My Top 10 Gym Pet Peeves

OK, I have given this post a lot of thought.  I've talked to friends and fellow gym-goers.  I don't mean to be super critical or judgmental, just giving you my thoughts :)  I have spent A LOT of time in the gym and I have seen A LOT of...interesting characters (to be kind).  Here is my list of my top 10 gym pet peeves/annoyances.  Richard Simmons feels my pain too, see? 

#10: When the gym staff feels the need to BLAST the heat during the winter.  I mean, the only people who need serious heat are the few people working at the gym, not the people working out!  We are all sweating our asses off without the darn heat blasting!  I am not trying to do the equivalent of hot yoga: "A series of poses done in 95-100 degree heat.  As you can imagine, this temperature promotes profuse sweating and makes the body very warm and, therefore, flexible".......ummmmm, no thank you!

#9: Locker Rooms: I generally try to avoid locker rooms, mostly because they're usually oddly damp, there are naked, saggy people strutting around like they're getting changed in their own home, and because people are so awkward in locker rooms.  You're trying to put on  your clothes without showing 1 naked part (well, most of us try, except for the nudie people) and everyone is trying so hard not to look at anyone changing.  Then you realize you forgot to shave or put on lotion and you look like a freak and you wonder who notices and then you remember that you're wearing your "period" underwear (aka your granny panties) and oh my gosh is anyone looking at them and then you realize you can't find your pants because they're at the bottom of your bag and oh crap who is staring at my granny panty butt while I'm digging through my bag......It's just uncomfortable and awkward....I don't even really like getting dressed in my room at home with my Tigger stuffed animal "looking" at me, so changing in the dressing room gives me the heeby-jeebies!

#8: Mirrors, mirrors everywhere.  I get it, you need to be able to watch your form, your position, make sure your butt is back when you're doing squats...theoretically, I get it.  But, let's be real...do you really need to look at yourself THAT much?!  Sometimes, I look in one mirror and can see into another mirror, which allows me to see what's happening at the front of the gym when I'm standing in the far back of the gym...creepy.  I get so sick of looking at myself, from many angles and in many mirrors! 

#7: Grunting.  OK I know I'm a girl lifter and can't lift as much as the juiced up men at the gym, but honestly...are you having an orgasm, pushing out a poop, or lifting something heavy?!  (It sounds like some of these people accidentally push out a poop while lifting something heavy).  I just can't help but stare at the grunters.  It's like a car accident.  I know I shouldn't be watching, but it's so hard to look away.  Then, I look away but catch the grunter's eye in one of the 1230397 mirrors (see #8).

#6: Hair + gym:  Now, I know when exercising you can have the occasional pony tail slip and you need to redo your hair.  But the millions of mirrors in the gym are not your personal mirrors or your place to fix your hair do.  I actually once witnessed a girl redo her hair THREE times while on the treadmill.  A) get off the treadmill while you're doing your hair, someone else may want to use it.  B) if you can do your hair while moving on the treadmill, you're not working hard enough.  C) See what all the mirrors do to you?!?

#5:  Sharing equipment.  I know I'm a second grade teacher and I teach alllll about sharing.  But in the gym, it's just kinda annoying to share.  When I'm at the gym, I'm usually in my zone.  My ipod is on or I'm talking to Greg, focusing on what I'm doing so that I can go home and eat.  Then, out of nowhere, some putz comes up and says, probably in a perfectly nice voice, "Can I work in with you?"  "UGH" I think in my head, but politely oblige.  I go onto a different machine, but then, my machine is now covered in someone else's sweat, the weights are set differently, and I just don't wanna share!

#4:  Make-up at the gym:  I guess this connects with #6 but it disturbs me when girls come to the gym with full-blown make-up on.  I know that some people come straight from work, fine.  I'll give you that one.  I also know that sometimes people are hungover tired and have their makeup on from the day/night before.  I have done this before, I admit.  But I have been to the gym at numerous times on numerous days and I just don't understand the girls who feel like they need to look like they are going to a beauty pageant when in reality they are going to a dirty, smelly, hot gym.  Maybe they want to pick up a dude there?  Has this ever successfully happened, other than on Sex and the City?  And what happens to your face when you start sweating?  Are you trying to look like the Joker as your make up streams down your face?  Me no understand.

#3:  Gym attire:  I try not to stare at people too often.  I really only do it if they smell (coming soon) or look odd.  I just don't get it.  Go to Target or Marshalls or TJ Maxx or Wal Mart and purchase a few cheap workout outfits that were made post 2000.  Ladies especially...WTF?!  I don't know who thinks it's OK to come to the gym in one of those classic 1980s aerobics outfits complete with the tights under the shorts, leotard, high socks, and sweatbands.  I'm sure Richard Simmons would be proud, but even he may want you to keep up with the times as well.  I also don't think anyone needs to see another woman in a sports bra...no matter what their body type/shape.  It's not summer and we are not at a pool...cover yo self up!  Just purchase some clothes that fit appropriately, cover all of your wobbly bits (jubblies--hi Kathy!), and remember we are in the year 2010.

