Competition 2: 13 weeks out

Hey everyone! I really thought about giving up on blogging about this again but a number of people requested I do...never even knew they originally were following so it's uplifting to know there's support out there. So for those who followed my last journey, I started at 166lbs back in early July, and by Oct 1st was 143lbs on the day of the show. After the show I went into a "bulking" phase which is simply a phase where my goal was to add more muscle and proportion, and despite what some may think it's a long, slow and hard process for a girl to add muscle mass. I also put a few normal pounds of water weight back on and added carbs back in. My goal was to fluctuate about 10lbs over my show day weight. I'm currently 151 and have added a lot more muscle though with my body I easily "soften" out so it's hard to see blatant definition. I have increased my weight when lifting on nearly everything and have hit a number a personal records 3 or 4 times. I was doing that for about 10 weeks then decided to do another season but this time do 3 shows (If I last). The first is Mar 24 in Salt Lake City, UT and will be competing there with my friend April Huerta who will be doing the bikini class (I will keep with figure) and her husband Jorge who will be doing his first bodybuilding show. Then about 3 weeks later in mid April there is a show in Fresno, CA, and another 3 weeks later in early May back in Hayward, CA which is where my first one was. Another exciting thing for this training season is Ben has given me 12 wks of his life to whip him into shape so we've  been at the gym all week lifting together!! I can't wait to make progress together!

So the UT show is 13 wks out from today and I am at 151lbs and eating 188/145/38 (protein grams/carb grams/fat grams) a day. For exercise I am doing 3 days of 25 min of HIT (sprint intervals on the stairmill) and 3 days of 45 min of light cardio on the stairmill. I also do 6 days of weights (which always come before cardio). I'm on a 4 day split which means I split my muscle groups worked into 4 days so every other week 2 get worked twice like this:

Mon: Chest and Shoulders (workout 1)
Tues: Leg and Abs (2)
Wed: Back (3)
Thu: Arms and Abs (4)
Fri: Chest and SHoulders (1)
Sat: Legs and Abs (2)
Sun: Off

**then the next week  stars with workout 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4 then the next week back to 1,2,3,4,1,2 etc.

Anyway here are starting pics:

Success!

What an amazing experience this whole journey has been! I have learned about myself, my drive, my capabilities, and my body in so many ways I never thought possible. I can't believe I finally did it! The weekend was amazing, the day was awesome and the award was bitter sweet. I met some amazing girls, made new friends who I train with now, and was bit by the bug! I'm gonna do another one in the spring. I ended placing 2nd out of the 3 tall girls we had in our class. (Class F) ..which normally isn't a huge class considering most of us aren't over 5'7" (I'm 5'9"). I was 143lbs on the show day and not sure about my body fat because I wasn't able to find a place to measure it in time. I will try to add more later since I'm in the middle of pure silence and making dinner..which rarely occur together ;) Here are the pics from the day of and a link to the videos both for prejudging and the finals (awards)

I walk out second:     (prejudging)     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHS3H_J5ncE

Finals:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtQ_Z_GxQQ8&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

1 week out!

Alright..last stretch. I'm down to 140lbs even ..27 lbs total

This weeks' diet is still a rotation between 170/40/25 and 160/50/20 with Wed @ 60 g carbs. This final week I will be eating nothing but tilapia for my sole protein source. No eggs (after Wed), no protein powder, chicken, etc. Been also eating my oatmeal with PB at night which helps fuel me for the next day for cardio. Tuesday will be my last two-a-days and my last leg workout, then Wed and Thu I only do LIT and upper body weights. Friday is all posing and relaxing. I get to carb load with instant oatmeal on Thursday so I am full enough for Sat. Garry has me lightly salt each meal but starting on Thursday will half that, take my water down to 1 g...Friday will 1/2 the salt again and drink 1/2g water then before I know it..it'll be Saturday a.m.!!!

