So if it wasn't known before, it is certainly known now. The last 2 weeks I have gotten the same comments from some concerned individuals.
"You should be careful lifting that heavy"
"Why are you working out so hard"
and the most important "are you training for something"
To the first comment, if I didn't think I could lift it I wouldn't attempt it. Now don't get me wrong, most of the weights I have been putting up make me a little nervous, but if the weights you are lifting don't make you a little nervous then they probably aren't heavy enough. That is how you get better, stronger, harder.
Second, why are you not working out so hard???"
Third comment....Yes, I am training for something. Then comes the difficult discussion of trying to explain to these concerned members that I am going to participate in a "bodybuilding" competition, because if you say figure competition, they don't know what that is because it isn't as commonly come across. So you explain to them that it is like a pageant, just with more muscle tone. Then comes the normal comment of "well don't get to big, you look fine the way you are".
I think most of their concern is that I have apparently gained some muscle (hard to tell when you see yourself each day, only able to measure myself based on the weights I am lifting) and they think i'm going to become this masculine monster of a female. I should have this next explanation tattooed on myself so I don't repeat it daily....
"My goal for becoming successful in this training toward a figure competition is to gain a significant amount of muscle while I can because when the 12 week pre-competition diet begins there may be some muscle loss and having that muscle is the whole point of these competitions."
I understand some peoples concern, but this is something I've wanted to do for a while and I see now as the perfect opportunity for me. And don't get me wrong, most people get it and are supportive but to the others: I don't go around crushing your dreams, so in the nicest way possible I say "I'm from Vermont, I do what I want"
P.S. As I write this, one of our members says "maybe I should get your autograph before you become famous".
P.P.S. "Jack is in the gym" comes from my father when he puts it into BEAST mode.
Friday, November 8, 2013
Friday, November 1, 2013
New Month, New Goals
So here we are, November 1st. Last two months have been a complete blur, but I have learned several new things about myself and hope to use these set backs to grow into a stronger person all around. I always see the quote "mistakes are just learning opportunities", or something along those lines, and plan to develop new habits and mindset to stay successful.
First, my diet is back to normal and I feel AMAZING!!!! Its so awesome to actually eat clean foods that keep your body feeling "clean". The last 2 months I have consumed many foods that people would consider "normal" in their diet that a figure competitor would not even touch when getting ready for a show. Such foods as sandwiches, cereal, granola bars, and trail mix (to name a few) make your calorie count add up quickly with no actual nod to any macronutrient balance. When my body was consuming the imbalance of carbs, proteins and fats I could feel a difference. My blood sugar was all over the place and I couldn't get back in control of my healthy habits. I guess I now know what most competitors go through once they finish the actual competition and don't have a plan to come out of such an extensive diet.
My diet game plan now:
Month of November I will eat a diet of about 1600-1800 calories (depending on how intense my daily workouts are) and have a balance of 40%protein, 30% carbs, 30% fats. My goal this month is to build muscle and even though I am not to concerned with burning fat just yet I definitely don't want to add any more fat. Also, "cheat" snacks such as protein muffins, protein puddings, and protein bars (to name a few) will be allowed once in a while. Again, I'm working on building muscle, so more fuel will hopefully develop more muscle.
Second, I'm back to normal workouts. Yes its true, you can find a way to workout anywhere you go and I had to come up with some pretty creative ways to do some kind of activity the last 2 months, but nothing beats lifting weights in the comfort of your own gym. Knowing where everything is, what weights you need to challenge yourself and getting back into your regular routines.....nothing better.
My weight training game plan now:
Last week and this week I have been lifting heavy. Someone brought it to my attention that I had no idea how heavy I could actually lift because I never try to max out on anything. I knew what weights challenged me for certain reps, but I didn't know what weight I could actually lift before failure in just a few reps. So I just picked up the heaviest weights I could lift to see how many reps I got out of myself. I shocked myself in some things and disappointed myself in others. My deadlift was mediocre, but at the weight I thought I might be at. Week one I got 3 sets of 135 for 6 reps, week 2 I pulled out 3 sets of 8 at the same weight. Next week I may up the weight. Squats were awful, not going to talk about that, lol. The other two things I was excited about: (1) I was shoulder pressing 35# dumbells for 6; (2) I was lat pulling 85# for 8. Now most of these reps are on the higher side to be considered for figuring out what my max lift would be, but just to see what I could do was really fun and invigorating!!!
