Not trying to mislead you but you are about to see pictures of me in a bikini. If you are going to be all weirded out about it, stop here. If not, proceed to:
Friday, November 8, 2013
Competition Pics
Hey! So, I'm not sure if you remember, but a few weeks and about 10 pounds ago I did this bikini competition. Yeah? Well, here are some pics from it!
Having had time to think back on this journey (and eat Nutella, Halloween candy, sugar cookies, buttered popcorn, and lots and lots of cheese), I come to the conclusion that I'm not sure what to think. Part of me wants to do it again. Part of me doesn't. The actual show is NOT the reason I'd do it again. Comparing my body to some of the other girls', I just am not sure I have the right shape to win in a big competition. Bummer. Oh, and I'm 33, not 20. Another bummer. That only means that when I was in my early 20's all I had to think about was me. I got to choose to go to school, work, the gym, etc. Now I choose to take care of my kids. And that makes it a lot harder to train to compete. So the main question is: Is it worth it?
Tom's not sure.
I'm not sure.
I definitely don't want to do it alone. I see a lot of people who train with friends. They have a "team" and that just looks like a much better experience.
And I don't want to pay a trainer. I think I pretty much got it down. I need someone for accountability but I'm not sure that's worth $1,200.
It has been a difficult adjustment to go from competition training to normal life. I feel like I have no self control. I'd like to blame it on the holidays.
The first week off of my supplements was hard. I was tired All. The. Time. And I kind of had the "after Christmas blues" but it was after competition -- like, what happens now?
I'm better now. We are getting our new house organized and my life is coming together.
Anyway, enough talking. Here are the pictures where I look the fittest I have ever looked. I have to say that my legs are AWESOME!
Monday, October 28, 2013
New Training Program
I Facebook follow this girl (and her group) at Sisters In Shape. She has competed for 3 years and she looks fantastic. In a FB post she answered questions about her plan to get on stage -- like 20 minutes tops of cardio and 30-40 of lifting for the 3 months before a show. She also eats 1800-2000 calories a day. The big thing for me is that she doesn't take a diuretic before the show -- the main reason the show wasn't the best experience for me. I was so thirsty and dehydrated. I felt awful. I know there has to be a better way for me.
Anyway, I like my workouts. They are similar to this but she does more weight lifting. I think I'm going to cut some cardio and do more weights. This will be my new lifting program. I'll change it up a little every week but this should give awesome results.
For the warm-up I plan on doing 20 minutes of cardio (more on "cheat meal" days) using the same machine for one week, then switching for the next week.
And PS, Tom is going to do it as well so it's not just a girl thing.
Monday, October 21, 2013
The Show
And now the post we've all been waiting for.
It's over! I did it. I reached my goal to go from labor and delivery to bikini competition in under a year. And I actually feel like I was ready for it (as opposed to just doing the competition).
The breakdown of the week before the competition is this:
I was at my parents' house with my girls. Jerry cut out my 2nd cardio workout of the day and I was so happy about that. I didn't have to have them babysit twice a day! So I was doing one 35 minute intervals session and lifting weights.
The first part of the week I only got to eat 1/2 cup of oats and the rest of my calories were protein and fat. It was awful. I had zero energy. Then he added back in a whole bunch of carbs and I was a much happier Kelli.
I started taking a diuretic (water pill) on Monday. On Friday I cut out drinking water completely. For like 10 minutes. Then I just sucked on ice or sipped when I was thirsty. I had to cut out as much water weight as I could so I looked more cut and my muscles popped.
On Thursday I got my hair done. I decided to go a little darker. We picked Dark Blonde for the roots and Light Blonde for the ombre. Dark Blonde is a little darker than planned. I'm getting used to it now and I like it for fall.