#2: Profuse sweating: I know people can't help how much they sweat.  I sweat A LOT when I'm doing cardio.  But it is so disturbing to me to see people drenched in sweat and they seem completely unphased.  There was a smelly, soaking wet man on the treadmill next to me one day and he did not seem bothered at all--he was just truckin' away.  Who knows how much of his sweat flew onto me!  Invest in a towel, or even just a t-shirt sleeve.  It helps, I promise.  And when it gets to a point when your light grey shirt is now completely dark grey, it's time to go home and shower.  My greatest frustration with profuse sweaters is when they get off of a machine or a mat and their sweat, body outline is left for me to lay on next.  One time I was doing leg curls after this sweaty, stinky man and I could actually smell him on the rubber part of the machine where you lay down.  I almost threw up.  But that would have added to the sweat and the smell and would have been worse.  Can you say MRSA?  Herpes?  Cooties?  EWWW!

#1:  Drum roll, please.  My greatest gym pet peeve is...wait for it...SMELLY PEOPLE!  Let me explain.  I dislike the body odor smell as much as the smell of someone who recently bathed in a pool of cologne.  As far as the BO goes, just invest in a good bar of soap, maybe a nice little body wash, and a stick of deodarant.  That should do it.  And my greatest question with this, can you people really not smell yourself?!  I know within 20-30 minutes if I forgot to put on deodarant in the morning and that's when I'm just around my house--not even working out and sweating profusely.  I feel like I would smell myself, but maybe not...  As far as the cologne drowners go, I just don't get it.  It's 5:00 in the morning, why do you need to smell so good?  So that the girl fixing her hair, wearing lots of make-up will smell you from 8 treadmills away??  That much cologne would not even be necessary at a black tie event meeting the President.  He'd pass out.  The bottom line is this: invest in a bar of soap, deodarant, and a good friend to tell you which end of the smelly spectrum you are on.

Feel free to add to my list in the comment section.  I hope nobody was offended, it's all meant in good fun.

Until next time!
xoxo

Starting Fresh

I'm baaaack.  Sorry for the long delay.  I really didn't have anything to share while I was sitting in my snuggie, eating cheetos and watching 26 inches of snow fall.  I used the time to relax, rest up, and figure out my new goals. 

What I realized is that, in order for me to attain any fitness goal, I have to have the will power to do it for myself.  Not because Greg is super fit.  Not because it's nice to have something like this in common with your boyfriend.  But because it is something that I want for myself.  I realized this week that I really do enjoy fitness-related things.  Maybe not eating oatmeal until it oozes out of my ears, but I enjoy going to the gym and being fit.  I enjoy learning about nutrition and I love lifting weights, more than I love cardio (I'm at the hate stage with my cardio...).  More importantly, I feel better when I am healthy.  I know that sounds kind of like, DUH, but what I mean is when I was eating thai food, chips, chocolate etc., I just didn't feel well.  It tasted freakin' delicious going down, but then later I just felt gross.

What I also realized is that I need balance in my life.  This extreme goal of competing in a competition 14 weeks after I start a program just isn't for me right now.  I can't, and am not sure I want to be, that hard core.  I thrive off of balance--whether it's work related, exercise related, eating related--I just need a balance.  I realized that I'm happier when I can eat healthily during the week but then treat myself to a meal out with friends on the weekend.  I can have a couple desserts during the week and not freak out.  Greg and I can go out and do lots of other things that don't involve dumbbells or protein shakes.  With life a little more balanced, it's easier for me to stick with my fitness plan and do it for the right reasons. 

I've decided to do the weight lifting program with Greg.  I don't want to give up on my fitness passion and goals so I'm modifying my original goal.  He'll train me 3 times a week and I'll lift 1 or 2 other times each week.  I'll do 1 day of cardio and some weeks I'll have 2 off days and other weeks I'll have 1 off day.  My diet is higher in protein so I'm eating a little more, which is always nice.  And, like I said, going out to eat isn't such a huge deal on the weekends.

So that is where I stand right now...I'm still going to keep blogging about what's happening in my fitness world and will keep everyone posted on my progress.  It feels refreshing to have a new goal, one that seems more balanced and more attainable.  I'm still working on other hobbies.  I realized during the snowpocolypse that I LOVE puzzles.  We have a 1,000 piece puzzle at our house right now that is almost done.  OK, I'm a little bit of a dork, but I love them :)  I would still like to volunteer or do a book club.  Still planning to look into a swimming program as well.  I want to find something that I can do both by myself, but also something that I can introduce Greg to the way that he introduced me to all things fitness.  (I did introduce him to UFC but we don't exactly engage in cage fighting as an evening activity...get your minds out of the gutter!)

I've had a request to do a blog post on workout music, so that will be coming shortly.  I am also coming up with my top 10 gym pet peeves that I will share soon!

Until next time!
xoxo

Re-evaluating

So...I have lots to share today.  Some discouraging things.  Some encouraging things.  But overall, just a lot.  So grab your cup of coffee (Hi Kristi!) and enjoy the roller coaster that is this training program.