Lastly, I have a new mindset. Its amazing how much your mind takes a toll on you when you are doing this type of a body transformation. Now that I have dieted down and unsuccessfully came out of that diet I understand a little bit more.
My mindset game plan now:
I came to the realization, that when I go to a strict diet for my competition, that it is not going to last forever. There will be a time where I can eat semi-normal foods again, I just have to get through the 12 weeks pre-contest and then life will go on. As long as I remember that, I have a better chance of becoming successful. Also, I am working on removing added sugars from my diet. I find that the excess sugar I was getting from processed foods was impacting my ability to stay focused. I found that when my blood sugar dropped from a spike my mood would change to all kinds of unhappy.
My goals this weekend include:
1) Cook and bake up a storm. I want to stock my freezer with all the necessary foods that I will need for the next few weeks. That includes my main staples like turkey meatballs and protein pancakes. I also want to try a few new recipes: protein granola bars, "buff bread", and protein brownies!!!!
2) Plan out my workout/diet schedule for the 12 week precontest prep. I'm not planning on a competition until March, but that will sneak up on me.
3) I'm almost out of my Nectars protein powder. For those who don't know about Nectars CHECK IT OUT!!! It is an amazing protein powder. It has 23g protein for 100 calories and no fat or carbs. They have flavors like grape(the best), iced tea, fuzzy navel(peach), strawberry kiwi and lots more. Only problem is I have to order it online or go to Vitamin Shoppe which is an hour away in order to pick up a container. Good thing I have nothing to do this weekend and can make a trip to get me some :)
Side note: I LOVE CREATINE!!!!!!
First, my diet is back to normal and I feel AMAZING!!!! Its so awesome to actually eat clean foods that keep your body feeling "clean". The last 2 months I have consumed many foods that people would consider "normal" in their diet that a figure competitor would not even touch when getting ready for a show. Such foods as sandwiches, cereal, granola bars, and trail mix (to name a few) make your calorie count add up quickly with no actual nod to any macronutrient balance. When my body was consuming the imbalance of carbs, proteins and fats I could feel a difference. My blood sugar was all over the place and I couldn't get back in control of my healthy habits. I guess I now know what most competitors go through once they finish the actual competition and don't have a plan to come out of such an extensive diet.
My diet game plan now:
Month of November I will eat a diet of about 1600-1800 calories (depending on how intense my daily workouts are) and have a balance of 40%protein, 30% carbs, 30% fats. My goal this month is to build muscle and even though I am not to concerned with burning fat just yet I definitely don't want to add any more fat. Also, "cheat" snacks such as protein muffins, protein puddings, and protein bars (to name a few) will be allowed once in a while. Again, I'm working on building muscle, so more fuel will hopefully develop more muscle.
Second, I'm back to normal workouts. Yes its true, you can find a way to workout anywhere you go and I had to come up with some pretty creative ways to do some kind of activity the last 2 months, but nothing beats lifting weights in the comfort of your own gym. Knowing where everything is, what weights you need to challenge yourself and getting back into your regular routines.....nothing better.
My weight training game plan now:
Last week and this week I have been lifting heavy. Someone brought it to my attention that I had no idea how heavy I could actually lift because I never try to max out on anything. I knew what weights challenged me for certain reps, but I didn't know what weight I could actually lift before failure in just a few reps. So I just picked up the heaviest weights I could lift to see how many reps I got out of myself. I shocked myself in some things and disappointed myself in others. My deadlift was mediocre, but at the weight I thought I might be at. Week one I got 3 sets of 135 for 6 reps, week 2 I pulled out 3 sets of 8 at the same weight. Next week I may up the weight. Squats were awful, not going to talk about that, lol. The other two things I was excited about: (1) I was shoulder pressing 35# dumbells for 6; (2) I was lat pulling 85# for 8. Now most of these reps are on the higher side to be considered for figuring out what my max lift would be, but just to see what I could do was really fun and invigorating!!!
Lastly, I have a new mindset. Its amazing how much your mind takes a toll on you when you are doing this type of a body transformation. Now that I have dieted down and unsuccessfully came out of that diet I understand a little bit more.
My mindset game plan now:
I came to the realization, that when I go to a strict diet for my competition, that it is not going to last forever. There will be a time where I can eat semi-normal foods again, I just have to get through the 12 weeks pre-contest and then life will go on. As long as I remember that, I have a better chance of becoming successful. Also, I am working on removing added sugars from my diet. I find that the excess sugar I was getting from processed foods was impacting my ability to stay focused. I found that when my blood sugar dropped from a spike my mood would change to all kinds of unhappy.
