Update

10 1/2 weeks out.

Oh my, how time is flying by!  I can't believe how fast everything has been happening, yet sometimes I feel like I get nothing accomplished!  My priorities are all catawanky (yes, that is now a word) and half the time, I am not entirely sure just exactly what I am supposed to be doing!

To help me stay on track, I have my meal plan and my workout calander with what bodyparts, etc. I am working on my fridge and the sad thing is, I have to look at it daily.  How many ounces of salmon?  Was it 6 or 8?  I can't seem to remember things lately, so I have to keep it all out in front of me!  I don't know where I would be if I didn't make myself literally put everything in my calendar on my phone, because if I don't, I would probably forget it! (Note to self:  posing practice with Shawna on Friday at 5:30ish!)

The last couple of weeks have gone pretty well (considering the lack of peanut butter...).  This last week was probably my best where I even felt like I was seeing some changes.  On Friday, I put on a pair of jeans that I had just tried on 2 weeks prior, and there was no way I was going to wear them in public.  Still too much muffin top.  But, after a 3 lb drop, I decided to give them another try and they fit beautifully!  I was so excited.  There was even a pair of slacks that didn't quite fit, but I wore them to work yesterday.  On Saturday, I hit the 131 lb mark, which is a milestone for me.  I am pretty sure I haven't weighed that much since before my 18 year old son was born, and I am pretty sure I have a lot more muscle now, then I did back then! :)

Jon made some changes in my diet and we are cycling carbs right now.  I was worried at first.  I had heard so many horror stories about it, but once I got started, I found that the plan was very filling and I didn't feel like I was missing anything.  I mean, don't get me wrong...  I miss my oatmeal, like I miss my peanut butter, but other then that, it hasn't been bad at all.  When I did get a carb day last week, it wasn't all it was cracked up to be, because my shakes were with plain ole water instead of almond milk and I didn't get to have any avocado with my chicken.  Yes, I just said that.  After a week and a half, I actually look forward to my 3 oz of avocado at lunch!  With that said, this last meal plan really made me make adjustments to foods again and try things out of my comfort zone.  My 3 main meals all had something new for me to eat.  Here is what they have been...

Meal 1 introduced spinach.  Now, I have had spinach in salads, etc. but that included a lot of dressing, etc.  This go around, it was spinich with egg whites and a whole egg.  2 oz of spinach looks like a lot, until you scramble it with your eggs, but it is still not my favorite.  I hate the slimy gritty feeling it leaves on my teeth afterwards!  Surpisingly, it is very filling and I have no hunger pains waiting for my shake mid-morning.

Egg white / 1 whole egg / spinach

Meal 3 introduced Avocado.  I even emailed Jon back and said that I was really scared to even try this!  I couldn't stand the taste/texture/color/smell...  you name it!  The first day, I really struggled.  I even tried looking and seeing if I could come up with an equivelent to switch it out with peanut butter, but I knew that if things were going to work, I have to be honest with my food and eat what he has planned for me, because if results don't happen, and things don't make sense, I only have myself to blame.  It took me a bit, but I found that I prefer it room temperature, freshly cut open, then mashed up and I sea salt the living hell out of it!  Once that is accomplished, I use it as a dip for my chicken and it really helps for those days I accidently nuke the chicken too long and it starts to dry out.  So, bring on the avocado...  I am getting it all in! :)  Again, this meal is VERY filling!  It allows me to push back my next shake so that I can have it a little closer to my workout in the evening and not feel hungry while lifting weights.

chicken / green beans / avocado

Meal 5, another fish.  Really???  I just got used to Tilapia and now Salmon is added.  I pretty much cook it the same as I did the Tilapia (see one of my previous posts) and I am getting used to it, but I think that I prefer the Tilapia.  Along with the salmon, I get to have my favorite, asparagus with this meal.  Pretty darn good end to my day and usually eaten post workout.

Salmon / asparagus / broccoli

My carb day is a treat.  I savor every last bit of my oatmeal for breakfast and the brown rice at dinner is really good too.  Rice cakes with my shakes are nice too...  just feel like I get to have a little bit 'more' and crunchy/salty makes it feel like a treat.