Yesterday, I went and met with my "posing coach."  I was nervous because I didn't want to make a fool out of myself and I didn't know what to expect from this meeting.  Well, let's just say it was a rude awakening and left me in tears.  Let me explain.  The lady was VERY nice.  She was kind, thorough, definitely knew that she was talking about, and honest.  I stood there next to her in little, booty shorts and a sports bra.  Let me just say that anytime you are standing next to a professional fitness competitor, whether clothed or otherwise, it's veeerrrrryyy hard to feel good about yourself.  She was...RIPPED and she was just wearing a t-shirt and jeans.  We went through a couple poses and then I told her that I wanted her to be honest with me and tell me if she really thought I could reach my ultimate goal by April 17th.  In a kind, non-offensive way, she told me that I would benefit from a 12-week training program that would build much more muscle on my body so that when I did the poses, muscles would actually pop out.  She told me I need to be lifting heavy weights 5 times a week and doing less cardio than before...

We only did a few poses and then both realized that reaching my ultimate goal was just not realistic anymore and a talk about a future plan would be more beneficial.  I held back tears as we walked from the exercise room where we were posing (which was about 60 degrees and in plain sight of all the cardio machines in the gym...awk.ward).  We sat down at a table and she basically just reexplained that I would really benefit from this program and then possibly after that, trying a competition preparation training program blah blah blah.  What I heard was...OMG, I just spent 5 weeks starving myself, giving everything to this program, giving up time with my friends, and all to find out that I need WAY more training before even CONSIDERING a competition.  WTF?!

I left the gym more confused that when I entered.  I called my mom crying (hi mama) and then came home to shed a few more tears on Greg's shoulder.  I think the tears came from pure frustration, disappointment, and the realization that, at this point in time, this goal was not attainable.  I also just felt kind of embarrassed--about the whole situation.  Greg and I talked about where to go from here and what to do.  I wanted to eat an entire pizza but I settled for a popsicle while talking.  I knew that I didn't want to give up totally on all of this, but I also knew that starting a 12-week heavy lifting program felt like starting all the way back at square 1...and I was just not yet mentally prepared for that.  I had mentally prepared myself for weeks before starting this whole process 5 weeks ago and to just jump into another program, which had no ending goal (other than being muscular and in shape), seemed nearly impossible at this time.

So, I did what I knew had been building inside me...I ate.  I had some chips and queso, popsicles, popcorn, and baked cheetos.  I also went out to lunch with my girlfriends and had a normal meal (with a few fries :) ).  I felt guilty about eating after being so strict, but I just needed a break from all of this and I didn't want to think about food.  In between snacking, I thought about what I want to do long term and realized that whatever I choose, I need to choose it because it is my goal and my passion, not because of any other reason.  I need to be totally invested and make it as much of a lifestyle as possible--one that it is maintainable in the future.

So this is where I have left it:  I'm giving myself a few days to recuperate (I'm a little wounded :) ).  Then, I'm going to pick myself up and continue with my goals...new goals.  I'm going to try a heavy lifting program with Greg, less cardio, and a less strict diet, and see where I am muscle-wise in about 12 weeks.  From there, I will have to reevaluate again and set some new goals.  I will possibly start training for a competition (another 12 week program) or I will just continue with my lifting program...I can't think that far ahead right now.  At this point I'm just hoping for a bangin' beach body.

I've also decided I want another hobby that gives me an escape from work and a break from the gym.  So far I've thought of: swimming in a masters swim program, volunteering at either a food bank/shelter or a breast cancer awareness place, book club...any other ideas??  Help me dear, blog readers.

That's all I've got for now.  I'm probs going to go eat a popsicle, finish reading Dear John (SO good!), and watch some TV since we're never getting out of snowpocolypse 2010.  Any encouragement and hobby ideas are more than welcome :)

xoxo

Days 30 and 31: One MONTH complete!

Yesterday marked one month of training for this competition.  I haven't decided how I feel about this past month yet.  Some days the dieting and training don't seem bad at all.  Other days, I want to eat, cry, eat, cry, rinse, and repeat.  Overall, I think the month has gone by quickly.  I'm in a pretty good routine and know that I am getting stronger and stronger each day.  I can tell that my muscles are becoming a little bit more defined, slowly but surely.  I feel less wobbly (you know, when you wave and your arm flab keeps waving even after you stop waving?  My sister and I talk about this often...hi Deli!).  I feel more toned.  I feel healthy and strong.  Yesterday, I lifted in the morning and did an hour of cardio in the evening.  Today I lifted shoulders and legs and spent an hour and 45 minutes at the gym.  I felt really good at the gym both days and am thankful that today is a rest day!!

I have lost 5 pounds this month.  I haven't taken measurements, which I regret, but I think I'm going to start tomorrow so that I can start comparing that weekly as well.  I don't know how I feel about my weight loss...kind of frustrated but also proud.  I mean that's more than a pound a week, I can't really complain.  I probably need to lose at least another 10 pounds in the next 10 weeks, so hopefully I'll stay on track.

