Making_A_Change’s BodyBlog

I feel like I have figured out what my body needs in terms of food, and especially when training with Billy on Mondays. I had 1/2 serving of MM (1 scoop), 1/2 whole wheat toast with honey and pb, and 1/2 of a small banana. I do feel like I needed another 10 minutes, or so, before working out. Or I could have just skipped the banana. But other than that, I felt fueled up and ready for anything that was thrown at me. We ended our workout with some ab work, which is quickly becoming my new favorite. Tomorrow, I am going to focus on legs. Lunges and squats will be on the menu, so I am going to have to get up a little earlier to ensure that I eat enough and that I give my body enough time to digest my food. That is challenging at 4 a.m. in the morning, b/c I really don’t feel like eating much of anything at that time. But this is what has to be done, right.

My periods have been increasingly irregular. I thought it was b/c of my lowering bodyfat, but it’s not like I am that lean. The progress pictures make it look like I have a firmness/borderline hardness that I simply don’t. A VAST improvement over last year, but still very soft. The hardest part on me, right now, are my shoulders! I began to think that the weightloss along with my IUD (love it, by the way) had something to do with my irreguar periods and he cramping. I haven’t had cramps since 7th or 8th grade. I have been experiencing some spotting so I visited my Ob/Gyn and it’s my fibroid. It’s not a big deal unless symptoms get unbearable and I have to get it removed. But at least I can keep my IUD–I was hoping that it didn’t come to that.

Okay, maybe not golden tickets. LOL! I just purchased tickets to two local bodybuilding/figure shows. One is in May and the other is in October. I am so excited! I am going to attend just the pre-judging for the October show and the prejudging and finals for the October show, since you have to purchase tickets for both events.

Today is my ‘off day’, so I just did some easy cardio and lots of stretching. I got on the elliptical and looked down @ my MP3 player to get the party started and–no, no, no. It was on the final, red bar. Come on, just give me 40 minutes..okay, 30 minutes. But I got about 30 seconds of music and that was it. There was NO WAY I could do my cardio without music, today. Lifting, maybe, but monotomous cardio? No. I decided to split it up, I couldn’t spend as much time as I wanted to, anyway, b/c the husband had to get to work. I did 15 minutes on the elliptical, 15 minutes running on the treadmill @ 6.3 @ a 1% incline for 15 minutes and 5 minutes walking at a 15% incline at 3 mph–a real butt-burner. Then, I stretched. Now, I am enjoying my fiber–Shredded Wheat is the bomb! I must be getting old.

I have some nice fitness-related things coming up. They will help me to stay focused and remind me of my fitness goals. Plus, they are quite ‘out of the box’ for me.

May -I’ll be in GA for 4 days. The weather should be nice and I will be dressed for the occasion. Heels and dresses to show all of this hard work. That is about 4 or 5 weeks away. Even though I will be there for a conference, it is going to be like a mini vacation. If there is a massage to be had, I am getting it. I am actually taking my protein powder and renting a mini refridgerator for $5/day. I know I have it bad. And I figure any meals that I purchase at restaurants can be divided into two or three meals. So, I am trying to plan NOW so that I can stay on track. And, of course, the hotel has a gym (I could do two a days for a few days). I don’t know the shape of the facilities, so I’ll take tubing and running and squatting are FREE.

May 10-Contra Costa Bodybuilding and Figure Championships. I will be there front and center!

June 21st (The first day of summer!) -Submit profile to bb.com for TofW; that is about 12 weeks away. I will probably go the the beach and have my husband take some pictures of me. That should interesting, to say the least.

October 4-SF Bodybuilding and Figure Championships. I am going to the prejudging and finals. It should be alot of fun and very inspiring.

I was having a serious craving form something sweet, so I put 2 scoops of MM in some regular chocolate pudding and used non-fat milk. It was very good…very, very good.

I had a great workout this morning focusing on back, biceps, and abs. I even got a compliment from an older guy saying that my form was top notch and that I look like I train with someone–yes, I do, my good man. Biil-lay! I just ate 1/4 of a protein bar to give me some time to think about what I am going to eat next–probably eggs with a bit of cheese. My weight is holding steady at 147. I don’t think that I want to dip any lower than 145 or so. But on the other hand, I really don’t know what my body has in store for me. So, I will just continue to eat and train.

