WIAW 8/28/13

Boy has it been a while since my last WIAW!! I'm excited to be back and with lots of goods :D Today was full of new things. New workout, new foods, new people.. :) All of which are good things!

Lets start with the workout since that's where my day began at the ripe hour of 5:30am, cough cough dedication cough cough. I met the ever so lovely Kassandra, aka my lifting buddy, partner in crime, herbalife advocate, fellow bikini competitor in training & BFF, at the gym. We both have finished Jamie Eason's LiveFit trainer and so now to really cut up we are doing Ashley Conrad's 21 day Clutch Cut program. Its only three weeks but man do those three weeks count. It's going to be brutal. I suggest checking out the plan at bodybuilding.com! Today was day one and I feel great about how it went. It's mainly high intensity interval training and ploymetrics. Technically you don't even need a gym for this program. It's fantastic. The workout went as follows:

Warm up for 5 minutes walking at an incline
Stretch
Repeat the following circuit 3-6 times doing each set for 15 reps (30 seconds rest between sets):
Clean & Press
Overhead medicine ball throws
Dumbbell rear lunge
Push ups
Bench dips
Sprint in place (30 seconds)
Bodyweight squat
Wide grip lat pull down/pull ups
Medicine ball jumping jacks
Incline push up
Dumbbell bicep curl
Side lateral raise
One arm dumbbell row
(repeat 3-6x)
Cool down for 5 minutes walking at an incline
Stretch

We were seriously DRIPPING in sweat after this, it was fantastic.

While burning our bums in the gym we came across another fellow competitor. She is competing in Kassandra"s height class and was so incredibly nice! We actually ended up planning a few times to practice posing and working out together. This will be her first time competing too and she looks GREAT. She's actually a trainer at our gym.

Next, for what I ate today:

Meal 1- 1/3 cup oats, 1 tbsp. Justin's chocolate hazelnut butter, 6 egg whites
Meal 2- Buffalo chicken wrap made of 1 Rudi's GF spinach tortilla, 1 can chicken (drained), Frank's Red Hot and 1 Tbsp Oasis Garlic Hummus.
Meal 3- Spinach salad with chopped peppers, onion, 4oz chicken and 1 oz raw almonds
Meal 4- 4 oz ground turkey, 1 cup steamed cauliflower, 1/4 cup brown rice
Meal 5- Balsamic marinated portabella mushroom stuffed with tilapia, chopped asparagus, red onion and 1 tbsp. Oasis Garlic Hummus. (SOOOOO GOOOOOD)
Meal 6- myofusion probiotic protein shake, 1 tbsp. Justin's maple almond butter, and 1/3 cup oats.

My last drill for the night was sprints. Oh sprints. Walk a minute at 3.5 MPH and sprint for 30 seconds at 9.0 MPH. Needless to say, my gams are pooped! As is my brain so I will now be off to bed. I'm one cup of Yogi Bedtime Tea deep and I'm hopeful that it does the trick tonight. 4 out of 5 nights that I have drank it, it seems to have helped. I've noticed if I can make it through the first hour of the night then I can make it through the whole thing. If I wake up after only being asleep for an hour, I'm doomed for the night. Alright, wish me luck!

XOXO
B

pro-pro-probiotic protein?

Oh protein powder, how I love thee. All the things I can do with you, sometimes I wonder if I could ever need anything else in this life.. kidding.. for the most part. But really.. <3

I have tried numerous protein powders. Some make my body react in different ways than others. For instance one brand makes my face break out in all types of nasty (same with quest bars :'( as much as I love those things they just don't agree with the complexion.. I still sneak one in every once in a while though. shhh hehe). The whey in certain powders don't always agree with me. Other powders promote a better recovery and others digest poorly.

I have found that my favorite protein powders in regards of digestion are Maca Up by Paradise brand. It's a vegetarian energy protein (not to mention it increases stamina and libido ;p). Another good one that digests easy is Brown Rice Protein my Jarrow. The only drawback about these two powders is the taste. I won't candy coat it, they taste "earthy". But that's only to be expected from organic and vegetarian protein powders. Taste aside, they both are powerhouse powders and I highly recommend them. Especially if digestion is problematic for you.

