I just completed the first week of my diet and I am on to my second week. This is so much harder than I thought it was going to be. I almost had a meltdown in the grocery store because the only things I could buy were vegetables while my boyfriend was buying sausage links, frozen lasagna, and my personal all time favorite; cereal. Do you know how hard it is to go from eating Cinnamon Toast Crunch, to eating rice cakes? I hate rice cakes. I am also not used to cooking and packaging up my meals for the week. Fortunately, my work schedule allows me time in the morning to cook so I don't have to do it all on one day.
I keep thinking I should have done this earlier in the year. The weather is getting warmer and everyone wants to have margaritas on the patio, and go to the lake and barbeque. Just this week alone I have been to 2 restaurants that do not have many healthy options, I have been to the lake where drinking and grilling festivities have been going on, I have been invited to float the river where the only thing you do there is lay down, eat, and drink, and I have gone down to 6th street in Austin. Now you should be proud of me because I did not cave in at all; I was Designated Driver when we went downtown, and I packed and brought my food with me to everything else. I do, however, feel left out. I keep telling myself, "Only 13 more weeks!"
On another note, I have been feeling discouraged lately. I have a long way to go. Just the other day during posing practice, I was looking around at everyone and I am A LOT softer than the rest of them. Everyone else has very low body fat percentage and bigger muscles than I do. I want to do well in the competition; and when I mean do well, I mean place top 5 (as long as there are more than 5 people competing)..... No, let's be honest, I want a trophy, so top 3. As of right now, however, I would be lucky to come in last. Everyone says that wherever you carry most of your fat is where it will take the longest to come off. Unfortunately, mine is smack dab on my lower abdomen for the judges and everyone to see. Now if there is a contest for best belly flab, I am sure to take it!
I am not going to let my aversion to rice cakes and my alcohol cravings take me down. I am determined to power through and perform well. I just hope it goes by fast!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
14 Weeks Out
Today is the first official start of my diet. This week, it's all about low carbs and high protein. I think once I make it past the first 3 weeks, it will get easier. It's hard going from drinking margaritas, eating Salt-Lick Barbeque, and cereal to a low carb, low fat diet. So far I have done well; this morning I had 4 egg whites, 1 whole egg w/ 1 cup of spinach and 2 rice cakes. It wasn't the best tasting meal in the world, but I will be satisfied until snack time when I have my first protein shake of just water and vanilla protein powder. I am drinking vanilla because I despise chocolate....yes you did read correctly, I hate chocolate. All of the best tasting protein bars, shakes, and snacks are all chocolate. So yes, this is going to be even that much harder for me.
On a different note, I went to my first posing practice on Sunday. I know most people don't start practicing until about 8-12 weeks out, but I want to make sure that when I get up on stage, my pose is not something I am going to be worried about. Apparently, I learn very quickly. I was able to spread what lats I do have and create the illusion that waist is very tiny. I wasn't worried about flexing my other muscles during the posing class, because spreading my lats was hard enough. Did you realize how much harder it is to breath when you are trying to make your chest and back as big as possible? You would think it would be the other way around.
This is also the first day where I start doing hard core cardio. I have always had this aversion to cardio ever since I attempted to run track. My first and only track meet I ran the 800; Keep in mind, I had no track experience before that meet. When the gun went off and everyone started running I realized that I was falling behind at the very first curve. I decided that sprinting the entire way would be the best option. After I crossed the finish line, in next to last place, I passed out on the field and didn't come to for like 30 min. The rest of that weekend I was throwing up, having muscle spasms, and taking endless amounts of naps. Ever since then, I have avoided any and all forms of cardio.
I am going to take this one day at a time; better yet, one hour at a time. I know I can do this, I just need A LOT of guidance along the way. Wish me luck!
On a different note, I went to my first posing practice on Sunday. I know most people don't start practicing until about 8-12 weeks out, but I want to make sure that when I get up on stage, my pose is not something I am going to be worried about. Apparently, I learn very quickly. I was able to spread what lats I do have and create the illusion that waist is very tiny. I wasn't worried about flexing my other muscles during the posing class, because spreading my lats was hard enough. Did you realize how much harder it is to breath when you are trying to make your chest and back as big as possible? You would think it would be the other way around.