My goals this weekend include:
1) Cook and bake up a storm. I want to stock my freezer with all the necessary foods that I will need for the next few weeks. That includes my main staples like turkey meatballs and protein pancakes. I also want to try a few new recipes: protein granola bars, "buff bread", and protein brownies!!!!
2) Plan out my workout/diet schedule for the 12 week precontest prep. I'm not planning on a competition until March, but that will sneak up on me.
3) I'm almost out of my Nectars protein powder. For those who don't know about Nectars CHECK IT OUT!!! It is an amazing protein powder. It has 23g protein for 100 calories and no fat or carbs. They have flavors like grape(the best), iced tea, fuzzy navel(peach), strawberry kiwi and lots more. Only problem is I have to order it online or go to Vitamin Shoppe which is an hour away in order to pick up a container. Good thing I have nothing to do this weekend and can make a trip to get me some :)
Side note: I LOVE CREATINE!!!!!!
Thursday, October 17, 2013
"Heavy sigh...."
As the title states of this post "Heavy sigh....." I am trying to recover from a very crazy month or so. I have traveled about 4000+ miles (by car) within the last 4 weeks and it has taken quite the toll on my physical and mental state. Don't get me wrong, all of the traveling I have done has been for great reason; a baby was born and a lovely couple was wed. I have one more long trip this weekend coming up, the shortest of all the trips at about 5.5 hours each direction, to participate in a 7K obstacle race on Titus Mountain in Malone NY with my husband, father and brother. So again this trip is for great fun as well. However, when one is trying to obtain this structures eating and exercise routine it is put to the test when you are out of your norm and spending many hours in a car. I would say that I scored a D on this test.
In complete honesty, I have not stuck to any specific diet or exercise routine within the last 4 weeks or so. And there is no good reason or excuse that can justify that so I'm not even going to make something up. I have made attempts at eating the better choices when possible and finding ways to exercise no matter where I am, even if they are nowhere close to what I am used to being able to do for my workouts. I had some hopes of participating in my first competition the 9th of November. Not going to happen, and that may be for the best.
Based on the research and comments I obtained from competitors and fitness articles, I needed to give myself a solid 12 weeks or so to diet down for a competition once I had reached my desired muscle mass. Prior to my traveling I had done a few weeks of successful carb cycling. I got down to a pretty lean physique that I was happy with the progression, but came to the realization that I did not have as much muscle mass as I thought I had. I was torn between doing my first competition and competing in the figure category without the muscle most competitors had (I wouldn't feel prepared which I thought might turn me away from competing), or competing in the bikini level which doesn't require as much muscle mass and I could probably swing that with the physique I had. Now most people would say "just do it for the experience, you can always switch categories" but the two different categories are quite different as far as what type of outfit you need to wear, what type of poses you need to perform and what specific physique you should have and I didn't want to get into one and then have to spend more time later on switching my physique and outfits and learning new poses (especially since the outfits run upwards of $150+) I am hesitant in going into the bikini level due to (what I think) more challenging poses and a physique that I didn't personally want.
So, what to do next? I have said all along this has been a learning process, i'm figuring it out as I go. I've found that most people take a full year to prepare for their first competition. I thought I could cut the time in a third and essentially gave myself about 4 months to get ready. But with all the trial and error in diet and exercise I was trying I didn't really have enough of a grasp to build the physique and practice the poses within those 4 months. I definitely have learned an enormous amount about competing and have decided that I am going to put all my effort into building my figure physique by first adding muscle. My plan is that once I return from the race this weekend, I will continue to lift heavy weights (maybe start recording specific weights for each lift so I can track progress in multiple ways) and maintain a solid diet of a higher calorie count to aid in the muscle development. I will give carb cycling another go and finish the full 3 weeks (I only did about 1.5-2 weeks before). I have a couple other techniques I would like to try out before I need to use them when I actually am a few weeks out from a competition.
New competition goal: March 2014. One huge factor that makes this goal a little easier to achieve, I have a partner in crime. I have a friend who will be joining me in preparing for her first competition in March 2014 as well. Having someone experience the same lifestyle change and physical changes will make the process a little more appealing, especially when we get to the last few weeks prior to the show!!!