I am still working towards getting those abs. In the mornings, when the sun is rising, I haven’t eaten yet, and the light is juu-uust right, I can catch a glimpse of what is to come. It’s all pretty exciting. I have also decided to set a semi-long term goal of submitting my profile for bb.com’s transformation of the week in June. June 21st is the beginning of summer and gives me 12 weeks to work on my little personal challenge. That gives me something body related to work for. I can also practice smiling,and posing, and lubing myself up! I’m even going to invest in a few bathing suits, I only own a one-piece Nike suit.

I was about to write about how unmotivaed I am, right now. I was about to cash in my "Day Off" card. Instead, I have taken 2 Lipo-6’s, am chugging Muscle Milk, ate 1/2 a slice of pb/honey, wheat toast and I am about to go to the gym. These are the times when getting those workouts in matter. We all look forward to those days or weeks when getting to the gym is ‘easy’; but it is the times when you would rather crawl back under the covers with a cup of hot chocolate that test you. [Sigh.] At least  know I won’t regret it.

Tonight, we are taking Little One to see Horton Hears a Who. We read the book last night (gotta read the book first, right?). I am really looking forward to it. AND I am putting in my monthly order and am going to give BCAAs a try for recovery. The more I think about my order I am getting sort of psyched up–or it could be the Lipo. As far as diet goes, today, carbs are going to stay low. The only downside of increasing my carbs has been the constant craving for them. I have been keeping it under control which is why I am limiting them today. I swear, I could take out a box of Ritz crackers right about now. But no, time to pump the brakes, pull the reigns and regain control–something I have become pretty good at.

If anyone is taking BCAA’s and could share their experience that would be helpful.

Off to the gym…

I am so glad that I went had a niiii-iiiiice chest/tricep workout and ended it with lunges and a 15 minute run @ 6.2–took it easy and got a sweat going. No regrets, here. Tomorrow will probably be back, biceps, and shoulders. I’ll do calf raises with my bicep curls and shoulder presses to sneak ‘em in there.

I just got back from picking up my daughter and I have an evening workout planned. I’ll be doing legs tonight (yeah!) and plan to do lots of lunges and deadlifts. I am seeing more definition in my hamstrings and that little indentation on the side of your thigh, which I really like.

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I worked on quads and hamstrings. I was focused and felt like a got a good, not great or extreme but good, workout in. So much so, that I felt nauseous towards the end. As I gain more lean muscle that ‘pump’ is easier to come by. Lower body workouts are really draining–literally. Tonight, I am just look forward to a long, hot bath and a deep stretch. Tomorrow morning, will be chest and triceps, and calves. As long as calves aren’t sore them are going to be worked, period.

I just couldn’t see myself inside. The weather outside is gorgeous!!! It is warm and slightly breezy perfect for running. So, I went for a run around the lake and knocked out 3 miles without blinking–woo! It felt great. And now, I am going to eat and then go pick up my daughter. Nothing new to report, other than the increase in carbs is going beautifully. I am going to try decreasing my carbs sloooo-wly, but keeping them higher than I have previously–the great experiment.

My Spring Break plans include cleaning, a week’s worth of great workouts, and some grocery shopping–how things change. Don’t get me wrong, I have been lazier than a mug. With the little one at my parent’s house 100 miles away, I have slept in and gone to bed late and loved every minute of it. Although, I am looking forward to seeing her face tomorrow and hearing about all of her adventures. From what I hear, she’s been my dad’s road dog as they go back and forth or Orchard’s and buy plants and seeds. Today’s workout will include back, biceps, and calves. If abs make it in there cool, but the focus are the calves, today. I am going to keep the reps low/mod and the weight high and will be using my hooks for lat pull downs just to make sure they get their come-uppins. Aftwards, it is going to be 15 ninutes of cardio instead of 10.

 I’m off to the gym…

It’s my 7th wedding anniversary and I can say that I look and feel better than I did when my husband were dating and got married. This morning, I think Billy took it ‘easy’ on me. We didn’t do any heavy lifting, rather, we focused more on circuits with short rests. I told him that I am on spring break as we speak, so he promised to ‘get me’ next week. IT’S ON!! I am ready. The workout was challenging, but I felt strong and was so happy to be back to normal.

