After finishing a tough leg workout last weekend, it was time to get plenty of nutrients to help my muscles recover. So, I downed a protein shake with my special powdered carbs supplement (X-Plode) and followed it up with a delicious "cherry bomb" post workout supplement (After Glow). If you have ever taken multiple supplements such as protein powder or pre and post-workout supplements, you have probably noticed the uncomfortable side effects such as bloating, belching, and passing gas. Not the most lady-like combination, I know. My little bro warned me that this was probably over doing it on the supplementation. He turned out to be right, although I won't own up to that.
This is where the burrito comes in. My husband and I went to our nieces birthday party where we had burritos, salad, and cake (a seemingly good idea at first). Bad move. I slept like a baby that night; probably because I was in a carb-coma. But the next morning I was in rough shape.
The deal with protein supplementation is that whatever your body doesn't use will be excreted. So after all of the supplements I drank AND the high protein content of the burrito, I had a lot of unused protein in my body to be excreted. You do the math. I ran to the bathroom that morning and just stayed there for awhile. This brought a whole new meaning to "Cherry Bomb." More like Cherry GUT-Bomb!
Lesson learned: don't over do it with the supplements and NEVER mix burritos and cake. Woof
Friday, October 29, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Week 4 Pictures!
Although the pictures will not show dramatic differences until the last 3 months of training, I have noticed dramatic changes in my strength. I'm lifting more weight than I ever have and it feels awesome! I feel confident and strong when I walk into the weight room now instead of a lost little girl:)
Friday, October 22, 2010
Supplements!
Training for a figure and body building competition can't be done without proper nutrition and supplementation. But there are so many to choose from!
Thankfully my husband and I have a good friend who works at GNC in Woodinville who is the supplement master! Unfortunately, purchasing supplements is not for the faint of heart. The list below costs around $200! But it lasts for a few months. Here is a list of supplements you can find in our pantry:
GNC Women's Ultra Mega "Active": women's multivitamin with added electrolytes to aid muscle recovery. I've been taking this vitamin for about a week now and have already noticed significant increases in energy!
PROTEIN: Amplify XL Platinum Protein Blend in Vanilla Flex: Gotta have lots of protein to build those muscles! I generally have about two shakes a day (mixed with water). One in the morning and one post-workout
X-Plode XL Controlled Mass Building: This is straight up powdered carbohydrates! This supplement was recommended to me to help me gain some weight. I mix one serving with my post-workout protein shake. It's Carbo-licious!
GNC Mega Men: the multivitamin my husband uses, not me :)
Pump Fuel: Again, another one for my hubby. It's a pre-workout supplement that basically helps you lift a little more weight without getting tired as fast
And there you have it! We take these supplements just as religiously as we workout and the effects are great!
Thankfully my husband and I have a good friend who works at GNC in Woodinville who is the supplement master! Unfortunately, purchasing supplements is not for the faint of heart. The list below costs around $200! But it lasts for a few months. Here is a list of supplements you can find in our pantry:
GNC Women's Ultra Mega "Active": women's multivitamin with added electrolytes to aid muscle recovery. I've been taking this vitamin for about a week now and have already noticed significant increases in energy!
PROTEIN: Amplify XL Platinum Protein Blend in Vanilla Flex: Gotta have lots of protein to build those muscles! I generally have about two shakes a day (mixed with water). One in the morning and one post-workout
X-Plode XL Controlled Mass Building: This is straight up powdered carbohydrates! This supplement was recommended to me to help me gain some weight. I mix one serving with my post-workout protein shake. It's Carbo-licious!
GNC Mega Men: the multivitamin my husband uses, not me :)
Pump Fuel: Again, another one for my hubby. It's a pre-workout supplement that basically helps you lift a little more weight without getting tired as fast
And there you have it! We take these supplements just as religiously as we workout and the effects are great!