This is also the first day where I start doing hard core cardio. I have always had this aversion to cardio ever since I attempted to run track. My first and only track meet I ran the 800; Keep in mind, I had no track experience before that meet. When the gun went off and everyone started running I realized that I was falling behind at the very first curve. I decided that sprinting the entire way would be the best option. After I crossed the finish line, in next to last place, I passed out on the field and didn't come to for like 30 min. The rest of that weekend I was throwing up, having muscle spasms, and taking endless amounts of naps. Ever since then, I have avoided any and all forms of cardio.
I am going to take this one day at a time; better yet, one hour at a time. I know I can do this, I just need A LOT of guidance along the way. Wish me luck!
Friday, April 1, 2011
15 Weeks Out
I am just about 15 weeks out of competition and I don't know what I am doing; I keep wondering what I am getting myself into, haha! I have been consistently strength training for about 4 weeks now. I train Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays with one of the best trainers in the city, Teri. I also participate in camps on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. I have a lot of work to do.
When I first started training with Teri, I had no idea how weak I was! I went in thinking that I would be able to lift all of this weight, and to my surprise, I wasn't even close. When I did my first set of seated incline alternating bicep curls I could only do 8 reps at 7lbs and I had to have Teri assist me with the last 2 reps on each set. I was so embarrassed! My first 2 weeks were so much harder than I thought they were going to be. Everything I did exhausted me; squats, curls, rows, all of it!
Lately, I haven't been getting tired as easily, and I have actually doubled my weight on my seated alternating incline curls; from 7lbs to 15lbs, on my own, at 4 sets of 10reps! Physically, I haven't noticed any changes in myself which makes me sort of nervous. I am basically supposed to look somewhat close to Monica Brant by July and I am not even close.
People say that abs are made in the kitchen, and it has finally start to hit me that they are 100% right. Food is my biggest weakness. During the day, my diet is usually on point. Once night time hits though, I feel like the cookie monster. I cannot stop eating! The worst part about it is I CRAVE carbs at night, especially cereal. And not just any cereal, Cinnamon Toast Crunch! That is all I ever want. I want to eat 3 bowls of it every night. There is just something about the sweet, cinnamon flavor crunch mixed with the cold milk that stops me in my tracks. I finally stopped buying it from the grocery store, but I find myself opening the fridge and pantry just to find SOMETHING that will fill that void. So far, I have been unsuccessful. I have to find a suitable alternative fast if I want to do well at my competition.
As you can see, I have a long way to go; both mentally and physically. I hope you enjoy my blog and feel free to post suggestions. I will take all the help I can get!
When I first started training with Teri, I had no idea how weak I was! I went in thinking that I would be able to lift all of this weight, and to my surprise, I wasn't even close. When I did my first set of seated incline alternating bicep curls I could only do 8 reps at 7lbs and I had to have Teri assist me with the last 2 reps on each set. I was so embarrassed! My first 2 weeks were so much harder than I thought they were going to be. Everything I did exhausted me; squats, curls, rows, all of it!
Lately, I haven't been getting tired as easily, and I have actually doubled my weight on my seated alternating incline curls; from 7lbs to 15lbs, on my own, at 4 sets of 10reps! Physically, I haven't noticed any changes in myself which makes me sort of nervous. I am basically supposed to look somewhat close to Monica Brant by July and I am not even close.
People say that abs are made in the kitchen, and it has finally start to hit me that they are 100% right. Food is my biggest weakness. During the day, my diet is usually on point. Once night time hits though, I feel like the cookie monster. I cannot stop eating! The worst part about it is I CRAVE carbs at night, especially cereal. And not just any cereal, Cinnamon Toast Crunch! That is all I ever want. I want to eat 3 bowls of it every night. There is just something about the sweet, cinnamon flavor crunch mixed with the cold milk that stops me in my tracks. I finally stopped buying it from the grocery store, but I find myself opening the fridge and pantry just to find SOMETHING that will fill that void. So far, I have been unsuccessful. I have to find a suitable alternative fast if I want to do well at my competition.
As you can see, I have a long way to go; both mentally and physically. I hope you enjoy my blog and feel free to post suggestions. I will take all the help I can get!
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