In complete honesty, I have not stuck to any specific diet or exercise routine within the last 4 weeks or so. And there is no good reason or excuse that can justify that so I'm not even going to make something up. I have made attempts at eating the better choices when possible and finding ways to exercise no matter where I am, even if they are nowhere close to what I am used to being able to do for my workouts. I had some hopes of participating in my first competition the 9th of November. Not going to happen, and that may be for the best.
Based on the research and comments I obtained from competitors and fitness articles, I needed to give myself a solid 12 weeks or so to diet down for a competition once I had reached my desired muscle mass. Prior to my traveling I had done a few weeks of successful carb cycling. I got down to a pretty lean physique that I was happy with the progression, but came to the realization that I did not have as much muscle mass as I thought I had. I was torn between doing my first competition and competing in the figure category without the muscle most competitors had (I wouldn't feel prepared which I thought might turn me away from competing), or competing in the bikini level which doesn't require as much muscle mass and I could probably swing that with the physique I had. Now most people would say "just do it for the experience, you can always switch categories" but the two different categories are quite different as far as what type of outfit you need to wear, what type of poses you need to perform and what specific physique you should have and I didn't want to get into one and then have to spend more time later on switching my physique and outfits and learning new poses (especially since the outfits run upwards of $150+) I am hesitant in going into the bikini level due to (what I think) more challenging poses and a physique that I didn't personally want.
So, what to do next? I have said all along this has been a learning process, i'm figuring it out as I go. I've found that most people take a full year to prepare for their first competition. I thought I could cut the time in a third and essentially gave myself about 4 months to get ready. But with all the trial and error in diet and exercise I was trying I didn't really have enough of a grasp to build the physique and practice the poses within those 4 months. I definitely have learned an enormous amount about competing and have decided that I am going to put all my effort into building my figure physique by first adding muscle. My plan is that once I return from the race this weekend, I will continue to lift heavy weights (maybe start recording specific weights for each lift so I can track progress in multiple ways) and maintain a solid diet of a higher calorie count to aid in the muscle development. I will give carb cycling another go and finish the full 3 weeks (I only did about 1.5-2 weeks before). I have a couple other techniques I would like to try out before I need to use them when I actually am a few weeks out from a competition.
New competition goal: March 2014. One huge factor that makes this goal a little easier to achieve, I have a partner in crime. I have a friend who will be joining me in preparing for her first competition in March 2014 as well. Having someone experience the same lifestyle change and physical changes will make the process a little more appealing, especially when we get to the last few weeks prior to the show!!!
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
I figured something out!!!
So after so many weeks of experimenting with diet and exercise, something has finally come through with a bang! As of a week ago today I started "carb cycling". After doing lots of research I established that by cycling your carbohydrate intake it shifts your body into fat burning mode more efficiently. Essentially you take 3 days and eat a lower carb diet, something that consists of 20% of your caloric intake from carbs. Now because you are lowering your body's preferred source of energy, and to balance out your macronutrients, you intake a higher percentage of fats and protein. I changed my fat intake to about 30% and my protein intake to 50%. The protein needs to be that high in order to make sure your body draws from your fat storage instead of taking undesired fuel from your muscles. On the 4th day you intake a higher carb count, switching to about 50% carbs, 30% protein and just 20% fat. This allows your body to replenish some energy and some glycogen storage and to keep your body guessing. You continue this process for 3 weeks, much longer than that and you might have adverse effects.
Today being my 8th day of the cycling process I have established that I am a huge fan of this technique. I have lost just under 4 pounds and an entire percent of body fat. Now, those of you who have worked with me before on losing weight know how long it takes for body fat to come off so I'd say that is a substantial amount for 1 week!
A couple things I though about prior to starting this program:
1) I thought, because carbs are a huge source of energy for the body, that I would be tired and cranky all the time. Realization: I have not noticed any loss in energy, more so that the usual tiredness I feel from workouts. I have had a few days where a second coffee has helped, but wasn't always necessary. I noticed, however, that due to a lack of glucose (brains source of function) I felt a little more aware of everything around me, sort of in a trance I guess you could say. Which to me seemed a little strange at first, but I figured it was ok because my brain wasn't going a million miles a second so that was nice!
2) I also though about how over the last few years I've noticed how my blood sugar makes me act. I need to eat every few hours and usually need some source of carbs in order to maintain sanity (and to keep from wanting to strangle random people). Realization: I actually feel better on my low carb days then I do on the high carb days. From what I read in the research and testimonials from other people who have done this they all commented on how they struggles through the low carb days to get to that high carb recover. After my second high carb day (today) I noticed that I feel much stronger and "cleaner" inside on my low carb days. I can feel the tightness of my muscles (that sounds vain.....read it in a non-vain way, please) when my body is processing all of the protein it is fed on those days. I wonder if the blood sugar issues I have make the high carb days difficult for my body to process after going 3 days without a lot. Not being a doctor, I can't make any extremely educated guessing on the technical science behind it, I just know how my body feels.
