Making_A_Change’s BodyBlog

Today was a full body day. I got my lower body this morning and Billy killed my upper body tonight. We are back to 12-15 reps to add a little size. We worked the cables for back and biceps (seated and standing), the t-bar (the one on the floor and the incline), tons of curls, preacher curls, db rows. Everything was for 4 sets. I was spent at the end…and wouldn’t have it any other way. Tomorrow, is abs and triceps.

I did my morning weigh-in. I have been monitoring my post-competition body. I will be two weeks post-comp this Saturday. The first week, I allowed my diet to relax a bit. I had ice cream 2x that week and a few more carbs. I didn’t change my diet and did a carb load, so I think the changes of rebounding were minimal for me, because all I did really was stay with a similar carb cycle. This week I buckled down and was taking in about 1800-1900 calories. Next week, I will be at 1750 calories solid. I am doing 3 days of low carbs and one high day or 100 grams, significantly lower than before. For my low days I am going to cap at 50 grams with the goal being 40 grams of carbs. My period finally came and ended today. Yesterday’s weigh-in was 133.4. And today I weighed in at 131.8. I feel like I was in a bloated state for so long. It is nice to feel normal.

I am taking a recovery day and seeing Billy tomorrow. I feel great and want to get the gym, tonight. But I am going to adhere to my 3 day on/1 day off split. I’m going to do legs in the morning (high reps 5 sets). My calves hurt from Tuesday! It’s also time to start posing practice, again. I bought some Bare Naked Granola, or something like that. Big mistake. The stuff is incredibly good and the servings are a mere 1/4 c. I’ve got to fit that into my macros on a high carb day–it’s delicious!

Tomorrow morning is going to be fun! I think I’ll do some good mornings and really make my hamstrings scream.

I am feeling very focused and relaxed. The weights are still relatively low, but I know that with time and enough food things will improve. In the meantime, I work with what I have. This morning I did chest and shoulders on the incline bench and the cable machine. I got to the gym at 4:45. I am really trying to get there at 4:30, I snoozed a little too long this morning. I got to the gym and did (5×20):

• include bb press (no weight); incline flyes (15#; PB 25#), calve raises (regular, outward, inward)
• cable flye (upward; 20#); rear lat raise/front/rear with alternate arm
• Cardio: ran on at 3% incline @6 mph; if felt good to run for a bit. I will not be running for long stints. I ran out of time and wanted to make the most of my 10 minutes

With the additional sets I don’t do as many excercises, but I can keep the intensity high. Tonight, I plan on doing the stairmill for about 30 minutes with my new Muscular Development! I find it funny that that is what I am looking forward to tonight–it’s like a piece of chocolate, or something.

I got asked out on a date at the gym today. I was in a very traditional way. My gym has it’s regulars. This guy is new. He is in the military and transferred from Georgia. He is very southern. We spoke briefly before. He is a runner and assumed I was, too. We had some small talk and then se says:

“So, the Terminator, with Arnold Swarchenegger,  is playing and I don’t have anyone to go with. I was wonderering if you would like to go”.

And I’m thinking, “Am I being asked out on a date?”

“I’m married.” Still smiling, of course.

“Ooh. I didn’t know. You didn’t tell me. You’re hiding your ring!” Very genuine. 

“I didn’t want to assume that you were interested.”

“Well, I didn’t want to assume either, but I was certainly going to find out”.

Then we wrapped up the conversation with an unexpected fistbump. And all was good.

.

Tonight, I did 30 minutes on the stepmill, hips back, and pressing through my heels. I felt it throught my glutes the entire time. I am taking tomorrow off in preparation for Friday with Billy. We are sheduled to do back and biceps. I’ll probably do moderate weights/high reps for legs Friday morning. If I feel like doing something tomorrow, I may walk on an incline for 30 minutes followed by posing practice. I am sitting at around 135 pounds, right now.  I am noticeably fuller, but not to the point that I am uncomfortable or hungry…yet.

I was a bit tired this morning, so I slept in. I am still sore from Friday. That is such a good sign. Tonight, is chest, triceps, and abs. I am slowly revving it back up and getting some energy. I start double cardio next week and my 3 day on one day off split. I am going to try that instead of two days off. Or maybe, I’ll alternate 1 day, then two days of rest. I am going to start with 3x per week of cardio, maybe Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday or Sunday. Yesterday’s eats were on target. And I am prepared today. I weighed in at 134. I would like to hold steady at around 135-136 for about 4 weeks, and then cut. It won’t be very long, but it will put me at 10 pounds over my desired competition weight for this season. And maybe, just maybe, I can add 1/2 pound of muscle and stay relatively lean in the process. I am going to cut down to 1500 this time and see what happens. I did 1600 last time and I just wasn’t lean enough. Maybe the lower calories and short prep will put me where I want to be.