Friday, October 15, 2010
BEFORE pictures
These are my posing shots after our 1st week of training. Keep in mind that I have no idea how to pose correctly for figure competition yet. In the show I will be wearing a crazy looking bikini, 4 inch stilettos (hence the name of the blog), and I will be black with a painted on tan.At 5'1" I will be placed in the 5'3" and under class for the figure competition. When this picture was taken I was at 112 pounds. Since then I've gone up to 113. My goal is to gain at least 5 more pounds of lean mass to reach 117 or 118. So far it is a slow process.
In the months to come I will most likely fill out, if I stick to the plan. You probably won't be able to see my muscle lines and I will probably look "thicker."
Look for my next set of pictures around Christmas time, which will mark the end of my "bulking phase!"
8 Essential Foods for Muscle Mass
After writing about my typical day of eating just recently, I realized how much variety and important nutrients I was missing out on. So I did a little research on my favorite site, www.bodybuilding.com, and discovered this article. Here are the 8 essential foods for building lean muscle without the added fat. I think these foods are essential for anyone, not just body builders. I am building a diet plan around these foods as we speak!
1. Egg whites
2. Chicken/ Turkey
3. Fish
4. Beans and Legumes
5. Lean Red Meat
6. Slow-burning Carbs: brown rice, oatmeal, sweet potatoes
7. Water
8. Whey protein
1. Egg whites
2. Chicken/ Turkey
3. Fish
4. Beans and Legumes
5. Lean Red Meat
6. Slow-burning Carbs: brown rice, oatmeal, sweet potatoes
7. Water
8. Whey protein
The "D" Word: Diets
Here is the part you have all been waiting for. The diets! I hope you're excited because I am not!
This is the part of training that I have been struggling the most with. No, it's not because it's strict, it's because I can't gain weight. I know, it's usually the last thing a woman wants to happen, but for the first 3 months of training weight gain is crucial. And here's why: Due to the intensity and strictness of the diet in the last 3 months of training, you need to have enough weight, and even muscle, to lose. In my case, I will probably only be losing about 10 pounds (just a guess). If I do not gain enough weight in these next few months (at least 5 lbs), all the muscle that I have worked so hard to put on will be gone and I will look skinny and flat come show-time in April (not a winning combination). So, what have I been eating? Take a look!
My diet consists mainly of high protein, complex carbohydrates, and fat (yes fat). I try to eat as clean as possible, meaning foods that are natural and not processed. However, I get 2 cheat meals a week in which I usually go all out (dare I say a McDonald's mini meal?). According to my height, weight, and activity level, I try to consume about 1,800 calories and 100-150 grams of protein. Which is a lot harder then you would think.
Keys to the diet:
-eat every 2-3 hours to keep metabolism revved
-MEASURE EVERYTHING
-use The Daily Plate food tracking tool to track my calories
-schedule meals (yes, sometimes that means waking up to eat)
-cook the next day of meals the night before
-don't forget to take your food with you where ever you go!
-try to drink a gallon of water a day (also very difficult)
Meal 1 (5:30 am)
1/3 cup oatmeal
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 serving EAS Advantedge protein shake (bought from Fred Meyer, so tasty)
Meal 2 (8:00 am)
2 slices whole wheat bread
2 Tbsp natural peanut butter (Adam's)
1 Tbsp strawberry preserves
Meal 3 (11:00 am)
4 oz Activia Light
4 ounces Brown Rice
4 ounces Chicken breast with Mrs. Dash sodium free seasoning
16 ounces Special K2O protein water mix
Meal 4 (2:00 pm)
1 serving Special K Strawberry Cereal
1 cup non-fat milk
Meal 5 (pre-workout) (5:00 pm)
2 slices whole wheat bread
2 Tbsp Adam's Peanut Butter
1 Tbsp Honey
Meal 6 (post workout) (8:00 pm)
1 Sargento's Light string cheese
2 scoops 100% whey protein
Although this is not an ideal day of eating (should of had more chicken, rice, and vegetables), I reached my goal of 1,800 calories and 145 grams of protein.