So, I have this hypothesis going right now: when doing more circuit training I can keep my carbs relatively low. When doing heavy weights I get to take in more carbs. And more carbs has simply been a few more slices of wheat bread per week and a bigger bowl of oatmeal a few times per week. I am going grocery shopping at the end of the week and will be getting a few sweet potatoes. I will be hitting the gym hard and heavy this week with a few double cardio session to test out my theory.

This morning I did 35 minutes on the stepmill @ level 14 then 10 minutes walking on an incline of 8% @ 3.5 mph. I followed that by a deep stretching session. I left the gym feeling great! My issue must have been diet related. I’ve increased my calories, I couldn’t tell you by how much, but I have allowed myself more clean carbs and a few more slices of wheat bread and what a difference. I am also taking flax seed oil, again. I stopped during a time I was eating a whole lotta fish and didn’t resume it. I have even dropped a pound over the course of playing with the diet. I feel satisifed and ‘grounded’ if that makes any sense–no light-headedness or dizziness–just strong and thinking clearly.

Tomorrow, I meet with Billy. Hopefully, I can redeem myself for the last two sucky workouts.

I am the mother of a beautiful 4 year old who is my entire world and is one of my biggest motivations to be a happy, healthy mom. Whe she was born, my husband and I were terrified. What if we did this wrong? What if she choked? What if she ends up on her stomach and suffocates? What if, what if what if? My husband, in all his practical wisdom (which is why I married him) said, almost jokingly, "Let’s just keep her alive." So, we took the little squirmy being and did our best to keep her happy, fed, clean, and loved. Just when we think we got the hang of it, something would change and we’d have to readjust–learn how to respond (or break) to a new habit she had picked up, come up the the ‘perfect’ parent punchline, learn what she would and wouldn’t eat, and ultimately accept that we don’t have all of the answers.

Lately, that’s how I’ve felt about my own body. I get on a roll. Get comfortable with what I need to do in the gym and what I need to eat. First, it had to learn about protein. Then how and what to eat. I had to learn how much cardio worked for me. Then finding out that lifiting heavier worked best for me. My trainer showed me that compound movements would transform me, so I integrated that. Well, now I think I have had to change things up a bit, once again. I am now eating a little bit more with my meals and a smidge more fat and today I am finding that I am feeling ALOT better. Lately, have been so, so, hungry. It has gotten to the point that I have been unable to make it to two hours for the following meal on some days. For the past week and a half it feels like I have been going through alot of physical changes: the headaches, nausea, weakness, lack of motivation, and hunger. It is odd feeling nauseous and wanting to eat at the same time. My eating schedule was looking something like:

2 a.m.-1/2 pb sandwhich on wheat, or fruit with pb

4-4:30-1/2 pb sandwhich on wheat or protein pancake (pre-workout)

6:00 a.m.-post-workout shake (1/2)

7:00 a.m.-other 1/2 of protein shake or scrambled egg and cheese  or 1/2 protein bar and fruit

9:30 a.m.-bowl of cereal

11 a.m.-chicken and spinach

1:15 a.m.-chicken and spinach

3:40 a.m.-chicken and spinach

6:30 a.m.-dinner

9:00-protein shake

And if I don’t stay asleep, I could end up eating at midnight or 2 a.m.

Today and yesterday, I increased my carbs a bit and put a little butter on my toast. Normally, I save my butter for my oatmeal. I don’t know if I was actually ’sick’ or if I just had to tweak something in the diet but I feel alot better today.

I had a great leg workout today, sans a pre-workout supplement. I did 12 passes of lunges  (which took the most time), lying ham curls on the ball, dead lifts, deadlifts+shoulder presses/calf raises, one-legged hamstring curls, and some ab stuff. I am going to start taking Lipo-6 again on Sunday and do that for a while.  like taking a single pill versus drinking something–it’s over and fast. I may try to the Cytolean some other time, but I am a little gun shy about the SP, right now.

I am off next week for Spring Break so it’s a good time to try to see if there will be a difference. I am just glad that I have made a ‘lifestyle change’ continued to keep my workout schedule and eating well, depspite feeling crappy. That is where I would have messed up a year ago. Although, I couldn’t go back to my old diet even if I tried, I would be so ridiculously sick.