My energy level is a little better, but part of that is because we've had a bunch of snow days and I've gotten some extra rest.  I am still exhausted by the end of each day.  At approximately 8:15pm you can find me tucked into my bed for a nice, long slumber.  Thank goodness for DVR or I'd miss every show I love. 

My insides are just starting to adjust to this whole program.  Not to get too personal but I think my stomach was screaming, "What the HELL are you doing to me?!"  I'm now more...er...regular...and I think everything has adjusted.  Not that I ever ate that terribly, but now I am eating a lot less and only about 15-20 foods.  This week I have added almond butter to my morning oatmeal and cottage cheese a few times a week.  It's the little things :)

I have not been able to be as social as I had hoped from the start.  I'm just too tired most days, especially during the week.  I try to do something with friends about once a week but going to bars on the weekends has just not happened...I can't do it all and this competition is taking priority right now.  Sorry friends, I still love you!!!!  I'm trying!!!!

I'm working with my posing coach for the first time either this Monday or next.  We are going to review my diet and my workout program so it will be very interesting and informative to hear what she has to say.  She is a professional figure competitor!

Without further adieu, here are the picture comparisons of the end of week 1 to the end of week 4.  It's a little hard to compare because I'm not standing in exactly the same position but it's the best I've got.  I'm going to try and keep my positions more standard so that future comparisons are more helpful.  Looking at the pictures, I think I've lost a little flab, toned up, especially in my stomach and a little in my legs.  Let me know what you think :)  Here you go dear blog readers:

Thanks again for everyone's support.  I really appreciate it :)

Until next time!  xoxo :)

Day 29: My Kitchen

I'm attempting to put more pictures on this blog.  I'm going to try and take pictures of things involved with this competition preparation and post them as often as possible. 

Tonight, I'm going to show you some things related to my meal preparation.  First, I'll show you what my lunch box looks like at the end of the day.  You will quickly realize that we have more tupperware than actual dishes (like triple the amout of the dishes).

 

The little, green containers are for fruit.  The other ones are for meals.  I usually have a Ziploc bag for apples and oranges too :)  

This is what our fridge looks like.  Today, it's not too full because we need to go shopping but I would say this is pretty average.  (FYI...that red drink is called IsoPure and it's a protein drink that I have about every other day.  It has 160 calories and 40g of protein).

 

You will notice a) more tupperware, b) multiple dozens of eggs, c) mucho veggies!

Today, I laid out everything I use to make my lunch post-workout.  Since I had a snow day (hoorah!), I was able to work out much later in the day and then make my lunch right afterward, instead of packing it into...wait for it...tupperware.

 

Do you like my display?  In case you can't tell, this is: chicken, rice, strawberries, blueberries, salsa, cottage cheese, glutamine, and creatine, and of course, water!

 

Here it is all portioned out.  1/4 cup brown rice, 3 oz. chicken, 2 apple slices, 2 orange slices, 1 oz. blueberries, 1 oz. strawberries, 1/4 cup cottage cheese.  Oh, and a vitamin C (do you see it?)

 

This is our trusty food scale.  It measures in both grams and ounces.  And it's a Biggest Loser scale...you know how I love that show!  Greg and I use the scale probably, at least, 10 times a day together.

If I do some quick calculations, I would say that, in 1 week, Greg and I go through the following amounts of food:

*9 dozen eggs

*15 chicken breasts

*5ish ground turkey patties

*3 bags of spinach

*5-7 peppers

*About 700 grams of oatmeal

*Huge tupperwares of brown rice

*Couple cases of strawberries

*4ish cases of blueberries

*So much water we pee about every 45 minutes

Hope you enjoyed my kitchen, fridge, and meal preparation :)  What do you have in your kitchen?

Off for game night with some friends!  Weigh in and pictures tomorrow!  Tomorrow marks ONE MONTH done!! 

Until next time!  xoxo

Day 28: Life Lessons from the Treadmill

Can you believe it's been almost a month that I've been doing this crazy sh*t competition prep?!  In a way it feels like it flew by, but in another way it feels like it is drag...ging...  Today I was supposed to go back and do cardio this evening and I didn't.  I lifted chest and triceps this morning, and this evening I decided that I just needed a mental, and physical break.  All of this has been so all-consuming that tonight I visited my dear friend, Leslie (hi Les!) and then parked it on my couch for the evening.  And boy does it feel nice.  We'll see how the scale feels tomorrow...

So, remember when I talked about my love-hate relationship with cardio in general here?  Well, let's get a little more specific and talk about the treadmill.  I see the treadmill as the most common piece of cardio equipment.  When someones talks about cardio, they immediately think of the treadmill...which probably makes them want to curl up, eat a big bowl of ice cream, and only see the gym in their sweet dreams.  I know that is exactly how I used to feel, and sometimes still feel.  This is why:

For me, my performance on the treadmill is very unpredictable.  For those of you who know me well, you know that I don't like unpredictable things or things that change.  I like to know exactly what I'm getting myself into and what is going to happen in the end.  Yeah, yeah, not the most exciting way to live, but I am totally one of those people who would DEFINITELY have a palm reader/psychic tell me everything that will happen in my life.  I digress.  Some days I get on the treadmill and I feel awesome.  My pony tail is swinging.  I have a good rhythm.  I can push myself to run faster and harder.  I don't get any cramps and I challenge the dudes next to me who think they are justsospecialandthinktheyarerunningsooofast. 