Cheat Meals
My favorite cheat meal so far has been a Starbucks, Tall non-fat Pumpkin Spice latte with a Starbuck's Spinach, egg white, and feta wrap. Yum! Next in line is the McDonald's McChicken mini meal with diet coke. I feel really disgusting after eating this, but it has helped me to at least maintain my weight.
Future Additions and Goals
I want to eat cleaner than the day of eating shown above (i.e. less peanut butter), so I plan on adding some variety (because chicken gets old very fast.) I'm going to start adding in white fish such as Tilapia and salmon every once in awhile for the healthy fats. The more protein I can get from animal sources the better, so I'll try to add in some pork and probably even some steak.
Check back soon to see what our shopping list will look like. Eating clean for 2 can get very expensive!
This is the part of training that I have been struggling the most with. No, it's not because it's strict, it's because I can't gain weight. I know, it's usually the last thing a woman wants to happen, but for the first 3 months of training weight gain is crucial. And here's why: Due to the intensity and strictness of the diet in the last 3 months of training, you need to have enough weight, and even muscle, to lose. In my case, I will probably only be losing about 10 pounds (just a guess). If I do not gain enough weight in these next few months (at least 5 lbs), all the muscle that I have worked so hard to put on will be gone and I will look skinny and flat come show-time in April (not a winning combination). So, what have I been eating? Take a look!
My diet consists mainly of high protein, complex carbohydrates, and fat (yes fat). I try to eat as clean as possible, meaning foods that are natural and not processed. However, I get 2 cheat meals a week in which I usually go all out (dare I say a McDonald's mini meal?). According to my height, weight, and activity level, I try to consume about 1,800 calories and 100-150 grams of protein. Which is a lot harder then you would think.
Keys to the diet:
-eat every 2-3 hours to keep metabolism revved
-MEASURE EVERYTHING
-use The Daily Plate food tracking tool to track my calories
-schedule meals (yes, sometimes that means waking up to eat)
-cook the next day of meals the night before
-don't forget to take your food with you where ever you go!
-try to drink a gallon of water a day (also very difficult)
Meal 1 (5:30 am)
1/3 cup oatmeal
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 serving EAS Advantedge protein shake (bought from Fred Meyer, so tasty)
Meal 2 (8:00 am)
2 slices whole wheat bread
2 Tbsp natural peanut butter (Adam's)
1 Tbsp strawberry preserves
Meal 3 (11:00 am)
4 oz Activia Light
4 ounces Brown Rice
4 ounces Chicken breast with Mrs. Dash sodium free seasoning
16 ounces Special K2O protein water mix
Meal 4 (2:00 pm)
1 serving Special K Strawberry Cereal
1 cup non-fat milk
Meal 5 (pre-workout) (5:00 pm)
2 slices whole wheat bread
2 Tbsp Adam's Peanut Butter
1 Tbsp Honey
Meal 6 (post workout) (8:00 pm)
1 Sargento's Light string cheese
2 scoops 100% whey protein
Although this is not an ideal day of eating (should of had more chicken, rice, and vegetables), I reached my goal of 1,800 calories and 145 grams of protein.
Cheat Meals
My favorite cheat meal so far has been a Starbucks, Tall non-fat Pumpkin Spice latte with a Starbuck's Spinach, egg white, and feta wrap. Yum! Next in line is the McDonald's McChicken mini meal with diet coke. I feel really disgusting after eating this, but it has helped me to at least maintain my weight.
Future Additions and Goals
I want to eat cleaner than the day of eating shown above (i.e. less peanut butter), so I plan on adding some variety (because chicken gets old very fast.) I'm going to start adding in white fish such as Tilapia and salmon every once in awhile for the healthy fats. The more protein I can get from animal sources the better, so I'll try to add in some pork and probably even some steak.
Check back soon to see what our shopping list will look like. Eating clean for 2 can get very expensive!