So, overall, the carb cycling is going well.  I do notice after a couple of days, I am pretty tired, but my workouts haven't suffered as I am still lifting the same capacity that I was when I started this plan.  I haven't been able to push as much away from training with Shawna, because I don't always have Lance with me in the evenings to spot me, but I do what I can.  When he is with me, he is great about taking time out of his set to spot me, so that I can go up on the weights.  Heck, after my carb day on Sunday, I was still dead tired trying to wake up on Monday morning for cardio.  That has been the hardest.  I never had a problem getting up to weight train, because I would eat, take my pre-workout and would be awake and ready to go.  Getting up to do cardio before breakfast, it is really hard to get your body and mind moving.  Now that we just got our taxes back, I am on the lookout for a step machine so that I can do cardio at home.  It would save so much time in the mornings with equals more sleep!

After posing on Saturday, I took some pictures so I could see how things compared from a couple of weeks ago.  Man, I miss my spray tan!  :)  We just found out that we will be changing our back pose, which means literally getting our butt in gear so that it shows well.  This is my worry area...  Butt and thighs appear to be the last place for me to drop fat and I am worried about being too lean in my upper body.  You can now see the outline of my pacemaker and wires when I am in my front pose and you can see it move around when I am lifting, which is kind of crazy! (Don't worry, when it first 'exposed' itself, I checked it out with my cardiologist and all is good!)  I am trusting the process that when I follow the plan, Jon and Shawna will get my butt where it needs to be and ready for what ever posing will be required.

It has been amazing going to practice each week and seeing the changes all the girls are making and how great everyone is looking.  Honestly, what a great group of people to be around, so positive and motivating each in their own way.  We all have different things going on and are in different phases, but we can all relate well to each other and lean on each other when needed.  Here is my progress over the last couple of weeks...

I can see a bit more cut in my waist

I wish I could see a little more progress here...  Definitely my trouble area!

For fun...  I decided to update my bicep pictures.  These I was impressed with.  I can see a lot more definition, but I am also down about 8lbs between the two photos...




01/04/2013 - 140lbs

02/22/2013 - 132 lbs

Well...  still following a pretty crazy schedule and competition season officially will be kicking off this Saturday.  Trinity performs around 10:30 am for her solo and then team competition starts around 4pm.  It is in Caldwell, so I will be staying around there the whole day, which means having meals 2 - 5 packed and with me and most likely eaten cold all day.  Not looking forward to it (especially the salmon), unless I get lucky and it is a carb day, then my meals will be much easier to get down cold, so we will have to see.  The following week will be my first out of town trip since starting prep.  A dance convention for Trinity in Ogden, UT.  I have given my trainers a head up, so that I can pack food properly and they will let me know if any of those travel days will be a carb day.  Fortunately, I can get a microwave for my hotel room and the hotel is less then a block away from the convention, so I won't be forced to eat cold food!  The fun part will be passing on any treats that all the girls will surely want to have after their long day of dancing has concluded.  I am confindent I can do it though, especially since everyone I am traveling with knows what I am doing, so there is no way I am going to slip up!  I also have already done my research and found an Anytime Fitness within 10 minutes of my hotel, so I will have no problems getting cardio and training in.

Well, that was a pretty long update!  If you stuck around for the whole thing, I commend you!  I probably would have bailed long ago! hahaha.  I do this so that I can go back later, and remember what the process was, how I was feeling, my worries and fears, etc. so that when I do this again, I know I will be able to push through again.  Yes, I have already decided even before stepping on stage that I am pretty sure this won't be my first season of doing this.  Having this type of goal and drive is an amazing feeling...  even when you are watching your kids eat all the crazy bread they want and the smell of garlic and bread is all through your house.  Being able to tell yourself that you don't need it, is very impowering.  There will be a time and a place where I can have that crazy bread every so often, and it won't be the end of the world when I do, but for now, for these short 3 months, I am focused and dedicated and I couldn't be happier about it!  The changes I have already made, just in my food habits, what I will eat, etc. is crazy!  Although...  I don't care how much yellow mustard you throw at me...  I won't budge on that one!

Till next time!
Keep reaching for those goals, because they ARE attainable!

Holidays and Prep... Pure EVIL!

No amount of dessert flavored sugar free gum will ever help with the temptations that Holiday eating and treats are pushed in front of us.  How strong am I really?  I guess today we find out!