Stay tuned for next week..I will be taking pics all Saturday and capturing the "transformation". I've had a few people think what I'm doing is gross and I'll look huge. We'll they just don't understand how much is affected by posing, tanning, flexing, and eating the right amount and the right things. This process has truly been a SCIENCE!! So I will get before and after pictures...me pale white, no flexing, going through hair, applying the tan, then in my suit so people will see that a figure before stage and on stage are very different. Anyways, here are the last set of pictures before the big day (I'll do a real before and after when I accomplish the after 100%)

2 weeks out!

Diet this week:

170/40/25 Sun-Tue
160/60/20 Wed
160/50/20 Thu-Sat

Exercise: Mon-Sat  AM: 4:30 am weights, 5:15am 1 hr Cardio
              Mon-Sat   PM: 4:30 pm alternating 30 min track sprints and lunges OR 15 min LIT with 15 min HIT


Thanks to all that cardio I dropped 2.75 lbs this week. I'm down to 140.25 ...26 pounds since June 1!
I've been practicing my posing but still need to tweak a bit of things. I can feel how I should look but sometimes I can't get my brain to communicate to my body and get in the right spot. The poses look so effortless yet they are not in the least bit. I officially have not a SINLGE pair of pants that fir. All come right off my butt now. Even the "smallest" pair desperately need a belt. I never thought I'd see this day its unreal. I feel like I am borrowing a cute outfit from a friend I really like and just wannt keep it. It feels like it's not mine and I'm gonna have to give it back. LIke it's on loan. I know all competitors say they gain back a healthy 10-15lbs when they aren't training this hard and eating this strict...or should I say when they are leading a more "normal"  lifestyle. I like where I'm at so need to come to terms with knowing I will put back on some healthy weight after the show but need to remember how to not indulge when I feel like it. I like the healthy stuff I eat now I just want MORE of it. Anyway, my mom will be here a week from this coming Thursday, she's making me orange rolls to dig into after the show...just one of a few indulgences I will have when this is done. 





First pic is 10 weeks ago:

3 weeks out

Yet another diet change. This week I ate like this:
Sun: 170/40/25
Mon: 170/40/25
Tues: 170/40/25
Wed: 160/60/20
Thur: 160/50/20
Fri; 160/50/20
Sat: 160/50/20

I know I should be posting more but I don't know what else to add at this point besides pictures. I've hit a somewhat plateau wher ethe weight is coming off in smaller amounts, numercially that is. I lost another pound so down to 143.5 now. But that's been 23 pounds in 14 weeks so I can't complain..definitely blessed to have the health and famiy support to do so. I've also been lifing heavy enough, long enough and increased my the weight I lift these past two weeks ,that the fat loss weight is still coming off, but I have been building enough muscle that the scale is now showing the battle between the two. (since muscle weighs more than fat). Anyway, here are some progress pics compared to 8 weeks ago: I can't seem to get the darn titles placed right so hopefully there is enough of a difference you can see the changes in 8 weeks

4 weeks out

Another diet change! I now eat up to 170g protein on a day I have 40g carbs and as low as 160g protein with 60g carb. Been leaning out a lot more and finally can see a bit more in pictures. Despite the change in lower carbs last week I only lost .75 lbs. Now down to 144.5lbs

I've been grilling turkey burgers a few packs at a time so I have pre-measured protein available whenever necessary. I've also been trying to get more of my carbs from green veggies lately as well so I can eat more. I'm still hooked on my protein pancakes and normally do those twice a day (for breakfast and right before I go to bed)

I've also been trying to increase my weight when lifting if I can. Though on some days the carbs are low enough I don't have the same strength. And last but not least, nearly all my cardio has been on a stairstepper or an incline machine that goes up to 30% ...trying to get those hips trimmed down.

5 weeks out

I'm super busy today so condensing this thing.
1. Lost another 1.5 lbs, down to 145.25, 21.5 total

2. Worked harder, been sore all week, tried some new exercises and loved them

3. Diet shouldn't drop  much lower on carbs than it is now but final few days may differ

4. Was getting slightly discouraged seeing my weekly pictures since sometimes they all look the same but then held it up to a pic from 7 weeks ago at 12 weeks out and posted below.