Now, I just started taking a new powder and I think I'm in love. Not only does it mix well, taste great, promote great recovery and come in multiple fantastic flavors but it's laced with probiotics!! Probiotics are small organisms that help maintain the natural balance of organisms in the intestines. The exist naturally in the intestine but some people don't have enough of them or need extra for there to be proper balance. I usually take a probiotic supplement called acidophilus but now I'm killing two birds with one stone while I have this amazing protein shake filled with healthy probiotics. Yeeeee :) You know how I like that efficiency.

The new protein powder is called Myofusion Probiotic Series by Gaspari Nutrition.

 

Yes, that IS cinnamon roll flavor... YUM. After toying around with this powder, I've found a way to make what I've decided to call a protein fluff. It comes out so light and airy, almost with the consistency of marshmallow fluff! Today I woke up and did biceps and back and 30 minutes of HIIT before work. After work I did 20 minutes on the stair master and 20 minutes walking on an incline. My reward was a delicious chai fluff protein shake :p

 

 

Chai Fluff

1 scoop Myofusion Protein

1/4 c sugar free Oregon Chai Concentrate

1/4 c water

3 ice cubes

dash of cinnamon

splenda to taste

 

Toss it all on a blender and let 'er rip until it just sounds light and fluffy. I know that doesn't seem like a correct amount of time but if you try this you'll understand what I mean. It'll be approx. 60 seconds.

 

Tomorrow I plan to use this as a topping for my pancakes, we'll see how it goes :) Hooray for making it through another Monday!

 

B.

 

Stop, Colaborate & Listen.. To Your Body

This past week has been hard. Tremendously hard. I exhausted my cheat meal "allowance" not once, not twice, but three times. Wow. At first I couldn't figure out what the deal was? Why was I simply feigning for anything and everything? After the second cheat meal I took a serious step back and just thought. I needed to figure out what the heck was different now than previous weeks where I was just fine with my standard one cheat meal.

I finally realized that I am burnt out. It's been 12 weeks now of strict dieting, intense workouts, and less than great sleep at night. I know some people are capable of doing the competition prep for even more than 12 weeks and not having the urge to jump off the deep end. But you know what? I'm not them. I'm me. And me likes ice cream and playing in the kitchen with new fun recipes and going out to eat or to cookouts with friends. It's who I am. It's what I love. And being deprived of that for 12 weeks won't only slowly kick you into a state of mind where you want EVERYTHING, but it will also put you in a mental funk. The more I think about it, it's no wonder I couldn't sleep at night. I've not only deprived myself of "normal food" but also activities that I love. Don't get me wrong, I love having a goal, eating clean and treating my body right, working hard and having something to train for. I've pushed my body to do things I never imagined possible but in doing so I lost a healthy balance.

Fast forward to the third cheat meal this week. This one was planned. I went to a cookout and had the usual cookout type food. (BBQ chicken, potato salad, baked beans, the works) But why would I plan ANOTHER cheat meal after I already had two?! Shouldn't I punish myself? Do hours of cardio at the gym and only eat chicken and spinach? No. No punishment. Just love. I just need to love myself through these challenges. In the end they make me stronger. I needed this weekend to regain my thoughts and figure out where I stand. Did I want to compete in this show still? Should I wait until a later show? Have I cut as much weight as I wanted to for this competition? The answer is no. But I HAVE worked my butt off. And I'll be damned if you think I'm not going to step up on that stage and give it what I've got. It'd be easy to just postpone competing until another show rolls around in a month. Too easy. And that's not what I have been training for. I'm not going into this competition with the hopes of winning anything, being a first call out or looking better than all the other competitors. I'm going in to prove to myself that I'm fantastic and I, me, Bailey, have come a long way and that is ultimately all that matters. Plus, it's not like there won't be other shows following this one. It's only going to get better from here. :)

Well there you have it, that's what has been in my head space. It feels good to have gained a little sanity and figure out a new plan from here. As for the rest of this beautiful Sunday, I'm going to spend it in the sunshine with people I love and simply relax :) After the leg day I just had, I know I deserve it! Along with those delicious PWO protein pancakes I had ;p Here's to Sunday funday & a stellar week!

