Officially 16 Weeks Out: The Fun Begins!!!!
I was really sore from yesterday’s workout with Billy. We did wide-grip pull ups for lats (a can’t do a full one, so he has me jump up hold myself up, then lower down) supersetted with full push-ups (I can’t do these, now!). And we went heavy with the deadlifts and shoulder presses. He had me do partial reps for shoulders with 30# dbs–ouch! There was also shoulder presses with 50 and 60# bb. There wasn’t alot of movement today, but very focused and heavy. I loved it. This morning I focused on abs and triceps. Tonight, I will do chest, calves, and cardio (40 minutes). I drank a 1/2 scoop of VasoCharge prior to my workout and put the other 1/2 scoop in my water bottle. I didn’t feel jittery, but I did feel like I could have kept working out. Oh, and I added 5 sets of 10 squat jumps at the end of the workout–it burned. I am finding that I am beginning to enjoy adding something to the end of the workout, be it: plyometrics, pull ups, push-ups, calf raises, etc.
As far as diet goes, clean is the word at this point. I had been allowing a few more carbs in over the passed few weeks in anticipation for the stricter dieting closer to competition time. Typically, people start 12 weeks out, however, I am still getting to know my body, so I though the ’extra’ time to figure things out would be good: what carbs or vegetables make me bloat? How will reducing my carbs effect my body and lifting? Does my body respond best to heavy weights? Circuits? A combination? I do know that building muscles is definitely harder that losing fat was. Eventually, with a consistent workout program and a solid diet I began to lose bodyfat with little effort. But now that I am trying to build muscle–it is alot harder–ALOT harder!
At yesterday’s staff meeting, we celebrated the last day of school with a cheesecake and a chocolate mousse pie. The pies were cool and the weather was hot. But I wanted to be competition ready more. My desire to finish this challenge that I laid out for myself outweighed the pie. I even considered having a sliver of pie–just a sliver. But, again, that wouldn’t get me cut up. So, for those cravings it’s going to be muscle milk and ice. The small changes that I am making now, exchanging my cereal and whole wheat bread for cleaner sources for complex carbohydrates. I am keeping the oatmeal, though. And I’ll add raisins for sweetness.
Overall, I feel very healthy. I do feel some self-doubt sneak from time to time, but that’s normal with anything new. Tonight, I ‘celebrated’ my 16 week mark with sushi and cheese puffs from Trader Joe’s. I feel so bloated, right now. But it will carry me over this week. I need to boil, cube, and freeze a bunch of chicken breasts.