Then there are the other treadmill days...like yesterday.

I just could not get it together.  My calves and shins were throbbing, which made my feet feel as though they weighed approximately 32490723 pounds.  I couldn't get into a good rhythm.  I felt more winded than usual and was getting weird cramps in my sides.  I've been doing interval training on the treadmill which makes it a little easier.  I run a 1/2 mile as fast as I can and then rest for about a minute.  The goal is to do five 1/2 miles and then 20 minutes on the elliptical.  Since I know a break is coming, I can usually push through any discomfort I may be having.

But I can honestly say that I have enjoyed maybe 2 out of 13497345 times that I've been on a treadmill.  I just don't like it.  It takes me a while to get warmed up and then I never know how my body is going to react...will this be a good, strong running day or will I have Frankenstein foot and having piercing side cramps?  I also don't like that I'm running with no purpose.  I used to play field hockey and I truly enjoyed that.  I was running with a very distinct purpose, not like a hamster stuck on a death trap.  I also, very rarely, am able to truly zone out on the treadmill, especially since with intervals I have to be watching the mileage so carefully.  On the elliptical I can truly zone out and think about other things...it requires very little thought (until my feet go numb and then I switch my zone-out thoughts to what it would be like to either be a midget "little person" or what it would be like to have no feet and only walk on my calves/knees...this distracts me for a good while).

Lastly, I hate the feeling that one, small, wrong step and your booty is flying off that treadmill and onto the hard floor, creating an exciting scene for all other gym-goers.  If I drift a liiiitle to the left, I could trip and I'm a goner.  Same to the right.  And God forbid I slow down too much and I'm off the back of that sucker!  I feel like a drunk person running (for dear life) from the cops, while trying to stay in a straight line...all the while staring at my reflection which gets increasingly flushed and sweaty.

IT'S ALL JUST TOO MUCH CONCENTRATION!  IT'S TOO UNPREDICTABLE!  SO MANY THINGS COULD GO WRONG!  AHHH!

But I think this is all a metaphor for this whole training process.  All of it is so much concentration.  All of it--weight loss, muscle gain, final results--is so unpredictable.  So many different things could go wrong--I could get injured, I could stop losing weight altogether, I could lose my will power....

But, in the end, this (both running and preparing for this competition) is the best thing for me right now.  It will make me stronger.  It will make me balance my priorities.  I will learn to appreciate the unpredictabilities.  I will realize that worrying about everything that can go wrong--whether competition prep, running on the treadmill, or just life--does me no good.  In fact it does the opposite and it drives me nuts.  The more I worry, the more I psych myself out...again, whether preparing for the competition, running, or just living.

I know the treadmill, in addition to other cardio machines, is the best thing for me to do to prepare for this competition.  And I know that all parts of this competition, just as in life, will have unpredictabilities and things that cause me to be fearful.  But it's how I handle them that will make me truly stronger at the end of this, just like running on a treadmill.  Until then, start the treadmill...this hamster is ready for some tortuous, fulfilling, unpredictable, and endless running!

Until next time! :)  xoxo

Days 26 and 27: Diet and Doubles

So today I am writing early in the day because I'm not sure how much time I'll have later tonight.  I'm at work (shhh!) but we have a teacher-work day so I have a little free time (I'm practicing my writing skills so I can teach my kids how to write good :) ).  Anyways, the things that have been on my mind yesterday and today are: diet and doubles.

Here is my diet right now (as of now there is not much variance of food so this is pretty much what I eat every, single, flippin' day):
Meal #1: 2 egg whites, 1 whole egg, 1/2 cup plain oatmeal.
Meal #2: 1/4 cup brown rice, 3oz chicken (cooked only with salt free spices), 2 slices of apple, 2 slices of orange, 1 oz blueberries, 1 oz strawberries (measure that puppy out...I'm lucky to get 2 freakin' strawberries). *Sometimes I put about a spoonful of salsa on the chicken.
Meal #3: 1/2 cup oatmeal OR 1/2 slice of a gluten-free roll from Trader Joe's with a little mustard, 3 oz. chicken, 2 slices of apple, 2 slices of orange, 1 oz blueberries, 1 oz strawberries
Meal #4: Same as meal #2 but sometimes I change out the rice for oatmeal (wooohooo), 2 slices of apple, 2 slices of orange, 1 oz blueberries, 1 oz strawberries.
Meal #5: Big, spinach salad with mostly green veggies, carrots, 3 oz. of chicken and 10 sprays of a dressing.
Few notes: 
1) Sometimes I change out the meat with either 99% lean ground turkey or with some salmon, but the majority of my protein comes from chicken.  I think it's about time for Greg and I to invest in some chickens for our backyard seeing as though yesterday I cooked about 9 chicken breasts and I think we have about 4 left....our kitchen is a busy place! 
2) Before I lift, I have a protein shake and 2 oz. of a banana just so I have something little in my stomach so I don't vom all over Greg. I also always have a shake when I return from working out whether that's in the morning, afternoon or both.  In the shake I put supplements (glutamine and creatine) so my muscles can repair quickly.
3) Because I have not lost much weight, Greg and I are playing around with a few food changes.  Thanks to an aweosme blog reader (Allison R!), I am now a fan of a Facebook page that has food ideas and recipes for people training for competitions.  The site talked about cottage cheese so today I ate 1/2 cup of cottage cheese with a little bit of those drink powders (like Crystal Light, Propel, etc.) for a little sweetness.  It's high in protein, low in carbs, and is a nice, sweet, addition to a meal.  Thanks, Allison!!!  I also bought some peanut butter (MY DREAMS ARE COMING TRUE!) to possibly add to my breakfast.  I'm going to wait and see how my body reacts to the cottage cheese before I add in the peanut butter.
4)  I drink only water, hot tea, and protein shakes.  I have not had another kind of beverage since I started this competition training...*sigh*

