time to eat that, so when I got home it was time for third meal. Which consisted of chicken and yams. Then I had to go into work so I missed fourth meal. From work I went straight to the gym, didn't have my post-workout supplements, and was so starving by the time I got home I just annihilated some steak within 15 minutes of walking in the door.
So today was kinda rough on the diet side of things, but I think I've got it down for tomorrow. We shall see. I feel really good about my workout today. I was on my own, and will be until Thursday, but then I'll train with Jed and get some input from someone who knows what he's doing. I feel like I just need a lot of guidance at this point, but at least I'm past the point where I'm too afraid to ask for help.
On a plus note, I was able to decline an invitation to go out to eat at one of my favorite restaurants tonight. Go willpower! Perhaps it's only because it is the first day, but I've been making excuses and putting off the start of my training for awhile now. I have roughly 20-ish weeks, give or take some, to get ready for the competition. I have absolutely NO definition in any part of my body and am measuring at about 19-20% body fat right now. I have a long way to go and making excuses for everything or putting things off because "there's always tomorrow to get back on track" just isn't going to cut it. I think the hardest thing for me will be not chickening out with the stage fright as the competition gets closer. If I can stay on track with training until then then hopefully my confidence will be a bit boosted and I won't be so scared...maybe?
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Slacking!!
For no reason whatsoever really I've been slacking. I completed my Air Force PT test last week with a 93.7% and I'm happy with that. I maxed my push ups and sit ups and my run was :30 longer than I was aiming for, but I'll take it. I'll need to remember next time to run at the same time I'll be testing beforehand so I get used to the heat, no wind, and ultra humid conditions! Since the PT test though I've been in the gym only once for a leg day...
I met up with Jed for the first time, we spent a good amount of time talking about my goals, my motivators, and what my challenges will be. I explained to him my biggest concern is my diet, my reactive hypoglycemia, and how that will affect my training in the future. In the past month and a half I haven't had any incidents but I feel I've also gotten a bit better at judging my body. I know sometimes I eat too many carbs and end up feeling super groggy, but I haven't mixed too many sugars with alcohol, or just straight binged on sweets like I used to. At times I definitely get cravings for a whole cake or something, but for the most part I'm over eating sweets. I do want to find a good recipe for brownies that might work while I'm training...though that might be wishful thinking!
Jed wrote out an initial plan for me as far as diet and exercise, so sometime this week I'll have to go to the grocery store and pick some stuff up. I'm not starting the plan until Monday, as this weekend I'll be in the water finishing up my scuba certification for most of both days! I'm incredibly excited for that and as small of a feat as it is I feel pretty good about myself that I can lift the tanks with relative ease, even if they are as tall as my legs, haha.
So Monday should be the beginning of what will be a challenging but hopefully rewarding road. It's going to take a toll on my social life, which is already dwindling so I'm not too concerned, and my will power. Can't wait to get started!!
I met up with Jed for the first time, we spent a good amount of time talking about my goals, my motivators, and what my challenges will be. I explained to him my biggest concern is my diet, my reactive hypoglycemia, and how that will affect my training in the future. In the past month and a half I haven't had any incidents but I feel I've also gotten a bit better at judging my body. I know sometimes I eat too many carbs and end up feeling super groggy, but I haven't mixed too many sugars with alcohol, or just straight binged on sweets like I used to. At times I definitely get cravings for a whole cake or something, but for the most part I'm over eating sweets. I do want to find a good recipe for brownies that might work while I'm training...though that might be wishful thinking!
Jed wrote out an initial plan for me as far as diet and exercise, so sometime this week I'll have to go to the grocery store and pick some stuff up. I'm not starting the plan until Monday, as this weekend I'll be in the water finishing up my scuba certification for most of both days! I'm incredibly excited for that and as small of a feat as it is I feel pretty good about myself that I can lift the tanks with relative ease, even if they are as tall as my legs, haha.
So Monday should be the beginning of what will be a challenging but hopefully rewarding road. It's going to take a toll on my social life, which is already dwindling so I'm not too concerned, and my will power. Can't wait to get started!!
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Back home!
Well, I made it back home last Friday evening. I spent the weekend half with my love and half at work. My sleep schedule still hasn't adjusted but I hope it falls back into place soon. It's not cool falling asleep at work and being too tired to drive home, let alone go to the gym for a good workout.