I am avoiding the break room at the office.  Once a month, we have a 'Birthday' party for those employees celebrating their birthday which usually involves, cake, ice cream or some other treat.  For day-to-day maintenance, I can partake and enjoy these little treats on occasion, but being in prep for a contest is a whole different matter.  Everything counts...  There is no "I will just do a little extra cardio" because you are already working out so much and are so exhausted that you just can't do anymore!  I forgot that the little celebration was going to be this morning in conjunction with Valentine's Day and as I walked by the break room to deliver some paperwork, I saw it...  The plethera of goodies...  Donuts, rice krispie treats, cupcakes, crackers, cheese and some fruit and a small veggie platter.  I stopped, gawked for a few seconds and then told myself to "move along!".  I didn't go to the party...  Even though there are many people here at the office that know what I am doing, I couldn't take the "Oh, you can't eat this, huh?"  While I try to keep to the thought that this is a choice to not eat items that aren't on my plan, it really boils down that even I find myself using the word can't as well.  Good ole reverse phsycology...  You tell me I can't do something and then I want it even more!  Fortunately, there is a separate break room upstairs where I work in the office, so I can fill my water bottle, make my lunch, etc. and not have to put myself even near the goodies...  Now, to just get them out of my mind!  Where is that Strawberry Shortcake gum?  That will help for about 5 minutes!

The last two weeks have been kind of crazy.  Work has been busy, which helps to keep my mind off of food (I eat when I am bored, and sitting at an office desk all day doesn't help!), but has also made me mentally fatigued.  Workout intensity has increased for my prep.  Cardio is now up to 5 x's a week at 40 minutes and I strength train 6 days a week.  Cardio is first thing in the morning, weights in the evening and still trying to find time to spend time with the family, prep food, etc. 

Usually on Wednesday and Friday, I get a bit of a break (no dance class for Trinity), but last week, Trinity had a basketball halftime performance on Wednesday and was in her school talent show on Friday night.  Then, she had a dance camp on Saturday and performed again Saturday night at the BSU basketball game.  We tried to enjoy my cheat meal after the game, but I was so exhausted it didn't matter what I ate at that point!  This week, on my Wednesday "night off" I spent the evening making treats for Trinity's class Valentine's party.  It never fails...  it seems there is always something going on!  I have tried to make Sunday a complete rest day from training and cardio, but when I do, then I am a sluggish mess and don't even get out of my PJ's for the day!  Thank God for my husband who picks up the pieces for me.  He cooks dinner every night for the kids and usually my dinner as well.  He reminds me of things that I need to get ready for the next day, especially since lately, I have been so forgetful.  He does the laundry so the kids have uniforms for school and I have workout clothes (two a day workouts makes for lots of laundry!).  When I get home from work, the dishes are always done and then I come into the kitchen and dirty them again when I prep my food for the next day and he never complains when I am too tired when I am done to wash them again.  With all this being said, I have been receiving so much help and support and I have been terrible at returning any sort of gratitude.  I have heard so many stories of women quitting because their significant others couldn't handle the time it took away from them or the family, but Lance has been a rock solid support and I can't thank him enough.  I know he will be there for me for this whole process and it makes me realize just how lucky I am!

I keep trying to tell myself that it will get better...  But, the more I think on it...  things are just getting started!  Lias is a Senior this year, so we are busy with college stuff, he will have Senior projects and presentations (I felt so bad that yesterday was History Day at school and I didn't even know that he was presenting a web page that he created for his project.  Note to self...  ask to see his project!) and Trinity's dance competition season is starting and will run up until two weeks before my first show (including some out of town travel).  This in turn, may mean extra rehearsals, working on solo, etc.  She competes her solo this Saturday and I still haven't finished her costume!

Breathe in...  Breathe out...  That is about all I can do right now!  Accept whatever help I can get from family and friends and put forth my best effort.  My situation is nothing special...  Everyone has obstacles in their lives that they need to work through, whether it is work, family, finances, etc.  We just keep trucking forward and give it our all whenever possible.  I love the comment my new friend and fellow competitor (Lyndsay) made the other day...  One day at a time, one meal at a time, one workout at a time.  So true!

Now time to focus on Valentine's Day being about showing appreciation for those you love...  it is not about sugar and sweets!

Blah fish... But I got a tan! :)

14 weeks out!
I am really starting to have some fun with this!  Getting that first posing practice out of the way last week and then on Monday, my trainer Shawna sat me down, got in my face and told me that I am doing everything I need to be doing, follow the plan, eat the food, enjoy the process and quit fretting!  So, that is exactly what i did!  Even my husband said that he has seen a difference in me (for the good) this week and with all that stress lifted, I actually feel like I am seeing some progress!  I was definitely a lot more confident during posing practice again today.  Of course, it was also nice that before hand, I got a fabulous spray tan!  Everything looks better when it is tan! :)