I complain about my diet sometimes and parts of it are not really fun...at all.  But I was just saying to Greg the other day that I really do feel the best that I have felt in a long time.  I feel stronger at the gym, can push myself more, and can workout longer than before.  Overall I just feel healthier which is very nice.  The hardest time for me to keep this diet is on the weekends because I'm not as structured on the weekends as I am during the week.  At work, it's pretty easy because I can only eat at certain times and my day is very regulated.  Luckily, on the weekends, Greg is eating pretty much the same foods I am so I'm not alone in the kitchen of health nuts :)

As far as doubles go, I'm sure that many of you athletes can relate to the fatigue that comes with this.  What I have started doing, two to three times a week, is going to the gym in the morning and either lifting or doing about 45-50 minutes of cardio and then coming back to the gym in the evening for another 30-45 minute cardio session.  I usually do my abs in the morning with my morning cardio.  So, this week will look something like this: 
Today: A.M.- Abs, cardio      P.M. - Cardio
Tuesday: A.M. - Lift arms, 30 mins. cardio      P.M. - Cardio
Wednesday: A.M. - Abs, cardio
Thursday: A.M. - Lift chest and back     P.M. - Cardio
Friday: A.M. - Abs, cardio
Saturday: A.M. - Lift legs
Sunday: REST!

I am usually fine with this schedule until about Thursday afternoon...then I start to crash and burn.  This weekend, after my legs workout with Greg on Saturday, I came home and CRASHED on the couch.  I think I was immobile (except to eat, pee, and drink water) for about 24 solid hours.  This workout schedule is intense but I think it is definitely necessary and will, hopefully, be worth it!  I can definitely tell it is working some so far, so hopefully in 11 weeks it will have all paid off!

I wanted to write some about the dreaded treadmill, but I will post about that tomorrow.  Also, I think I have found my posing coach!!!  Will write more later, need to get some work done now :)

Until next time :) xoxo

Days 20-25: Trust the Process

Sorry for slacking on the posts recently...this week was really busy and exhausting and I had to choose sleep over blogging.  Are you guys still out there?  Anyone still reading this?

So, Thursday marked 3 weeks COMPLETE!  I was not able to post pics because I ran out of time but I promise I will post them next week.  This week has been: tiring, exhausting, draining, sometimes frustrating and sometimes really encouraging.  I was in the gym 8 separate times this week.  On Tuesday and Thursday I lifted in the mornings and came back and did cardio in the evenings hence why I am so utterly exhausted right now.  The frustrating part of this week was two-fold.  First, I just feel like I never have enough time to get everything done that I need to while also getting adequate sleep.  In order to make it through a long day of working out, work, and tutoring, I HAVE to be in bed between 8:30 and 9:00 each  night.  That doesn't leave a lot of time in the evenings to just relax, catch up on trashy TV, or blog!  It leaves me just enough time to make dinner, make food for the next day, and take a deep breath.

The other frustrating part of this week was weight loss...or lack thereof.  Overall I have lost 4.5 pounds in just over 3 weeks.  Now, don't get  your panties/briefs in a bunch, I know that's still a good weight loss and I know that I am definitely gaining muscle.  But it is still frustrating to work so hard in the gym, twice a day, eat perfectly, and weigh the exact same weight I weighed the day before.  Tuesday morning I was fed up with the lack of weight loss and I went to the gym as a Negative Nancy.  I was so distracted by my lack of weight loss and by my minor major complaints about the matter that I almost ruined my whole workout.  Greg, while not...loving the complaints, looked at me in the gym and told me that I was ruining my workout and that I "needed to trust the process."  For some reason that made me snap out of my Debbie Downerism funk because it kind of made sense.  I mean, obviously I am not going to see tons of results on the scale within a mere 3 weeks.  What I need to focus on is the fact that I have 11 weeks to go which gives me plenty of time to get to where I need to be. 