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| Before |
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| After |
I got a spray tan on Friday at noon. Hilarious! I got to this girl's home salon and she had a little tent. First she gave me a shower cap I started putting it on. She was like, "you want to take your clothes off first." I was like, "all of them?" "Yep." "Ok." So there I am all clothes-less in her tent and she's spraying me with dark brown/orange spray that reeks like... uh... spray tan. Then she tells me to bend over because I had two little lines under my bum. It was so awkward. But I did. Then I was all, "sorry if there's toilet paper..." Hehehe. There wasn't.
At least my teeth are are ultra white.
Two days earlier I actually looked like my kids. Morgan was a little freaked out and wanted me to wash it off.
Show-Time
I woke up at 7 and had to be at Granger High School at 9:30. It seems like a lot of time but it takes a while to prepare breakfast of 7 egg whites and a cup of oats. By then I was I was so sick of egg whites. I couldn't finish the breakfast. Plus I was already so thirsty and not drinking.
The prejudging was running behind and bikini didn't get on stage until like 1:00. I was dying of thirst and thinking of how much fun this wasn't. Back stage stunk like BO and spray tan and everyone was orange. It was like a stinky, good-looking Oompa Loompa village.
Then it was my turn to go on stage. They were out of time so they just had us all go together. I was standing there with a bunch of other girls thinking that I was going to die of dehydration and wondering what the crap I was doing to myself. It sucked. And the judges didn't even look at me. I can honestly say that prejudging was not a good experience. I didn't have fun. I didn't feel good. I may have looked okay but I stunk of spray tan and sweat, just like everyone else.
I drove back to my mother-in-law's house where my family was to hang out with them and take a nap before the night show. I was pretty emotional because of the judging and feeling crappy and being tired. I just cried on the drive. I told Tom I was not going to do another show. I mean, I'm into this thing a whole lot of money. The least that could have happened is that the judges pretended to look at me too. Maybe I didn't look like the top 5 but I promise I wasn't bad to look at. My obliques alone were pretty awesome.
On the plus side, I did get to hang out with some pretty cool girls. Everyone was nice. I didn't experience any snobbiness. And I was happy for everyone that won. We all worked hard to be where we were.
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| The girls Jerry trained. Me, Amanda, Leanne |
The night show was more fun. I got my own time on stage. I really was happy for those who won. Leanne took 3rd and 4th in novice and natural. The thing is, almost everyone looked amazing. It would be hard to judge. Plus, everyone likes different things.
I am awarding myself with the most modest swimsuit award. Tom told me after that my mom was so uncomfortable and that made him so so so uncomfortable. Hahahaha! He said many of the suits left little to the imagination. So thank goodness for Target and Google so I could make my own suit with a little bigger bum.
Here is a video of my minute on stage. Enjoy!
Then for the best part of the day... Cafe Rio with my parents, Tom, and my friends, Natalie and Caroline. That pork burrito was worth it all.
I will have more pics of the show later. I just wanted to post this now.
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Life is Like a Friends Episode. Always.
I'm the girl who normally has spray paint on her hands instead of fingernail polish. And chewed up Sophie crackers on her shirt instead of rhinestones.
Not Saturday.
And I'm getting ready.
On a side note, I've done a lot of thinking through the years about which Friends character I'm most like. I've always wanted to be more of a Rachel but that's just not me.
I finally figured it out...
Just call me Dr. Rich.
Thursday, October 10, 2013
T Minus 8 Days
The countdown is ON! In only one week and one day I will be on stage!
Right now is crunch-time.
I'm already in Utah so I can finish training with Jerry and be there for height-check and weigh-in and get my hair done. Every competitor has to check in in person the day before the show or we get DQ'd. I'll also need to get a spray tan -- I'm going to look so unrealistically dark in real life but on stage it will be great.
I met with Jerry today to work on my back (lift). He also checked my body fat for the first time since I moved. A month ago I was 11% body fat and weighed 129.6-131 depending on when I weighed. Now I am 9% body fat and weigh 129.6. So I lost fat and gained muscle since I moved which is all I can ask for. Plus, I hit my competition goal! Jerry says I'm there. It's a good thing since the competition is here.