I love to compete, so that is what I am going to do. I am 53 days out from the San Jose Bodybuilding, Figure and Bikini show. I am going to enjoy this preparation. I have gone back and forth on it and after facebooking (another topic) with Billy. We have decided to go for it. He was attending the show anyway. I have been resisting Facebook for some time. And I finally decided to see what the noise was about. I guess I get it. You can find old people that you liked and disliked and see that they are ‘about to go shopping’ or ‘are bored’. I see the ‘networking’ possibilities. I don’t know how into it I will get. I prefer to write my thoughts down here. And I prefer to write about fitness related topics. I don’t know how interesting my Facebook ‘wall’ would be if every entry is something like, "I went to the gym. My quads are killing me".

I started my more structured eating today. I have 4-4 ounce servings of chicken and some zuchinni in my lunch. I have my water, almond butter, and supplements. I am ready to go. I am out of X-tend, though. I am so disappointed. I have to wait for my order. I plan on getting to the gym tonight for back, biceps, and calves. Billy is going to work them, again, on Friday. Tuesday morning will be chest and triceps. I am going to increase my weights tonight. I am going to see what 20# curls feel like. Last, bicep workout, I could only do 10# and it burned! I am also going to give fasted cardio a try 2 times per week.  8 weeks will seem very short in comparison for 18-20 weeks.

Tonight’s workout went well. My strength isn’t quite 100%, but it is getting better:

• lat pull down (wide grip); reverse lat pull down; bent row (unilateral) 80#
• seated bicep curl (20#), curl (under chin) 15#; bb row (20#)
• ball crunches (feet together); bb bent over row (40#)

5×20 reps

I am now a full week post-comp. I let my diet relax and enjoyed a few things that I hadn’t had. Last night, we ate sushi. This morning, my daughter’s school had their annual breakfast and I had grits with butter and refined sugar! They were so good. And, of course, you know I had to have my Ritz. The tasted of fruit is almost sinful! Tomorrow, my ‘off season’ begins. My daily calories are going to be between 1800-1900, high protein, moderate carbs, fats will very depending on whether it’s a high or low carb day. I was a little over 5 pounds of my contest weight this last time. And I now know that my prep was way too long to be so close to contest weight. I’m going to monitor myself, lift heavy and try to sit at around 135-138. I am going to do abs three times per week. I don’t want them to be a weak point. I’ve been practicing logging my meals and putting them in the blog.

My five year old is getting her glasses, today. Once we return home, I have a bag of chicken to prepare for the next three days. My husband has decided plan a family trip to Water World for August and has proclaimed that he will be shirtless. This afternoon, Davis and I went to Long’s to look at make-up (I think I am offically addicted, now) and get some magazines for us to read at home. She got the latest issue of Pop Star Double Dish. I was so excited to see that they had Muscular Development. So, we took our haul to the check-out. We were both happy because each had an exciting cover and we went down the aisle singing:

"Kai Greene!"

"Jonas Brothers!"

"Kai Greene!"

"Jonas Brothers!"

"Kai Greene!"

"Jonas Brothers!"

I was really distracted, today. I didn’t complete my workout and went home to handle some unfinished business. This week has been an emotional rollercoaster. I can’t go into details other than to say that the course of my life has been changed forever. I’ve heared that phrase about people coming into your life for a reason or a season, I’m paraphrasing here. And now I feel like I truly know what that means. And now, I have work to do What would I do without the gym? I lift when I am happy, sad frustrated, confused, angry. I’ve lifted through all sorts of emotions, which tells me that this is a lifelong endeavor. I need to commit to things in my life with the same vigor, structure, and ferocity that I do in the gym. I want to be better and stronger and, now, I feel a little more focused and in a better place to do that. But, I am so grateful for the lesson. I got to about three sets of 20 reps of seated calf raises (35#). I focused on explosive movements and impeccable more. I am seeing so much improvement in my little calves. I am thinking about going back this evening to finish the workout for the sake of completion. My legs are like jelly because of yesterday’s session with Billy. He was so impressed with the photoshoot pictures. Seeing him proud and jsut enthusiastic about what we are doing is really motivating. He is training a couple of other women for figure and bikini, hopefully, I’ll be able to help them with their prep or provide some guidance. It can be an overwelmingly expensive hobby if you don’t know what you are getting into–not just financially, but time-wise. Other things in your life can take a backseat for a few weeks. But if you know that, you can plan for it.

I just purchased the Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding and I can’t wait to read it from cover to cover. Sunday is my off day. I may take a leisurely walk around the lake and just enjoy the great weather we are having.

 And I’ve decided to make a soft commitment to the San Jose show this summer. I am not going to diet for it, I am simply going to continue training. If I find myself a few weeks out and looking tight, I am going to go ahead and compete–just to see what happens. My focus is still the SF Championships in October. I’m going to use the show as a dry run for my peak week strategy for October.

Posted in Training