Trust is something I need to have more of with this whole process.  More trust that Greg will push me to work hard but not so hard that I will quit.  More trust in my own abilities in the gym.  And more trust that my eating well and diligently working out will pay off in 11 weeks.  I tend to become fearful instead of trustful in certain situations and this week that is how I felt.  I was scared every time I stepped on the scale.  I was scared when Greg increased my squat weight.  I was scared that I wasn't pushing myself enough during cardio.

I'm over being scared.

I'm ready to trust this process and see what happens in the end.  Whatever that may be.  I need to trust this process just the way that I would anything else...a job, a marriage, a major change in life.  Sometimes I just need to trust in myself that I am doing everything in my power to reach my goal instead of being fearful that I won't reach my goal. 

I'm also ready to look more at the positives of this process than the negatives.  Yes, I have only lost 4.5 pounds.  BUT I also fit into size 2 jeans this week, which I have not done in quite a while.  My clothes fit better than before.  I feel strong and healthy when I'm in the gym.  I can tell that my muscles are becoming more defined.  I am actually enjoying going to the gym and feeling the healthiest I have in a long time.  I am starting to trust in this process, finally, and am realizing that there is a lot more to all of this than the number on the scale...it goes way deeper than that.  Maybe this whole competition will teach me more about myself than I thought.

I am also PMSing which, like all of you ladies out there know, makes me feel like an out of body-bitchy-devilish-emotional-cranky shell of myself for like 3 or 4 days.  So let's hope this is day 4 :)  I think that this lovely "time of the month" is also contributing to the fact that I want to eat EVERYTHING IN SIGHT.  Really, I don't discriminate.  I will eat anything.  Even if it is on your plate.  I will still eat it.  Hell, at this point you could chew some M&Ms and spit them back out and I'd probably still eat them.

One last funny story from this week before I take my third nap of the day...On Tuesday (this was not my best day in case you couldn't tell), I was in a big rush in the morning.  I made my eggs and oatmeal and I had them sitting on the counter.  I quickly grabbed my multi-vitamin and my fish oil vitamin and I tossed them in my bowl to save time.  I gathered all my stuff for the day and carried everything out to my car.  I started driving and was about to eat my breakfast (don't worry, mom, I'm being careful while driving and eating).  I went to take my multi-vitamin.  No problem.  I went to take my fish oil and quickly realized that putting a fish oil GEL capsule on top of hot eggs was not my smartest move...I picked it up and liquid fish oozed onto my fingers.  I quickly put it in my mouth and drank lots of water.  Note to everyone: WATER DOES NOT GET RID OF A WARM, FISHY TASTE!  I held down a vomit burp and continued driving.  Once I regained control of my gag reflex I started to eat my breakfast.  Little did I realize (because apparently this whole exercise thing is shrinking my brain while expanding my muscles) Mr. fish oil capsule had leaked onto my eggs.  There, on top of my eggs, sat a nice, little puddle of LIQUID FISH...at 7:30 in the morning!  For some unknown reason (again, brain not working), I went ahead and ate it any way...I was hungry!  As soon as I put that bite of fishy eggs in my mouth and swallowed, I honestly thought I was going to throw up all over my car while driving.  I started semi-dry heaving, drank lots of water and tried to focus on the road.  After some fish burps throughout the morning, I felt a little better...and let's just say all of that fishy crap is right where crap needs to be...down the toilet and out of my system!  Each morning I look at the bottle of fish oil vitamins and shutter.  Maybe one day I'll try again, but for now, I'll skip the Omega-3.

Until next time...I will write more often, promise!!
xoxo

Day 19: To be: Healthy? Skinny? Both?

So yesterday, in my post about Greg, I talked/ranted about how great it is to eat well, detox, and have fitness goals so that I can make being healthy a lifestyle.  But then I started thinking a little more about food and weight and bodies.  A pretty huge part of me started questioning one thing: if I could eat whatever I wanted and still keep a decent body, would I still go the gym?  Eat spinach like it's my j-o-b?  Measure out protein, crabs, and fruit?  If I say no does that make me a bad fitness competitor?  I mean, aren't I supposed to love eating clean, exercising, and detoxing my body from all processed foods?  Because a pretty huge part of me doesn't.  While I love the results from doing all of this, and while all of this is becoming more normal to me, it is all still a chore.  It's a chore to get up at 4:45am and haul my (hopefully thinning) butt to the gym.  It's a chore to spend a decent portion of my night preparing my food for the next day.  It's all just a...chore.  Would I do it all if I knew I wouldn't gain weight?...... I'm not sure.  I know I wouldn't do it (eating healthy, exercising, etc.) to this extreme.

But another part of me feels so proud and so accomplished after finishing each of my workouts that I'm not sure I could (now) ever give this up.  Of course I'm already planning out my first few gluttonous meals post-competition, but this whole exercising thing is becoming kind of addictive.  When I don't exercise I honestly don't feel as well, overall, as I do when I exercise.  Just tonight I went to the gym and did abs and about 45 minutes of cardio and I felt great.  It was the perfect end to a hectic day.  Then I came home and ate a big spinach salad and I just feel great.  Part of me does think that even if I had a bangin' body and didn't have to count calories, protein, carbs, fat etc., I would still want to keep my body healthy by exercising and eating well.  Growing up an athlete, loving sports, and eating healthy meals made by Mama McDonald has given me the healthy bug.  I couldn't go too long without some kind of exercise and some kind of healthy meal to cleanse my insides.