This week is where I will do things to dramatically change my body. And it's really the only unhealthy part of the whole process, which is why it's only for a week (actually 5 days).
To be on stage, you want to look as lean and cut as you can. To do that, some (or most) competitors have to lose water weight that week. I will be taking a diuretic and will probably lose 5 pounds of water. Like I said, not healthy. Not sustainable. But only for 5 days. And I will gain that weight back the night the show is over.
I have still been doing 3 days of lower carbs and a day of high carbs. That is changing now. For 2-3 days I'll be super low carbs and then no carbs for a couple of days. A few days before the show I will carb load to bulge my muscles. I honestly never knew that so much went into this. It has been really neat to see what happens with different things.
If you don't follow me on Instagram (@losscausekelli), here is a before/after. The before was taken 4 months ago.
Reach your goals!
Right now is crunch-time.
I'm already in Utah so I can finish training with Jerry and be there for height-check and weigh-in and get my hair done. Every competitor has to check in in person the day before the show or we get DQ'd. I'll also need to get a spray tan -- I'm going to look so unrealistically dark in real life but on stage it will be great.
I met with Jerry today to work on my back (lift). He also checked my body fat for the first time since I moved. A month ago I was 11% body fat and weighed 129.6-131 depending on when I weighed. Now I am 9% body fat and weigh 129.6. So I lost fat and gained muscle since I moved which is all I can ask for. Plus, I hit my competition goal! Jerry says I'm there. It's a good thing since the competition is here.
This week is where I will do things to dramatically change my body. And it's really the only unhealthy part of the whole process, which is why it's only for a week (actually 5 days).
To be on stage, you want to look as lean and cut as you can. To do that, some (or most) competitors have to lose water weight that week. I will be taking a diuretic and will probably lose 5 pounds of water. Like I said, not healthy. Not sustainable. But only for 5 days. And I will gain that weight back the night the show is over.
I have still been doing 3 days of lower carbs and a day of high carbs. That is changing now. For 2-3 days I'll be super low carbs and then no carbs for a couple of days. A few days before the show I will carb load to bulge my muscles. I honestly never knew that so much went into this. It has been really neat to see what happens with different things.
If you don't follow me on Instagram (@losscausekelli), here is a before/after. The before was taken 4 months ago.
Reach your goals!
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Up 4 Pounds!
Well guess who decided to show up unannounced after almost 2 years. That's right. Aunt Flo and her boyfriend, 4 pounds of water retention. I literally texted Jerry and asked if I should be freaking out. The answer is no. The good thing is that it is only water weight and that I'll lose it by show-time. The bad news is that I'm all squishy now and that's not encouraging.
Let me just tell you that it's a good thing the show is in 2 weeks and 3 days. Because. I. Am. Burnt. Out. Or is it "burned" out? Either way, I am. I am done with 2-a-days and not being able to go out to eat with my family. I am tired of horse-pill sized supplements. But I'm not tired of looking the best I've ever looked. That's fun. I think mostly my family is ready for me to be able to go out with them again. Morgan asks all the time if we can go to a restaurant and Tom can't wait to go on an actual date with me that includes both of us eating the restaurant food. It's been 4 months. Since June!
Of course I'm keeping the focus for the sprint to the finish line. My whole goal was to go from the labor & delivery room to a bikini competition in 1 year (and look ready for it, obviously). I'm going to make it, dang it!
Here is the flyer with the info for the show. If I were you and coming to watch it, I'd probably go to the night show. It starts at 6pm at Granger High School on October 19th. It's $30 to get in (kind of pricy, I know, but there will be some cool looking body builders there). I would love to see people I know there but I'm not going to guilt anyone into coming. Come if you want. If you do come, find me after and say hi!