Now, what I've been working on the past week or so, is establishing my exact diet for the next 2 weeks along with preparing and freezing meals to have ready at all times. The main reason I am making and freezing meals is because I am "on call". At any point (hopefully within the next week or so) I will be getting a phone call that requires me to make a trip home to Vermont. My best friend and very close cousin (same person) is expecting her second child. Since I was there for the delivery of her first born, I hope to make it the 7 hours home in time for this delivery or at least part of it. The doctors have warned her that it will be a quick delivery so I am preparing myself to get out of town as soon as called!
Most importantly, just before I started this carb cycling, I told my husband that as a reward (obviously non-food related) once I reach 18.4% or lower I would treat myself to a mani/pedi. Guess who just so happen to reach 18.4% today :)
Today being my 8th day of the cycling process I have established that I am a huge fan of this technique. I have lost just under 4 pounds and an entire percent of body fat. Now, those of you who have worked with me before on losing weight know how long it takes for body fat to come off so I'd say that is a substantial amount for 1 week!
A couple things I though about prior to starting this program:
1) I thought, because carbs are a huge source of energy for the body, that I would be tired and cranky all the time. Realization: I have not noticed any loss in energy, more so that the usual tiredness I feel from workouts. I have had a few days where a second coffee has helped, but wasn't always necessary. I noticed, however, that due to a lack of glucose (brains source of function) I felt a little more aware of everything around me, sort of in a trance I guess you could say. Which to me seemed a little strange at first, but I figured it was ok because my brain wasn't going a million miles a second so that was nice!
2) I also though about how over the last few years I've noticed how my blood sugar makes me act. I need to eat every few hours and usually need some source of carbs in order to maintain sanity (and to keep from wanting to strangle random people). Realization: I actually feel better on my low carb days then I do on the high carb days. From what I read in the research and testimonials from other people who have done this they all commented on how they struggles through the low carb days to get to that high carb recover. After my second high carb day (today) I noticed that I feel much stronger and "cleaner" inside on my low carb days. I can feel the tightness of my muscles (that sounds vain.....read it in a non-vain way, please) when my body is processing all of the protein it is fed on those days. I wonder if the blood sugar issues I have make the high carb days difficult for my body to process after going 3 days without a lot. Not being a doctor, I can't make any extremely educated guessing on the technical science behind it, I just know how my body feels.
Now, what I've been working on the past week or so, is establishing my exact diet for the next 2 weeks along with preparing and freezing meals to have ready at all times. The main reason I am making and freezing meals is because I am "on call". At any point (hopefully within the next week or so) I will be getting a phone call that requires me to make a trip home to Vermont. My best friend and very close cousin (same person) is expecting her second child. Since I was there for the delivery of her first born, I hope to make it the 7 hours home in time for this delivery or at least part of it. The doctors have warned her that it will be a quick delivery so I am preparing myself to get out of town as soon as called!
Most importantly, just before I started this carb cycling, I told my husband that as a reward (obviously non-food related) once I reach 18.4% or lower I would treat myself to a mani/pedi. Guess who just so happen to reach 18.4% today :)
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Figured somethings out
So, its been a few weeks from my last post. Here's what's been going on:
I successfully made a trip to New Jersey to visit my husbands family. I say successfully because I wasn't sure how I was going to be able to pack all my food for a weekend and take it with me on a plane. For the longest time (until this trip) I was under the impression that you weren't allowed to bring food with you in your carry on. Thank goodness I was wrong!! I was able to pack granola, nuts, tuna fish, beef jerky and rice cakes. I didn't know how well cottage cheese or yogurt would pass thru security, so I held off on those until I go to Jersey and was able to go to a grocery store. Next time I make a flight, I think I'm going to try and bring cooked meat. I found a trick online, you pack large freezer bags and when you cross over security you find an ice machine to fill it with and pack it in with your meat in a cooler. Will make traveling that much easier. I was also successful because I was able to stick to my planned diet the whole time I was in Jersey (except for 2 things: Eric's family owns a carvel and his sister is a baker, I might of had a bite of ice cream and 2 bites of cake.......). I was also able to get in one solid workout in the 3 days I was there.
