Friday, November 8, 2013

"Jack is in the gym"

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 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!!!!!!