Let me just tell you that it's a good thing the show is in 2 weeks and 3 days. Because. I. Am. Burnt. Out. Or is it "burned" out? Either way, I am. I am done with 2-a-days and not being able to go out to eat with my family. I am tired of horse-pill sized supplements. But I'm not tired of looking the best I've ever looked. That's fun. I think mostly my family is ready for me to be able to go out with them again. Morgan asks all the time if we can go to a restaurant and Tom can't wait to go on an actual date with me that includes both of us eating the restaurant food. It's been 4 months. Since June!
Of course I'm keeping the focus for the sprint to the finish line. My whole goal was to go from the labor & delivery room to a bikini competition in 1 year (and look ready for it, obviously). I'm going to make it, dang it!
Here is the flyer with the info for the show. If I were you and coming to watch it, I'd probably go to the night show. It starts at 6pm at Granger High School on October 19th. It's $30 to get in (kind of pricy, I know, but there will be some cool looking body builders there). I would love to see people I know there but I'm not going to guilt anyone into coming. Come if you want. If you do come, find me after and say hi!
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Not Skinny!
I was so wrong last weekend when I said the competition was 3 weeks away. It's not on the 12th. It's on the 19th! So now it's 3 1/2 weeks until I get my batch of cookies and pork burrito. But that's okay. A relief, actually. I'm almost ready but there are some tricks I still need to accomplish before then.
Suit:
I got my suit! First of all, there's no way I'm spending $250 +++ on a swimsuit, which is the price of a nice blingy suit. Unless I'm being paid to be in it, it's not worth it. So I did some internet-ing and found a how-to on competition bikini making. It started with a trip to Target and another to Hobby Lobby. After all is said and done, my blinged-out suit cost maybe $50.
Recipe:
I have a recipe to share. It's kind of like chicken salad, but without the fat and calories of real chicken salad with mayo. I don't have exact measurements so if you do it you'll have to just do it according to taste.
Put thawed chicken breasts in the food processor. Once they are ground and not chunky, add celery. Real stocks of celery. Then add some ranch seasonings (or Italian or Caesar salad dressing seasoning). Cook it like you would cook ground beef. Put it over salad with rice. Enjoy!
There are a couple of things I want to address. I've had some comments where people are concerned that I'm not at a healthy body weight or that I'm making my readers think that being "skinny" is the thing to be.
During this entire process I have been at a healthy body weight for my height. I am 5'8" and from start to finish (post baby until now) I have been between 170 and 129 pounds. I should be anywhere from 126-167 pounds according to healthdiscovery.net.
I do not like the word "skinny." I am not skinny. I am healthy. I am fit. I eat a lot. I lift weights. Anyone could do the things I do and get the results I get. It has taken 10 months to get where I am so if anyone is looking for a quick weight-loss plan, this is not it. BUT, this is a healthy weight-loss plan. And when I say "weight," I mean "fat." I have gained muscle and lost fat, which I think is most people's goal. So yes, I do have a low body fat percentage and no, I am not unhealthy nor skinny.
I teach my daughter the difference in "treats" and healthy food. She would choose treats all the time and I let her sometimes. I don't ever say "skinny" or say that I'm fat. I don't want her to focus on those things. She needs to learn how to eat well and I'm trying to teach that.
The second thing I want to address is pictures of me in a bikini. Honestly, I'm not super comfortable in a bikini. I go to church and there are a lot of judgers at church. I don't love that. I've been called "worldly" behind my back by someone who was once a good friend. Most people understand but I guess I feel like I have to explain it to that small percentage. I'm not doing this for sexual attention. I am doing this as a goal for me and I post it on my blog to motivate others. Not to brag, not for attention.
The pictures below are of me before my phone call with Jerry yesterday. I made breakfast for my family before and changed a poopy diaper after. I feel like I'm going to roll my ankle in 4 1/2 inch heels. All of those things are real life. My life. Not a fantasy. But I love it!
PS The tanning bed has done wonders.
Friday, September 20, 2013
3 Weeks Out!
Three weeks to C-day. That's "cookie" day for those of you who didn't know. And when I say "day" I really mean night because the show gets over late.