Thursday, October 14, 2010
The Fun Part: Workouts!
Ready to pump some iron?? Me too! I love, love, love working out. It's the best part of my day and I look forward to it! Did I mention I love working out? So, here is what a week of working out looks like for me!
I will do these workouts for 3 weeks and then do completely different workouts the next 3 weeks, and so on until it's show time!
Each day includes the muscles that are my main focus...
Monday: Chest and Lats (Lats are super important to acquire the V-Taper that judges are looking for)
Tuesday: Legs (my weak spot)
Wednesday: Rest (yesss) or 20-30 minutes of Low to moderate intensity cardio
Thursday: Back
Friday: Rest (much needed at this point) or cardio
Saturday: Hips and Hamstrings (brutal)
Sunday: Rest
My workouts are performed using as heavy weight as possible. On upper body days I warm up with 3 sets of 10 pushups and external shoulder rotations with a resistance band. On leg days I warm up by walking 5 minutes and doing 2 sets of Good Mornings. Check it out!
Chest and Lats/Arms
A1. Incline Bench: 4x6
A2. Wide-Grip Pull Down: 4x8
B1. Dumbbell Chest Fly: 2x12-15
B2. Single Arm Lateral Raise: 2x10
B3. Lying Triceps Ext.: 3x8-10
C1. Barbell Curl: 3x10
C2. Resistance Abs (i.e. weighted sit-ups): 3x10
D. Arnold Press: 3x8-10
Legs
A1. Squats: 4x8-12
A2. Seated Leg Curl: 4x6-8
B1. Leg Press: 2x12-20
B2. Stiff-Leg Deadlift: 2x12-15
C. Calf Raise (Drop set): 2x10-10-10
Back/Arms
A1. Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 4x8-10
A2. Bent-Over Barbell Row: 4x8-10
B1. Low-Cable Standing Chest Fly: 2x12-15
B2. Pull-down: 4x8
C1. Incline Dumbbell Curl: 3x6-8
D. Hanging Leg Raises: 2x15-20
Hips and Hamstrings
A. Deadlift: 4x6-8
B. Dumbbell Split Squat: 2x8-10
C1. Lying Leg Curl: 4x8
C2. Calf Raise using leg press: 3x30-50
I will do these workouts for 3 weeks and then do completely different workouts the next 3 weeks, and so on until it's show time!
Each day includes the muscles that are my main focus...
Monday: Chest and Lats (Lats are super important to acquire the V-Taper that judges are looking for)
Tuesday: Legs (my weak spot)
Wednesday: Rest (yesss) or 20-30 minutes of Low to moderate intensity cardio
Thursday: Back
Friday: Rest (much needed at this point) or cardio
Saturday: Hips and Hamstrings (brutal)
Sunday: Rest
My workouts are performed using as heavy weight as possible. On upper body days I warm up with 3 sets of 10 pushups and external shoulder rotations with a resistance band. On leg days I warm up by walking 5 minutes and doing 2 sets of Good Mornings. Check it out!
Chest and Lats/Arms
A1. Incline Bench: 4x6
A2. Wide-Grip Pull Down: 4x8
B1. Dumbbell Chest Fly: 2x12-15
B2. Single Arm Lateral Raise: 2x10
B3. Lying Triceps Ext.: 3x8-10
C1. Barbell Curl: 3x10
C2. Resistance Abs (i.e. weighted sit-ups): 3x10
D. Arnold Press: 3x8-10
Legs
A1. Squats: 4x8-12
A2. Seated Leg Curl: 4x6-8
B1. Leg Press: 2x12-20
B2. Stiff-Leg Deadlift: 2x12-15
C. Calf Raise (Drop set): 2x10-10-10
Back/Arms
A1. Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 4x8-10
A2. Bent-Over Barbell Row: 4x8-10
B1. Low-Cable Standing Chest Fly: 2x12-15
B2. Pull-down: 4x8
C1. Incline Dumbbell Curl: 3x6-8
D. Hanging Leg Raises: 2x15-20
Hips and Hamstrings
A. Deadlift: 4x6-8
B. Dumbbell Split Squat: 2x8-10
C1. Lying Leg Curl: 4x8
C2. Calf Raise using leg press: 3x30-50
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
My Motivation and Support
"One major thing that stands in between you and the fulfillment of your dream is the willingness to start, the courage to move ahead and the faith to finish."
