Revised post - I’m Back!! (November 2007)
Hellllloooooooo!!! Remember moi? I’m back from my little hiatus. I’m feeling GREAT, PUMPED and READY to take on new challenges and achieve more goals.
Since the last show, I’ve really just been about spending good quality time with my hubby, friends & family. I did not go crazy on the eating and really just treated myself to some of my favorites on occasion. My focus right now is to bring my BF% up to an acceptable ‘preggy’ making range which is probably where I sit right now. I’m about 10 lbs heavier than my on stage weight. This for me is very practical and maintainable.
So far, I’ve been able to maintain it by continuing to eat clean and graze here and there when I feel like it. Of course the training is also a factor. Following the last show, I gave myself a few days off and then went back for one week just for cardio. I started doing this wicked intense routine on the Stepmill. It’s a 22 minutes. It’s a graduated workout, and is fairly intense. Following that, I go on the Treadmill to complete the hour. I wanted to switch up my cardio to shock my body abit so it does not get used to the Stepmill.
That was the first week. Now, I’m back at the gym. I’m hit it 4 days last week. My focus is to maintain weight and carry lean muscle. So, I focused on my cardio at the top of my workout and then weights using the ‘low rep, high rep’ technique. My rests between sets are quick so I’m getting some really good pumps. In fact, I feel like I’m hitting the muscle better than when I was pushing the heavy weight. At first, the weight feel freakin’ light, but once I get to that 20th, 25th, 30th etc. rep, I’m feeling it big time. By the time I hit the 3rd set, I may not even make it up to those rep numbers. As its summer time, I’m trying to keep my workouts short … in and out of the gym in 2 hours tops!
The official results are in for the CBBF World Qualifiers … my last show. They even posted the judges scores. It was actually a really close finish for me. The 1st place score was 27, and I was scored 29. Would you believe 3rd place score was 62. That’s a huge gap. So, in the end it really came down to 1st and 2nd. I’m actually quite happy to see that. It wasn’t much that kept me out of first place!!! Ha-ha …. The have also posted pics of all the top 3 finishers for each class. You can check this all out at www.cbbf.ca. Click on ‘results’ to see the scores or ‘photos’ to see the pics.
I’ve started working with my girlfriend Camillia. She wants to compete this coming Fall, so its her prep time now. Yesterday, we met up for leg day, and oh boy!!! … and I sore today! I’m am sooooo sore! The leg workout itself was an easy one for me as I’m just working on staying toned. It’s hard to keep the weights light, but I’m committing myself to keeping with it. What did us in was our cardio. It was a new Goodlife gym we went to. I noticed that they had a little crook that had a set of stairs that led to the fire escape. It was a 12 stair flight, and you’re gurl here had a light bulb moment ….. I decided we were going to run up and down the stairs instead of doing the Stepmill. That workout was serious!!! We were back and up them for 30 minutes. It was an intense session and really worked the glutes and the quads. It felt great and I’m thinking of now working out at that gym at least once a week so I can do them. Stupid me forgot to stretch following our workout so, I am super sore today. I’m going to have to do some stretching when I get up later ….
Get up later you ask??? … yeah, since I’m back to eating clean and all, it means making sure to fit in all my meals each day. So, I’m sleeping in today but had to get up for meal #1. I took the time to write this blog and now it’s time to go back for round 2 of shut-eye. We went out last night to and got back early this morning … y’know dem club hours time ….
I’ve also haven’t stopped the meal prep routine, so protein is packed and ready and when I wake up next I’m make up the crabs and add them. The only change I’ve done is the veggies. I steam them fresh a day or two prior and not for the week like I used to do when I was training for the shows. My hubby is prepping for a marathon, so he’s into the regular meals too … so now I’m packing double the amount of containers. Our 2nd fridge is packed solid with Tupperware!! Ha-ha.
Anyhoo … have a blessed Sunday. I’m back to blogging, so I’ll see you back here soon.
Cheers,
Nke