I'm excited! I'm excited both for the show and the after party (dinner). I have worked so so so hard and I am seeing insane results. Of course there is always room for improvement, but that's what March is for (the next show-- if I do it).
For the next two weeks I'll be doing phone training with Jerry. That's basically where I have Tom take a picture of me posing and send it to Jerry and he tells me what I need to do to be ready. Right now I'm trying to build my glutes so I work them twice a week.
I'm still on two-a-day cardio. I do 35 minutes of intervals in the morning and 45 minutes in HR zone later in the day.
I'm also still on high/low carb days. I like different things about both menus. My favorite "treat" is Smart Balance butter. At first I couldn't eat the stuff without gagging unless it was on food (how normal people eat it). Now I just eat plain-ole SB butter. It's kind of like eating Lindt chocolate balls. You know, the texture, not the taste. But it does taste good.
I really need a cookie.
I have my suit! I'll do a post about it later this week. It's turquoise.
Oh, and I started tanning in the tanning bed. The first day I only did it for 8 minutes and didn't really get much so the next day I did 12 minutes. Totally burned my entire front torso. Ouch! I'm so getting skin cancer. Crap! But don't worry, the next day I tanned with a shirt over my front torso to get my back. Now my butt is a little pink and the cancer will be balanced.
We just moved to Idaho and I had to get a new gym. I found one a few miles from my house. It's open 24/7 and has tanning beds. Plus it's kind of a great deal for Idaho -- $20/month for gym and tanning plus $30/month for babysitting for both of my kids. Wooh! The bad news is that I have zero cell phone reception there so no chatting during cardio.
Training while moving was awful. I didn't exercise for a few days and my eating was off. I didn't progress during that time but I got right back on and things are looking good for the show.
Well, I just wanted to give you a quick update. And I want to invite you to the competition! It's Saturday, October 12 at 6 PM. Mark it on your calendars. It will be in Salt Lake City. I'll give you more deets soon. But for real, come.
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
5 Weeks 5 Days, and Counting!
A lot has happened since I last posted.
I went to my first body competition (to watch). Oh. My. Goodness. What have I gotten myself into. There's a possibility that I didn't realize that you're up there in this tiny bikini under high school auditorium lights trying to walk in 4 1/2 inch heels. Every little extra ounce of fat jiggles. Not cool. And this is on girls who look amazing. Fingers crossed that I can make it in 5 weeks and 5 days.
I stopped nursing when Sophie turned 9 months. She also grew two teeth and thinks it's funny to bite. So not funny. Anyway, now I am taking some supplements. I take pyruvate, amino acids, CLA, essential fatty acids, fat burner, and Blitzz (energy). I'll be honest. I don't like supplements. It's too soon to tell if they are working and they make me nauseated after I take them. Plus, swallowing like 10 big pills is not fun.
I now weigh around 130 lbs. Once in a while I hit the 129's but it usually bounces back up. I don't care about weight and I would love to gain some more muscle.
I'm 10.8% body fat. I have another 2-3 to go for the show. It's getting so close!
I've been able to run a couple of 5Ks. The first was The Color Run (so much fun!). If you have the chance to do it, DO IT!
The next was for Leamarado Days. That's the celebration of the town next to the town I'm from. I always run the 5k and this year I took 2nd while pushing Morgan in the jogger. It's a small race but fun to be there.
You know I'm planning what I'm going to eat the night of the show (when it's over). Right now I'm thinking of sharing a pork burrito from Cafe Rio then going home to have milk chocolate chip cookies/dough. Not just a cookie. A batch. And my mom said she'd make some of her delish frosting for me.
It's been pretty hard lately to not be burnt out. I am doing low/high carb days. That is 3 days of low carbs/calories and 1 day of high. On the low days I don't get fruit and I really have no meals to look forward to. I mean, there's only so much to do with chicken and rice, especially when you can't add salt (which I am not supposed to do anymore -- and for me that has been the hardest of this whole thing).