Secondly, we are in the process of moving. Anybody who's known me the last 4 years knows that this will be our 4th move since college. Happily we are only moving 20 minutes down the road instead of our usual 5-7 hours away!!! I thought that moving would have an impact on my food preparation and planning, but I've neglected a good chunk of packing just so I can have the equipment to stay on track. I figure we're not moving far so I don't have to pack as quickly????? :/ Workouts have been consistent expect...................
Thirdly, I've had a cold for the last week. Limiting any cardio, due to a violent mucus' attacking cough when my heart rate reaches so high. Like you really wanted to know that part :). So I've been able to incorporate some higher intensity for shorter duration into my lifting workouts, which I like to do a lot of the time anyway. However.......
I need to start doing quite a bit more cardio. Mostly HIIT training. My body fat has been pretty steady the last few weeks. In order for me to confidentially enter the figure competition I am really excited about doing I need to drop at least 5% body fat. Now based on what I've read on the internet they suggest at LEAST 10 weeks in order to do that. Well, how ironic, the competition I am hoping to be ready for is in 10 weeks. Time to get my sh*t together!!!!!!!!
Current stats: 136# (need to be around 130); 19.5% body fat (would like to be around 14 at least)
P.S. I started looking at competition suits, If anybody has ever seen one you'd know.......this is not something I'd want my grandmother to see me in :/
I successfully made a trip to New Jersey to visit my husbands family. I say successfully because I wasn't sure how I was going to be able to pack all my food for a weekend and take it with me on a plane. For the longest time (until this trip) I was under the impression that you weren't allowed to bring food with you in your carry on. Thank goodness I was wrong!! I was able to pack granola, nuts, tuna fish, beef jerky and rice cakes. I didn't know how well cottage cheese or yogurt would pass thru security, so I held off on those until I go to Jersey and was able to go to a grocery store. Next time I make a flight, I think I'm going to try and bring cooked meat. I found a trick online, you pack large freezer bags and when you cross over security you find an ice machine to fill it with and pack it in with your meat in a cooler. Will make traveling that much easier. I was also successful because I was able to stick to my planned diet the whole time I was in Jersey (except for 2 things: Eric's family owns a carvel and his sister is a baker, I might of had a bite of ice cream and 2 bites of cake.......). I was also able to get in one solid workout in the 3 days I was there.
Secondly, we are in the process of moving. Anybody who's known me the last 4 years knows that this will be our 4th move since college. Happily we are only moving 20 minutes down the road instead of our usual 5-7 hours away!!! I thought that moving would have an impact on my food preparation and planning, but I've neglected a good chunk of packing just so I can have the equipment to stay on track. I figure we're not moving far so I don't have to pack as quickly????? :/ Workouts have been consistent expect...................
Thirdly, I've had a cold for the last week. Limiting any cardio, due to a violent mucus' attacking cough when my heart rate reaches so high. Like you really wanted to know that part :). So I've been able to incorporate some higher intensity for shorter duration into my lifting workouts, which I like to do a lot of the time anyway. However.......
I need to start doing quite a bit more cardio. Mostly HIIT training. My body fat has been pretty steady the last few weeks. In order for me to confidentially enter the figure competition I am really excited about doing I need to drop at least 5% body fat. Now based on what I've read on the internet they suggest at LEAST 10 weeks in order to do that. Well, how ironic, the competition I am hoping to be ready for is in 10 weeks. Time to get my sh*t together!!!!!!!!
Current stats: 136# (need to be around 130); 19.5% body fat (would like to be around 14 at least)
P.S. I started looking at competition suits, If anybody has ever seen one you'd know.......this is not something I'd want my grandmother to see me in :/
Friday, August 9, 2013
Trip home to Vermont
Tough Mudder went well, I survived at least. I went into it with tight hamstrings (apparently I lifted to heavy on legs the Tuesday before) but didn't start cramping up until about mile 9. For someone who has run a total of 5 miles at the very most in one time, I think the 11.5 miles went pretty well. Obstacles were easy, it was the stopping and going during the obstacles that made the running part difficult, many many people were wilted over the side of the course with cramping muscles. I believe the toughest part of the day was the .5 mile walk back to the car, everything was sore! I ended up with lots of large bruises, but for someone who bruises easily it wasn't surprising. It is definitely something I will do again, but may build up more of the running aspect for next time.