5. Watched a video of last years event...PACKED event and now am getting anxious excited nervous to step out in front of a sold out house!
6. I'M SO EXCITED TO DO THIS...34 days!!

5 weeks out (been training for nearly 9 weeks)

This was 7 weeks ago at 12 weeks out

6 weeks out

Another diet change!

150/40/20 with wed and sat 140/110/15. Whew..it's getting to be crunch time. This week was great. I've been loving the protein pancakes, worked super hard, lost another 1.5 lbs....now down 20 total to the lowest I've ever been.. 146.75!! (previously the lowest was 151)

Not much else to say..I'm super excited and motivated to get closer and closer to this! I am adding a video of my model turns. This means when I first walk out on the stage and judges get their first look I do 4 poses pretty much going all the way around so they get different angles. Not easy on carpet so I hoep I sail on wood floors!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORJClKjFLb4  here's one all dressed up

7 weeks out

It's been an interesting week to say the least...I worked ridiculously hard the first half then due to Zoe's b-day party planning, school, and family in town I got kind of caught up in it all and didn't get my workouts in the way I like. So I wound up doing a 7 mile run at near midnight with my friend Natarria, then last night went to the gym at 10:30-midnight for another hard round of weights and sprints. I pulled my quad merely kneeling down a few days ago so have been nursing it as well but it's held up pretty well through it all and seems to be back to normal now. I weighed in at 148.25!! Down 18 lbs from June 1! Some wondered if I'd eat clean at Zoe's b-day party ..well I didn't. The entire couldn't have been a bit busier and I was not prepared with my own meals. I literally sped home on lunch to cook 3 different things, then as soon as work let out, did the same thing and still was a few minutes late. I RAN from place to place all day trying to pull her party together. It was a great party and enjoyed all those who came. In case you're wondering what I ate since I didn't have my own stuff I stuck to the healthiest I could, but then collapsed under all my own baking. I had grilled chicken, asian coleslaw which wasn't all that unhealthy the way we make it (these were both small bites) then some chicken salad, some banana bread and a few cake pops. Sounds like a lot...to me it was..but was also in smaller sizes-ish. I had a instant headache and didn't feel good, which just goes to show how much better my body likes/needs healthier stuff. Did I relish it though? Heck yeah..it was my daughters first b-day so I lived a little. But the nice thing was it made me CRAVE my clean eating and it's then that I realized I may have just altered my lifestyle. After the show I will enjoy carbs and sweets but in such smaller portions than before and I have learned so much more how important it is to eat healthier that I was actually excited to get back to my cleanliness. Today's protein pancakes, and chicken and green beans for lunch tasted great and I felt good eating them. Anyway, here are the pics from this week....

8 Weeks out

Diet change again..days look like this : 145g protein/ 50 g carb/ 20 g fat every day except Wed and Sat..which is then 140/110/15

I wasn't able to get a proper weight since I weigh myself under the same conditions every week and this saturday I couldn't. However, old jeans that were my sisters I never fit into now fit, and my digital scale (which isn't my offical weekly weigh in scale) is showing lower numbers now. One thing I have to share I absolutely LOVE!...protein pancakes. This has got to be the tasiest thing in my diet

1/4 c oats mixed with just enough eater to get them all wet and microwave for 40 sec...just enough so they start to get soft. The water should be gone mostly. Mix in 6 egg whites, some cinnamon and half a packet of truvia. Whisk til the egg whites seem a tad bit fluffier. Spray the skillet with pam, pour mix into skillet on med heat and cook just like a pancake. This makes 2 big pancakes (about 8") ..I put 1 TSBP of natural almond butter in between the 2 cakes, add a teaspoon of sugar free rasberry jelly, then on the top pancake spary a bit of 'I can't believe its not butter', sprinkle with a bit of cinnamon and the other half of the truvia packet. Voila! Super filling and amazingly delicious! Now I cannot get enough of these!

Here are some pics from week 8. Typical non-flattering lighting..with a few good lighting thrown in there. You can tell the difference..