Here are a whole bunch of shameless selfies for you:
As hard as it can be at times, it's worth it! I feel so good. I mentally needed this after all the baby weight I put on. It has taken 9 months to get to where I am now!
I went to my first body competition (to watch). Oh. My. Goodness. What have I gotten myself into. There's a possibility that I didn't realize that you're up there in this tiny bikini under high school auditorium lights trying to walk in 4 1/2 inch heels. Every little extra ounce of fat jiggles. Not cool. And this is on girls who look amazing. Fingers crossed that I can make it in 5 weeks and 5 days.
I stopped nursing when Sophie turned 9 months. She also grew two teeth and thinks it's funny to bite. So not funny. Anyway, now I am taking some supplements. I take pyruvate, amino acids, CLA, essential fatty acids, fat burner, and Blitzz (energy). I'll be honest. I don't like supplements. It's too soon to tell if they are working and they make me nauseated after I take them. Plus, swallowing like 10 big pills is not fun.
I now weigh around 130 lbs. Once in a while I hit the 129's but it usually bounces back up. I don't care about weight and I would love to gain some more muscle.
I'm 10.8% body fat. I have another 2-3 to go for the show. It's getting so close!
I've been able to run a couple of 5Ks. The first was The Color Run (so much fun!). If you have the chance to do it, DO IT!
The next was for Leamarado Days. That's the celebration of the town next to the town I'm from. I always run the 5k and this year I took 2nd while pushing Morgan in the jogger. It's a small race but fun to be there.
You know I'm planning what I'm going to eat the night of the show (when it's over). Right now I'm thinking of sharing a pork burrito from Cafe Rio then going home to have milk chocolate chip cookies/dough. Not just a cookie. A batch. And my mom said she'd make some of her delish frosting for me.
It's been pretty hard lately to not be burnt out. I am doing low/high carb days. That is 3 days of low carbs/calories and 1 day of high. On the low days I don't get fruit and I really have no meals to look forward to. I mean, there's only so much to do with chicken and rice, especially when you can't add salt (which I am not supposed to do anymore -- and for me that has been the hardest of this whole thing).
Here are a whole bunch of shameless selfies for you:
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| With just the right posing and lighting, I've got cut abs! |
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| Before's in June (top left). Then end of July (ish). |
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| End of August |
Friday, August 16, 2013
What I Eat
I've had a lot of people tell me they'd like to lose weight but don't know where to start or what to eat. I think the nutrition part of a healthy lifestyle can be tricky and is often why people fail (well, that and lack of exercise ;)). So today I'm going to give you a breakdown of what I eat everyday.
I basically eat the same thing everyday. People have asked if I get tired of it. Nope, I don't. Because I get to swap out some things. Carbs for carbs (i.e. brown rice for quinoa), protein for protein (eggs for chicken), and fat for fat (avocado for Smart Balance butter).
Currently (and this changes as my muscle mass increases) I have a total of 1950 calories per day (probably more because I can eat as many veggies as I want, and I do).
Meal 1:
7 egg whites
1 cup oats
What can you do with that? Well, some days I have scrambled egg whites and mix cinnamon and Splenda with the oats for oatmeal (just add water -- and I don't always cook it). Some days I put it in a blender with cocoa and coconut extract and make chocolate coconut "pancakes." They're more dense than real pancakes but it's a change from scrambled egg whites and oatmeal.
Sometimes I swap the oats with cream of wheat or Ezekiel bread. If I'm really in a hurry I swap the eggs with protein powder.
Meal 2:
5 oz cottage cheese
1 c fruit
I'm not great at measuring the fruit. So I probably have a little more than a cup but I get hungry before and after this meal. Sometimes I blend the fruit with spinach, ice, and water for a smoothie.