PT test tomorrow morning and Friday afternoon I have a meeting with Jed, my new personal trainer. I'm looking forward to getting some real, structured help with competition prep. I feel like I'm just floundering with everything, pulling together pieces from friendly advice, online articles, fitness model bios, etc. to try to make something that will work for me. I think the hardest part of everything will be the meal prep. I went grocery shopping today and got pretty much just veggies, meat, and a bit of dairy and fruit. The big problem is that my roommie pretty much grazes on vegetables...a lot. So I'm hoping I won't have my meal plan all laid out only to realize that she's eaten half of my macros for the day... It's also really hard to share fridge space, because once I'm done prepping my crap takes up more than half of the fridge...sorry Alex!
I haven't gone to the gym since leaving Colorado, almost 2 weeks ago. I feel fat and lazy. I didn't want to go this week because I didn't want to be too sore for my PT test and needed to just get reacclimatized to the humidity and heat here. Alex and I went for a run yesterday evening on the track because I wanted to see where my run way, finished my 1.5 mi in 13:23, which is about a minute and a half less than what I was shooting for, so I'm happy. I definitely need a pacer though. I hate running around a track and I hate running faster than a 10 min/mi haha!
Anyway, starting next week I hope to get into a routine of gym, yoga, and meal prep. I'm really excited to get started on this new goal in my life
PT test tomorrow morning and Friday afternoon I have a meeting with Jed, my new personal trainer. I'm looking forward to getting some real, structured help with competition prep. I feel like I'm just floundering with everything, pulling together pieces from friendly advice, online articles, fitness model bios, etc. to try to make something that will work for me. I think the hardest part of everything will be the meal prep. I went grocery shopping today and got pretty much just veggies, meat, and a bit of dairy and fruit. The big problem is that my roommie pretty much grazes on vegetables...a lot. So I'm hoping I won't have my meal plan all laid out only to realize that she's eaten half of my macros for the day... It's also really hard to share fridge space, because once I'm done prepping my crap takes up more than half of the fridge...sorry Alex!
I haven't gone to the gym since leaving Colorado, almost 2 weeks ago. I feel fat and lazy. I didn't want to go this week because I didn't want to be too sore for my PT test and needed to just get reacclimatized to the humidity and heat here. Alex and I went for a run yesterday evening on the track because I wanted to see where my run way, finished my 1.5 mi in 13:23, which is about a minute and a half less than what I was shooting for, so I'm happy. I definitely need a pacer though. I hate running around a track and I hate running faster than a 10 min/mi haha!
Anyway, starting next week I hope to get into a routine of gym, yoga, and meal prep. I'm really excited to get started on this new goal in my life
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
3 more days
Three days left in Texas, three days of no gym and not watching what I eat. I miss the after gym feeling already -- perhaps this is what it feels like to be a gym rat without a gym? It's really weird, I was going to try to find a 24 hour fitness here so I could maybe sneak away in the middle of the night...but there's not a single 24 Hour Fitness in San Antonio. Really? I guess I'll take that as a sign to just take the rest of this week to relax and just do push ups and sit ups before bed, but not push anything else.
I have to schedule my Air Force PT test when I get back :( I have always hated running around that stupid track for the test, but when I get back I'll be doing that for cardio until after my test. There's a brand new track at the Army post closer to where I live so I won't have to drive far at least for it. After my PT test is done then I can really work out. I'm curious to meet both of my potential trainers and excited to decide on one and get started on a plan with whoever I choose.
When I get back I'll be back on my regular schedule, so that means gym at 3:30 AM after work. 3:30-5:00 and then possibly hot yoga at 5:30 on M-W-F. North Shore has a yoga co-op that I might start going to on T-Th, depending on what I am doing during the week. I'm sure with all of the gym time I am putting in some stretching and stabilization will be helpful and welcome!
I have to schedule my Air Force PT test when I get back :( I have always hated running around that stupid track for the test, but when I get back I'll be doing that for cardio until after my test. There's a brand new track at the Army post closer to where I live so I won't have to drive far at least for it. After my PT test is done then I can really work out. I'm curious to meet both of my potential trainers and excited to decide on one and get started on a plan with whoever I choose.
When I get back I'll be back on my regular schedule, so that means gym at 3:30 AM after work. 3:30-5:00 and then possibly hot yoga at 5:30 on M-W-F. North Shore has a yoga co-op that I might start going to on T-Th, depending on what I am doing during the week. I'm sure with all of the gym time I am putting in some stretching and stabilization will be helpful and welcome!
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