Not Your Ma's PB&J Pancakes
1/2 cup oats (made into flour)
6 egg whites
2 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp ground flax meal
1 tsp vanilla
cinnamon to your hearts content
dash of baking soda and powder, each

Topping
2 Tbsp Justin's Maple Almond Butter
2 Tbsp sugar free preserves (I used Polaner seedless Blackberry with fiber)
2 Tbsp Sugar free pancake syrup

Directions: Whisk the pancake ingredients together until is forms a better consistency. By the 1/4 cup, pour mixture onto a griddle/skillet over medium heat. When the cakes start to show bubbles through the center, flip.

For the topping, I mix the almond butter and blackberry preserves together in a ramekin and then use a spoon to layer and spread between the cakes as I stack them. To finish them off I drizzle the syrup on top and viola!

XOXO
-B.

Trial. Error. Repeat.

I have tried multiple approaches to this competition prep diet. Low carb, no carb, carbs with every meal, you name it. I've found that the best method for me has been the carb cycling method. It took a lot of patience and trial and error to figure out that it was the method my body responded to best. At least for the last month and a half of prep. After prep is over I will go back to IIFYM, I absolutely loved it and the way my body responds to it and the fact that I feel ZERO deprivation (I'll cover the madness behind IIFYM in my next post). But for the sake of the competition, I want to do things right, eat clean and keep my body on it's toes, hence the cycling.

Carb cycling is a method designed to make your body use stored fat as energy because you are essentially depleting the carbs from the body by diet and exercise. The body prefers to use carbs as its primary source of energy but if they aren't readily available then it will choose the second best contender, fat. So, that being said, here's how the diet goes; for every two low carb days I have one high carb day. On the low days, the body dips into the fat cells to obtain energy. After that second day though, the body becomes more exhausted. Fact of the matter is carbs do it better and that is why we throw a high carb day in. It gives the body a little jolt of boosted energy and as an added bonus it keeps the body guessing. Studies show that weight loss is more effective when the body is basically thrown for a loop, our metabolisms like to be kept on their toes.

High carb does not mean 300+ grams of carbs or anything ridiculous like that. I hover around 130 grams of carbs on a high day and around 70 grams on a low day. The diet goes as follows:

Low carb day (x2)

Meal one- 6 egg whites, 1/2 cup oats, 1 Tbsp nut butter
Meal two- protein shake
Meal three- 4 oz chicken, 1 cup spinach, 1 oz almonds
Meal four- 4 oz ground turkey, 1 cup frozen veggies
Meal five- 4 oz tilapia, 8 spears asparagus
Meal six- protein shake, 1 Tbsp nut butter

High carb day (x1)

Meal one- 6 egg whites, 1/2 c oats, 1 Tbsp nut butter
Meal two- Protein shake, two rice cakes
Meal three- 4 oz chicken, 4 oz sweet potato, 1 oz almonds
Meal four- 4 oz ground turkey, 1/2 cup brown rice, 1/2 cup frozen veggies
Meal five- 4 oz tilapia, 8 spears asparagus
Meal six- protein shake, 1 Tbsp nut butter

Up until two weeks out I will still participate in one cheat meal per week. Not only for my sanity but again, it keeps the body guessing. But there you have it, that's my diet as of now. Weight loss is 70% diet and 30% exercise and 100% dedication. You won't get rewarded for the work you don't put in and staying consistent is key.

On that note, two rounds of cardio and a massive session on the boulder shoulders to be, I'm out for the night! It's a strictly mental health, nail painting, face mask doing girls night in the Hanley-Hess household. I bought a new tea that I'm HOPING will help me fall asleep and stay asleep for the night. For the past few months my sleeping has been very hit or miss, mostly miss. I've tried melatonin and a number of other strategies and they haven't seemed to help so it's time to get herbal on my nocturnal mess. Wish me luck!

Xoxo
B

Enzyme Love

Since contest prep has begun, I have been eating like a mad woman. What you say? Eat? When I'm supposed to be cutting weight?! Yes. I eat 6 times a day and space each meal out by about 2.5-3.5 hours. Eating so frequently keeps the metabolism revved so the body can constantly burn baby burn. Now, that being said, most people who compete and eat like this take enzymes. Digestive enzymes exist in the stomach naturally. They break down the foods we eat so they can move along and be digested and absorbed. Butttttt, adding the extra dose through pill form helps speed up the break down of food even more so the nutrients can be absorbed and used quicker. Then the body is ready for that next meal.