Meal 3:
1/2 c brown rice
4 oz chicken
veggies
1 tbsp Smart Balance butter
I love this mixed or separate. I love it microwaved, sautéed, or in the oven. I swap the rice with red potatoes, sweet potatoes, quinoa, Ezekiel bread (if I'm in a hurry). I swap the chicken for egg whites when I haven't prepared chicken.
When I prepare chicken I try to do a whole bag at a time. That usually lasts about 4 days. Sometimes I cook it in the oven, sometimes I put it in the food processor to make ground chicken (and cook it like ground beef). I add seasoning like ranch powder, taco seasonings, or Mrs. Dash.
Meal 4:
1 large apple (or 2 small)
3 tbsp almond butter or peanut butter (natural -- purchased in the bulk section of Winco)
Meal 5:
Same as meal 3 but 1/2 tbsp Smart Balance butter instead of 1 tbsp.
Meal 6:
1 c avocado
4 egg whites
1 1/2 c berries
Sometimes I have almonds, almond butter or olives instead of avocado. Sometimes I cook the egg white in Smart Balance butter instead of having an avocado. And sometimes I have peaches or apple instead of berries.
By the way, I eat meal 6 around 9 or 10 PM. So you don't have to stop eating after 6 like you've heard so much. I hate going to bed hungry and I never do. But it is all about what you eat. Everything I have is natural and unprocessed (unless you count the Splenda).
This food scale is my best friend. It's Eat Smart brand and I got it on Amazon for around $30.
I really hope this helps those of you who have food questions. If you have other questions or would like me to expound, feel free to ask!
I basically eat the same thing everyday. People have asked if I get tired of it. Nope, I don't. Because I get to swap out some things. Carbs for carbs (i.e. brown rice for quinoa), protein for protein (eggs for chicken), and fat for fat (avocado for Smart Balance butter).
Currently (and this changes as my muscle mass increases) I have a total of 1950 calories per day (probably more because I can eat as many veggies as I want, and I do).
Meal 1:
7 egg whites
1 cup oats
What can you do with that? Well, some days I have scrambled egg whites and mix cinnamon and Splenda with the oats for oatmeal (just add water -- and I don't always cook it). Some days I put it in a blender with cocoa and coconut extract and make chocolate coconut "pancakes." They're more dense than real pancakes but it's a change from scrambled egg whites and oatmeal.
Sometimes I swap the oats with cream of wheat or Ezekiel bread. If I'm really in a hurry I swap the eggs with protein powder.
Meal 2:
5 oz cottage cheese
1 c fruit
I'm not great at measuring the fruit. So I probably have a little more than a cup but I get hungry before and after this meal. Sometimes I blend the fruit with spinach, ice, and water for a smoothie.
Meal 3:
1/2 c brown rice
4 oz chicken
veggies
1 tbsp Smart Balance butter
I love this mixed or separate. I love it microwaved, sautéed, or in the oven. I swap the rice with red potatoes, sweet potatoes, quinoa, Ezekiel bread (if I'm in a hurry). I swap the chicken for egg whites when I haven't prepared chicken.
When I prepare chicken I try to do a whole bag at a time. That usually lasts about 4 days. Sometimes I cook it in the oven, sometimes I put it in the food processor to make ground chicken (and cook it like ground beef). I add seasoning like ranch powder, taco seasonings, or Mrs. Dash.
Meal 4:
1 large apple (or 2 small)
3 tbsp almond butter or peanut butter (natural -- purchased in the bulk section of Winco)
Meal 5:
Same as meal 3 but 1/2 tbsp Smart Balance butter instead of 1 tbsp.
Meal 6:
1 c avocado
4 egg whites
1 1/2 c berries
Sometimes I have almonds, almond butter or olives instead of avocado. Sometimes I cook the egg white in Smart Balance butter instead of having an avocado. And sometimes I have peaches or apple instead of berries.
By the way, I eat meal 6 around 9 or 10 PM. So you don't have to stop eating after 6 like you've heard so much. I hate going to bed hungry and I never do. But it is all about what you eat. Everything I have is natural and unprocessed (unless you count the Splenda).