This quote is so true when it comes to bodybuilding. Getting started is the hardest part due to the intense demands it places on your body. A lot of my motivation to even start training for this show came from my younger brother, who just competed in his first show (and came in 4th), and my husband who competed in a show a few years ago and placed 2nd. These two went through the rigorous training and survived, which assured me that I could also make it out alive.
It's been so great to share my trials and tribulations with my husband and brother. Only a person who has experienced this type of training will ever understand what you're going through. My husband has been the best workout partner/coach I could have ever asked for. He encourages me constantly to go outside of my comfort zone and use heavier weights, assuring me the whole way through that he has my back and will assist when needed (which is often). Thank you husband and brother for the support. I couldn't do it without you!
My suggestion to anyone who is truly serious about getting in the best shape of your life is: 1) Workout with someone who will push your limits and 2) Get help from someone who has experience in the type of training you're after, whether it be a friend, family member, or fitness professional. These two things will ensure progress and most importantly, safety!
Happy lifting friends!
This quote is so true when it comes to bodybuilding. Getting started is the hardest part due to the intense demands it places on your body. A lot of my motivation to even start training for this show came from my younger brother, who just competed in his first show (and came in 4th), and my husband who competed in a show a few years ago and placed 2nd. These two went through the rigorous training and survived, which assured me that I could also make it out alive.
It's been so great to share my trials and tribulations with my husband and brother. Only a person who has experienced this type of training will ever understand what you're going through. My husband has been the best workout partner/coach I could have ever asked for. He encourages me constantly to go outside of my comfort zone and use heavier weights, assuring me the whole way through that he has my back and will assist when needed (which is often). Thank you husband and brother for the support. I couldn't do it without you!
My suggestion to anyone who is truly serious about getting in the best shape of your life is: 1) Workout with someone who will push your limits and 2) Get help from someone who has experience in the type of training you're after, whether it be a friend, family member, or fitness professional. These two things will ensure progress and most importantly, safety!
Happy lifting friends!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Figure Competition: What is it??
According to hardbodyfigure.com, this is what figure competition is all about!
"Make no mistake about it, a figure competition IS a bodybuilding contest... Just not done to the same degree as your typical bodybuilding standard. In general figure judges look for a combination of:
1. Muscularity
2. Symmetry
3. Stage presence
4. Body shape
5. Muscle shape
6. Presentation: posing, poise, grace and confidence
Prejudging: Morning show
Quarter turns:
Figure competition revolves around a series of quarter turns done in the morning show (prejudging). These quarter turns show the judges all 4 sides of your physique: front, left side, right side, back. Some organizations allow you to do a slight twist while in the side poses so that the judges can get a better view of your physique.
Night Show: Figure Walk
The evening show is where you get to strut your stuff for the audience. The degree to which the evening show counts toward your overall score will depend on the organization, promoter etc. Therefore your night show performance can mean the difference between winning and losing.
The figure walk consists of walking across the stage and hitting a series of poses. The poses are usually variations of the prejudging poses. You want to add a little flair but not too much. Always execute your walk with good taste. You will stop 4 times during your walk to pose (twice in the middle, once at the far end, once near your entrance to the stage, before you exit). "
Girly Muscles
When I broke the news to some of my family, friends, and personal training clients that I had begun training for a figure competition and possibly a body building competition, I received a lot of mixed reactions:
"That's awesome! You have to share your diet plan with us!"- my clients
"Why the heck would you do that to yourself"- anonymous
"I don't want you to look like a man!"- Mom
"I can't wait to see the changes in your body!" - friends and fellow fit fans
By looking at me, you might not guess that this would be my next fitness move. If you know me, however, this might not come as a surprise because I've been talking about doing it for a few years.