I've learned that enzymes are a small miracle for me. Having issues with my gallbladder, I should steer clear from fats. In order for my body to do and preform the way I want and need it to, I need fat in my diet. Simple as that. So, I really rely on these enzymes to help break down the fat in my diet.

There are many different types of enzymes out there. Some that help particularly with the breakdown of carbs, some that are best with fats. You name it, there's a visene enzyme for that. I take one called Lipo Gold which is made by the Digest Gold brand. That particular brand speaks high volumes. It is a top of the line enzyme. Though it is a bit pricier than other enzymes I can honestly say that I notice a difference between it and the other brands I have taken.

Prior to every meal I take a capsule of my Digest Gold and I am good to go! My stomach is at ease, digestion is a breeze and I am always ready for my next meal. I recommend enzymes to anyone, not just competitors. It really gives the body a sense of ease.

Well there you go, there's my food for thought for the day :) Happy Tuesday!

MIA to the Exreme

Soooooo.. I have been a horrible blogger this past couple of months. Between my job transfer, my health and diet complications and training for this NPC Bikini Competition I've had my hands full and I'm still working on finding a good balance. That's right though, you read it correctly.. I entered a figure competition!

I don't think it's possible for me to condense all that I have learned and gone through in the past couple months into one post. Actually, I know it's not possible. I will however have a steady blog flow for a while as I try to update all of you on the things I've learned :D

For this post I am going to focus on where I was when I came to the point where I realized I wanted to begin a fitness challenge. I had just finished the marathon. In the span of 6 months (November to May) I gained about 11 pounds while training for this marathon. Something was up. It is not normal to run miles upon miles every day and gain weight. At first I thought I didn't have a balance between my calories in and calories out, perhaps I was eating too much? I keep a food log and after further research that wasn't the problem. Sure I had a little more peanut butter than I probably should have from time to time but not 11 pounds worth.

I talked to a gastro neurologist and it turns out I have a gallbladder problem. I think I briefly touched on this before, honestly it's been so long that I don't remember. The gallbladder is what processes the fats that we eat. Mine was being faulty and wouldn't process fat that was being taken in through my diet so it was just storing it in my body tissues! Long story short I needed to alter my diet, yet again, and eliminate almost everything. Egg (yolks), dairy with fat, oil (except coconut oil), soy, corn, and basically all other allergens. Once I did this it was like a miracle had struck. I began loosing weight, having more energy, my skin began to clear up, I wasn't having stomach pains and indigestion. It was great.

On to the fitness side now. I wanted to rid my body of the weight I gained over this 6 month span. I decided I needed a plan. I needed a set goal and structure to follow so I could be accountable for my results. I started Jamie Eason's LiveFit 12 week challenge from bodybuilding.com and so it all began. I won't go into detail about that plan but I will say that her program really got my feet under me and without it I wouldn't have ever dreamed of entering any kind of fitness competition. I highly recommend checking it out! A few of my friends have started it themselves and are loving it!

I began following body builders in instagram and their lifestyles fascinated me. Enough so that I decided to take a plunge. I had all the necessary tools and plenty of knowledge right at my fingertips to play with. I decided to enter The Ohio State bikini competition on September 14, 2013. Stay tuned and be ready for pics because with how hard I have been working, you had better believe there will be a slew of pictures! haha :)

Fast forward to now. I am down 8-11 pounds give or take depending on the day. I've learned that the number on the scale is nearly irrelevant because muscle weighs more than fat and I'm certainly higher in muscle mass now. I don't let the fact that my weight is at a plateau bother me too much because I still see physical changes in my body regardless of what the scale says.

The picture on the left was about 2.5 months after the one on the right and I can see a solid change in muscle tone. However I actually hadn't lost but about a pound at this point in my journey.

 

 

I have so much I want to share, so much I have learned. I'll finish out this post on one note; patience. Patience truly is a virtue. And I've had to learn patience throughout my journey and I still have more to endure. Much, much more. But, it's important to realize that progress is progress, no matter how big or small.

 

^^ Nothing more true has ever been said.

Well that's all for today folks, sorry again for my disappearance. But I'll be back tomorrow, don't you worry ;)