This food scale is my best friend. It's Eat Smart brand and I got it on Amazon for around $30.
I really hope this helps those of you who have food questions. If you have other questions or would like me to expound, feel free to ask!
Monday, August 12, 2013
Catching Up
Wow. It has been a roller coaster 2 weeks.
First, my hair. I promised an "after" pic. I had a little photo shoot with Debra Macfarlane Photography.
Now that my hair is darker I feel okay about getting a spray tan and fake eyelashes for the competition.
Next, we went to the lake for a weekend. It was a blast but there was no internet. Not even 4G. It was like going dark from the world. And that's not a bad thing but definitely different.
I ate and exercised almost according to plan while at the lake. There wasn't any exercise equipment so I just ran, which my trainer doesn't love because it is a killer on the joints. I like to run though.
The next few days was the hard part with exercise and nutrition. I took my girls and my mom to Boise and got all off schedule.
Three days of being off schedule was hard. I didn't eat enough and I didn't exercise enough. Eating treats wasn't the issue. It was really just sticking with the schedule. I didn't.
I met with my trainer, Jerry, and did a body analysis. I was stoked that I didn't lose any muscle during my crazy week. I lost a couple of pounds of fat though. Yay! The pic below is him. But in real life he's super nice and not so intimidating. He competes (I guess that's probably obvious). He also does online training so if you're looking for a trainer, contact him. He knows his stuff! From now on I will talk about Jerry and refer to him as "Jerry" and not "my trainer."
I'm now:
134 lb
13.9% body fat
One goal that I reached last week was fitting comfortably into my "goal jeans." They are the smallest jeans I own and I don't have a muffin-top in them! Talk about a good feeling! This is all worth it.
Sophie will be 9 months on Friday. That is also the day that we will be done nursing. She has 2 teeth and sometimes that's not a lot of fun. I've been just feeding her at night and in the morning to prepare us for the change. I feel a little guilty because I nursed Morgan for 11 months. I'm sure she won't feel ripped-off or like I love her less but I can't stop all of the mommy guilt.
First, my hair. I promised an "after" pic. I had a little photo shoot with Debra Macfarlane Photography.
Now that my hair is darker I feel okay about getting a spray tan and fake eyelashes for the competition.
Next, we went to the lake for a weekend. It was a blast but there was no internet. Not even 4G. It was like going dark from the world. And that's not a bad thing but definitely different.
I ate and exercised almost according to plan while at the lake. There wasn't any exercise equipment so I just ran, which my trainer doesn't love because it is a killer on the joints. I like to run though.
The next few days was the hard part with exercise and nutrition. I took my girls and my mom to Boise and got all off schedule.
Three days of being off schedule was hard. I didn't eat enough and I didn't exercise enough. Eating treats wasn't the issue. It was really just sticking with the schedule. I didn't.
I met with my trainer, Jerry, and did a body analysis. I was stoked that I didn't lose any muscle during my crazy week. I lost a couple of pounds of fat though. Yay! The pic below is him. But in real life he's super nice and not so intimidating. He competes (I guess that's probably obvious). He also does online training so if you're looking for a trainer, contact him. He knows his stuff! From now on I will talk about Jerry and refer to him as "Jerry" and not "my trainer."
 |
| follow Jerry @jerryshannon on Instagram |
134 lb
13.9% body fat
One goal that I reached last week was fitting comfortably into my "goal jeans." They are the smallest jeans I own and I don't have a muffin-top in them! Talk about a good feeling! This is all worth it.
 |
| Beginning of December/End of July |
Sophie will be 9 months on Friday. That is also the day that we will be done nursing. She has 2 teeth and sometimes that's not a lot of fun. I've been just feeding her at night and in the morning to prepare us for the change. I feel a little guilty because I nursed Morgan for 11 months. I'm sure she won't feel ripped-off or like I love her less but I can't stop all of the mommy guilt.
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