I do have muscle tone, but I am vertically challenged (5'1" on a good day) and petite, so to speak. My height will have it's benefits and downfalls when it comes to this sport. But in my mind, that's all the more reason to go for it!
But let me tell you, training for this competition is intimidating! The first 3 months of training is generally called "the bulking phase." These are not exactly the words a woman wants to hear. When my husband (who has competed in a bodybuilding show) told me this, my first thought was, "OK, so I'm going to start using the big kid weights and reach for the 20 pound dumbbells instead of my comfortable 5 pounders. Big deal."
But bulking goes beyond that. It means GAINING WEIGHT. A woman's worst nightmare! It turns out however, that this is much harder than it sounds (woman take note of this). Weight gained should be through muscle mass, not 50 cheeseburgers (dang it). So, we eat "clean and green"; white meat, brown rice, green veggies, repeat. After our first week of training I actually lost 2 pounds. Sweet! My husband corrects me and let's me know that it's bad and proceeds to tell me to eat more. Woof.
So, it's time to hit the weights and I mean really hit them. We're talking bench press, squats, deadlifts; as heavy as possible without getting a hernia or ripping your arms off. I walk into the weight room at our local gym and pretend like I'm tough, to fit in with the "meat heads," when in reality I feel like a weeny with puny little muscles. But, as we come into our second week of training I am already feeling stronger and have already started increasing the weight for some exercises. This is the best confidence booster and inspiration to continue with training.
Having this blog will not only be a great tool for sharing my experience with others, but it will also be a great tool for me to keep track of workouts and diets. Best of all? It holds me accountable! I am officially fully committed to this competition now and the whole world will know if I've failed or slacked off. Yikes!
"That's awesome! You have to share your diet plan with us!"- my clients
"Why the heck would you do that to yourself"- anonymous
"I don't want you to look like a man!"- Mom
"I can't wait to see the changes in your body!" - friends and fellow fit fans
By looking at me, you might not guess that this would be my next fitness move. If you know me, however, this might not come as a surprise because I've been talking about doing it for a few years.
I do have muscle tone, but I am vertically challenged (5'1" on a good day) and petite, so to speak. My height will have it's benefits and downfalls when it comes to this sport. But in my mind, that's all the more reason to go for it!
But let me tell you, training for this competition is intimidating! The first 3 months of training is generally called "the bulking phase." These are not exactly the words a woman wants to hear. When my husband (who has competed in a bodybuilding show) told me this, my first thought was, "OK, so I'm going to start using the big kid weights and reach for the 20 pound dumbbells instead of my comfortable 5 pounders. Big deal."
But bulking goes beyond that. It means GAINING WEIGHT. A woman's worst nightmare! It turns out however, that this is much harder than it sounds (woman take note of this). Weight gained should be through muscle mass, not 50 cheeseburgers (dang it). So, we eat "clean and green"; white meat, brown rice, green veggies, repeat. After our first week of training I actually lost 2 pounds. Sweet! My husband corrects me and let's me know that it's bad and proceeds to tell me to eat more. Woof.
So, it's time to hit the weights and I mean really hit them. We're talking bench press, squats, deadlifts; as heavy as possible without getting a hernia or ripping your arms off. I walk into the weight room at our local gym and pretend like I'm tough, to fit in with the "meat heads," when in reality I feel like a weeny with puny little muscles. But, as we come into our second week of training I am already feeling stronger and have already started increasing the weight for some exercises. This is the best confidence booster and inspiration to continue with training.
Having this blog will not only be a great tool for sharing my experience with others, but it will also be a great tool for me to keep track of workouts and diets. Best of all? It holds me accountable! I am officially fully committed to this competition now and the whole world will know if I've failed or slacked off. Yikes!
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