So I returned earlier this week from my weekend trip home to Vermont. I did a decent job sticking to my diet, I carried a cooler with me everywhere I went! I had my one higher carb, higher calorie "cheat day" while I was there. I have decided that it is a lot more difficult to recover from the "cheat day" (blood sugar gets to high and I have a hard time balancing it out afterwards) then it is worth. So I have decided to try and have one treat a few days per week that is included in my calories for the day. If I can do this then I might not feel the need for a "cheat day". As I've said before, I'm figuring out how to do this as I go so I can be successful!
I also did a good job keeping up with my workouts. It is convenient that I have a father, brother and grandmother who also enjoy working out on a regular basis. I was able to go to the Malone YMCA and spend several hours there with my father lifting weights, working on the heavy bag and doing some HIIT. I also went to a gym with my brother, not a fan of the particular gym but was thrilled just the same to workout beside him and show him a couple new things. Then maybe the greatest thing was going to the Racquets Edge with my grandmother, who takes her water aerobics class 3x a week and when I am visiting her I go into the weight room while she's in the water. However, last week she decided she wanted me to show her how to use some of the machines in the weight room! She is determined to stay strong and knows that there is benefit to using weights outside of the water as well! The only downfall was the one day I wasn't able to get into a gym to do my cardio I decided to run outside. Now for those of you familiar with Vermont, they do not pave the roads very well, they tend to slant down the sides. I ran on them anyway and developed a knee strain :( Between the uneven pavement and tight hamstrings (from running the tough mudder and not doing a great job stretching after my leg workout the day before) my knee did not like me and is now out of commission. This means leg days is discontinued for the time being, along with most cardio. I'm trying not to let this set me back at all, keeping my upper body lifts either high volume or high weight to keep my metabolism up. I don't want to push myself to making this injury any worse so I am being smart about it and staying off of it until it is ready to move again. I think once I have recovered from this I will incorporate more yoga and prehab type exercises into my routine to avoid any other injuries.
So I returned earlier this week from my weekend trip home to Vermont. I did a decent job sticking to my diet, I carried a cooler with me everywhere I went! I had my one higher carb, higher calorie "cheat day" while I was there. I have decided that it is a lot more difficult to recover from the "cheat day" (blood sugar gets to high and I have a hard time balancing it out afterwards) then it is worth. So I have decided to try and have one treat a few days per week that is included in my calories for the day. If I can do this then I might not feel the need for a "cheat day". As I've said before, I'm figuring out how to do this as I go so I can be successful!
I also did a good job keeping up with my workouts. It is convenient that I have a father, brother and grandmother who also enjoy working out on a regular basis. I was able to go to the Malone YMCA and spend several hours there with my father lifting weights, working on the heavy bag and doing some HIIT. I also went to a gym with my brother, not a fan of the particular gym but was thrilled just the same to workout beside him and show him a couple new things. Then maybe the greatest thing was going to the Racquets Edge with my grandmother, who takes her water aerobics class 3x a week and when I am visiting her I go into the weight room while she's in the water. However, last week she decided she wanted me to show her how to use some of the machines in the weight room! She is determined to stay strong and knows that there is benefit to using weights outside of the water as well! The only downfall was the one day I wasn't able to get into a gym to do my cardio I decided to run outside. Now for those of you familiar with Vermont, they do not pave the roads very well, they tend to slant down the sides. I ran on them anyway and developed a knee strain :( Between the uneven pavement and tight hamstrings (from running the tough mudder and not doing a great job stretching after my leg workout the day before) my knee did not like me and is now out of commission. This means leg days is discontinued for the time being, along with most cardio. I'm trying not to let this set me back at all, keeping my upper body lifts either high volume or high weight to keep my metabolism up. I don't want to push myself to making this injury any worse so I am being smart about it and staying off of it until it is ready to move again. I think once I have recovered from this I will incorporate more yoga and prehab type exercises into my routine to avoid any other injuries.
Friday, July 26, 2013
July 26th,
So as of this past Sunday I have finally broke 20% body fat!! Just barely. This week I added in a little cardio, 3 days of a moderate 30 minutes, keeping my weight training about the same. But since I am participating in the Tough Mudder tomorrow, I only lifted 3 days this week, instead of my normal 5. For those who don't know, Tough Mudder is an ~11 mile race with around 18 obstacles throughout the route. Obstacles include jumping off 15+ foot ledges into water, barreling under barbwire through muddy trenches and getting electrocuted, slightly. So in preparation to complete this thing I have tapered out my training the last 2 days.