So,  I guess the bottom line is...if I could eat what I wanted without gaining much weight, I would exercise and eat healthy but not to this extreme.  I probably wouldn't measure as many things.  I probably wouldn't resist as many delicious sweet treats (you know, like ice cream, cheesecake, fudge, anything with peanut butter).  I probably wouldn't workout a total of 6 or 8 times (some double days) a week.  But I probably would balance out my treats with some salads and exercise...I think Trainer Greg would make sure of this.  He is a huge spinach fan (it helps prevent breast cancer)!

While this training program doesn't allow for treats (not even baked Lays om nom nom) I think that after this competition I'm going to try and balance my newly found healthy lifestyle with some sweet treats to keep me going :)  I couldn't live more than these 14 weeks without my mint chocolate chip ice cream.  For now, I'll keep focusing on the healthy benefits of all of this and dream of my chicken enchiladas that I will eat (in moderation) when the competition is over.

Until next time!
xoxo

Days 16, 17, 18: Shout out to Trainer Greg

I am lucky enough to not only have a personal trainer and a nutrionist (not officially a nutritionist, but very knowledgable about food!), but to also live with and date one.  I can confidently say that if I did not have Greg in my life I would not be competing in this competition.  (For those of you who don't know, I met Greg in April of 2007, he became my trainer in May, and we started dating that summer...the rest is history).

 He is there to push me when I can no longer push myself.  He is there to answer the many, many food questions I have for him (sometimes often the same questions over and over again :) ).  He is there to make sure I take my vitamins.  He is there to tell me to stop complaining when I'm more whiny than a 13-year old on her period.  He is there to force spinach down my throat (I better look like freakin' Popeye!)  He is there to roll me out of bed when 5:00am has come waaaay too early.  He is there to cook lots and lots of chicken.  He is there to make sure I drink all of my water at every meal.  He is there to tell me to drink more water when I say I'm hungry and want ice cream (so I roll my eyes and...drink more water).  He is there to help me with the mental/emotional portion of all of this, in addition to the huge physical portion.  He is there to support me enough that I know he's there but not so much that I become frustrated and do this competition for the wrong reasons.  Greg has done a great job of teaching me that to be successful in my fitness goals, at whatever point in life, I have to want to achieve them for myself and my health.

Now, of course every trip to the gym and every conversation we have about fitness and food is not peaches and cream (no food pun intended).  I tend to complain about things more than Greg and I also tend to need more positive reinforcement (think the opposite of Trainer Jillian on The Biggest Loser) than Greg.  Greg gets up every day, creates his own diet, researches various workout programs, learns about his supplements, and does what he needs to do at the gym each day without as much as a peep.  This MAJOR personality difference can cause some issues in the gym, especially when I'm PMSing and almost (literally) cry when Greg pushes me a little past my comfort zone.  I'm working on complaining less because I am learning to be healthy and go to the gym because it's the right/healthy thing to do-- not because I date a trainer and want to be thin.  Also, let's be honest, complaining is not really fun for anyone involved.  It brings me down because I'm doubting myself and it brings Greg down because...well, he just really hates it when I complain.  Greg is working on encouraging me more during the workouts.  He doesn't need as much vocal encouragement as I do.  Side note:  I had to laugh the other day...I was doing chest and I was using 20 or 25 lb dumbbells.  It was hard!  Yesterday, I was watching Greg do chest and he was using 120 lb dumbbells IN EACH HAND!!  How dare I complain......

I would say that getting a trainer is one of the most clutch, awesome things I have ever done.  Not only because I ended up dating my trainer :) but also because they just get you on track and get you motivated to reach your fitness goals.  Two years ago, I never, in a million years, thought I would be training for a competition like this.  But once I had Greg as a trainer I realized that my body could do more than I ever thought.  At first, he was my motivation to get to the gym.  Not just because I thought he was cute but because he made me accountable in the gym.  He gave me the confidence to realize that I could compete in a competition like this.  He taught me about diet, weight training, supplements, discipline, cardio, and competition preparation.  Obviously this didn't all happen over a few weeks...it has literally been years.  But I would highly encourage anyone to hire a trainer (you don't have to date them just to get diet info :) ).  I know they are expensive...but my first year here I was able to do it living in a high-rise apartment in Ballston, with a new car payment, and a large bar tab, all on a teacher's salary.  It's doable and it is worth it!

Yes, sometimes I get very sick of talking about, let alone, thinking about weight lifting, cardio, protein, carbs, glutamine, creatine, being hungry, etc.  That's when I take a deep breath, get a word of encouragement from Greg, and go to bed.  Greg has taught me more about diet, exercise, and health than I ever thought I would learn and for that I am eternally grateful.  Go get a trainer!  Hurry!  I know this great trainer named Greg Smith :)

I love you Trainer Greg!  xoxo