As of tomorrow I will be about 12 weeks away from the competition I would most like to compete in. However, there is one a week later and another one 3 weeks later incase I can't get ready in time. My goal for this week coming up is to add in more cardio, but add in some HIIT (high intensity interval training) and sticking to the diet. I'm contemplating doing a carb cycle (where you do 3 days low carb followed by 1 day high carb), but will probably wait to attempt that in a week or 2 after I make a quick trip home to Vermont to see my family. Traveling always makes it difficult on diet, especially when people don't understand how critical each meal can be when your training for something like this.
Well wish me luck at the Tough Mudder tomorrow!
So as of this past Sunday I have finally broke 20% body fat!! Just barely. This week I added in a little cardio, 3 days of a moderate 30 minutes, keeping my weight training about the same. But since I am participating in the Tough Mudder tomorrow, I only lifted 3 days this week, instead of my normal 5. For those who don't know, Tough Mudder is an ~11 mile race with around 18 obstacles throughout the route. Obstacles include jumping off 15+ foot ledges into water, barreling under barbwire through muddy trenches and getting electrocuted, slightly. So in preparation to complete this thing I have tapered out my training the last 2 days.
As of tomorrow I will be about 12 weeks away from the competition I would most like to compete in. However, there is one a week later and another one 3 weeks later incase I can't get ready in time. My goal for this week coming up is to add in more cardio, but add in some HIIT (high intensity interval training) and sticking to the diet. I'm contemplating doing a carb cycle (where you do 3 days low carb followed by 1 day high carb), but will probably wait to attempt that in a week or 2 after I make a quick trip home to Vermont to see my family. Traveling always makes it difficult on diet, especially when people don't understand how critical each meal can be when your training for something like this.
Well wish me luck at the Tough Mudder tomorrow!
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Working it Out
For the last few weeks I have been working towards a new goal. I have had this image of becoming a fitness competitor in my head for well over a year now and realized that, no I'm not old, but I'm not getting any younger and the longer I put this off the more difficult it was going to be. I have been doing a lot of research and trying to determine the right macronutrient ratio, the right lifting split and the best way to get the most out of my cardio. I have determined I need to drop a few pounds and about 5%-8% body fat, which is going to be the real test of my capabilities. Yes, I have helped hundreds of people work on losing weight, and they have been successful, but this new trail I am embarking on is at a higher level that I am figuring out as I go.
The first week or so of my program I had a macronutrient balance of 40% protein, 30% carbs and 30% fats. I could not handle that, not enough carbs for me to function properly in society, meaning I was cranky due to the low blood sugar. So I switched my macro balance to 40% protein, 40% carbs and 20% fats which so far has been working wonderfully. My lifting split is pretty much a single muscle group each day, with a few days of HIIT. I'm trying not to do to much cardio first off so I don't run out of tricks in my bag later on down the road. I started taking creatine. Trying it out to see what happens to my body. After about a week I like what its done so far.
Now, after officially starting my program I have lost about 4 pounds but have not been able to break 20% body fat....stupid machine. I am using the hand help bodyfat measuring device, which can have a slight error to it, but I don't want to use that as an excuse as to why the body fat is not going down. I have definitely seen quite a difference visual as to the transformation my body has gone through, the definition in my arms are noticeable and my core is definitely slimmed down. I bought a skinfold caliper, which tends to be a bit more accurate when you have someone taking measurements who has some experience with them. Now to find someone who has experience with them.
The first week or so of my program I had a macronutrient balance of 40% protein, 30% carbs and 30% fats. I could not handle that, not enough carbs for me to function properly in society, meaning I was cranky due to the low blood sugar. So I switched my macro balance to 40% protein, 40% carbs and 20% fats which so far has been working wonderfully. My lifting split is pretty much a single muscle group each day, with a few days of HIIT. I'm trying not to do to much cardio first off so I don't run out of tricks in my bag later on down the road. I started taking creatine. Trying it out to see what happens to my body. After about a week I like what its done so far.
Now, after officially starting my program I have lost about 4 pounds but have not been able to break 20% body fat....stupid machine. I am using the hand help bodyfat measuring device, which can have a slight error to it, but I don't want to use that as an excuse as to why the body fat is not going down. I have definitely seen quite a difference visual as to the transformation my body has gone through, the definition in my arms are noticeable and my core is definitely slimmed down. I bought a skinfold caliper, which tends to be a bit more accurate when you have someone taking measurements who has some experience with them. Now to find someone who has experience with them.
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