Mikiko’s BodyBlog

Don’t get me wrong, I love yams and oatmeal! At the same time, I love food…and being a little creative with my meals doesn’t hurt!  Even subtle changes such as changing types of yams make such a huge difference!  For example, my all-time favorite yam is the Okinawan Purple Yam.  You can find these in Asian supermarkets.  They are a lot drier and meatier than the regular orange yams, similar to potatoes.  So if you don’t like the slightly slimy texture of regular yams, you might like these.

Rice: white rice is the bomb…brown rice is good for you, wild rice cooked in chicken broth is mind-blowing!  The easiest way to cook rice is to cook a batch in a rice cooker, portion it out, and freeze…rice nukes very well!  It also tastes yummy stir-fried in a dry, non-stick skillet with egg whites, veggies, and seasonings.  There are tons of different types of rice…sweet, short grain, long grain, aromatic…all yummy and all very different in texture and flavor!

Barley: Pearled or not, it’s soooo gooood…..I cook mine in my rice cooker 3 cups of water for every one cup of barley.

Buckwheat: In the rice cooker….damn good!!!

Oatmeal: Steel-cut oats wins hands-down over instant.  The totally make you feel FULL…i can eat an entire cup (measured uncooked) of instant, but just 1/4 cup of steel-cut does it for me. YAY!  It’s not a pain in the butt to prepare if you use—>a rice cooker.

Ezekiel Bread: yum yum yum!

Quinoa: My least favorite, I will have to play around more with this one.

The morning started out great!
I switched my normal instant oatmeal this morning for steel cut oats (I cooked them in my rice cooker the night before).  Totally worth it…not only are they more delicious, but really do satiate my hunger a lot better than instant!  I also tried working out in the morning instead of the afternoon.  My ride into work in 30-45 minutes, so I am changing out my routine a little to see if it helps my appetite / energy / time management any.  Today I started my day at 5:45am.  After feeding my birds, I had my breakfast at about 6am, got my things together, and was out the door by 6:30am.  I arrived at the gym at 7:10 and trained shoulders and traps, followed by 30 min of cardio…shower, meal 2 and at my desk by 9am.

Supplements: Kre-alkalyn, colon cleanse, MRM Minus-10, Multi-vit, EFA, digestive enzyme, thermogenic
Breakfast: 1/4 cup steel cut oats with splenda and cinnamon, 1c egg whites
Shoulders: DB Shoulder press: 30×15, 35×12, 40×10, 45×6; upright bb rows superset: 50×15, 50×12, 50×10 with bend over flys: 15×15; 15×12; 15×10; front cable raise: 15×15; 15×15; 15×15; front db shrugs: 40×12x; side db shrugs: 35×12x3; rear shrugs: 30×12x3 cardio on stepmill for 30 min

PWO supp: HMB
9am meal: 1c egg whites, 100g strawberries
Afternoon cardio: 45 min on stepmill
1:30pm meal: 4oz yams, 5oz chicken, salad, 1 c okura

I finally realized I have been feeling depressed because I was disappointed in myself for not realizing my goal this year of competing at a National show.  After that realization, I committed to compete at Nationals this Nov–at least mentally.  Emotionally, I don’t think I was there until Sunday morning.  I logged into BodySpace, and after seeing some of the profiles of people on THEIR treks, I felt the hunger again of reaching for the stars.  Well, partially, but it didn’t really hit home until I took my next set of progress photos.  I could cry to see what I have done to my physique!  Posting my pics online has really helped me form a mental image from what I am and what I could be.  I want to achieve the physique of the elite…but in order to do so, you also have to have the mindset of a professional.  I think I am ready for this next challenge–both in my heart and in my mind.  My goal for this coming week is to simply stay on track with my nutritional plan, cardio, and training.  This time around, I am starting off on my own…partially because the costs of hiring a competent nutritionist / coach are so prohibitive!  Another reason is…I want to prove to myself that I do have the knowledge, and more importantly, the drive, to succeed.  My first attempts at doing my own contest prep failed–not because I didn’t know what I was doing, but because I lacked the self-discipline to kick myself in the behind.  I want to know that I don’t need a coach to make me succeed…I am doing this for me, and the drive comes entirely from within, not because someone is encouraging me to excel.  Otherwise, what is the point?  I am not fooling myself…I KNOW when it comes down to the last few critical weeks, it takes a very practiced and talented eye to fine-tune my physique to be stage-ready.  Until I reach that point, I’m doing this because I want to.

After a horrendous weekend off track with my diet and training, I’m starting at square 1.  I’m not even going to go into what I ate…if you thought it, I ate it!!! I spent the entire weekend installing hardwood floors in my house.  Today’s diet is also not that great, it went the other way with not enough nutrition:

AM Cardio: 30 min stairmaster @ 130THR
Supplements: Multivits, Minus10, Omega 3-6-9, Colon Cleanse, Venom
Breakfast - 4 egg whites, 1/2 c oatmeal, 4 oz raisins, splenda & cinnamon
Lunch - 2 scoops MaxMuscle Gourmet Whey (Peanut butter fudge flavor)
PWO Supps: Kre-alkalyn

Workout:
60 reps: swiss ball crunches x 3 sets
25 reps (each side): swiss ball twisting crunches x 3sets
10 reps: burpees / pullups superset with boxjumps x 3 sets
15 reps: decline situps with 5lb db shoulder press x 3 sets
15 reps (each side): stationary lunge and twist w/ 10 lb db x 3 sets
10 reps: dips (bw) x 1 set

In re-inventing myself…I booked my trip to the Olympia!  This week I am going to start on a mini-diet to make sure I look fabulous for Vegas!  Thanks to the support of my loving family and friends, both old and new, I feel rejuvenated and much like my old, happy self!  I have felt a sense of peace and calm that I haven’t felt in a long time (if ever).  I’m back on my old mission to put a smile on other people’s faces…either through random acts of kindness or practical jokes, haha!

Yesterday I cooked my 10lbs of chicken, yams and vegetable du jour….squash!!! Yup, it’s squash season, and the stores are full of tasty butternut and spaghetti squash!!  Once again, I’ll be posting detailed diet and exercise information, and update my progress with weekly stats and photos.

Today’s stats:
Cardio - 30 min (stepmill)
Training - Random favorites, since I am still recovering from a shoulder injury (tendonitis / swelling) soooo….
Swiss ball sit-ups 3×50
Pushups 3*25
Hack squats - 0/15; 20/12; 25/10; 35/10
Single-leg extensions  - 45/12, 12, 12
Standing hamstring curls - 30/15, 15, 15
Front squats on smith machine - bw/ 15, 15, 15
Sumo squats on smith machine - bw/15, 20/15, 20/15
Pullups - bw/10, 8, 5

Nutrition -
3 eggwhites, 2 oz raisins, 1/2c oatmeal, splenda, cinnamon
3 eggwhites, splenda, a splash of coffee
4oz chicken, iceberg lettuce, cherry tomatoes, 5oz butternut squash, balsamic vinegar
<<ok…here is where i screwed up…i package cashews, w package arare, 1 green-tea flavored kitkat bar, 2 hershey’s kisses>>
4 oz chicken, iceberg lettuce, cherry tomatoes, 5 oz butternut squash
3 oz ground turkey, crushed tomatoes, mushrooms, 8oz butternut squash

OK…i JUST noticed writing this out that i forgot to eat some yams for lunch!!! the butternut squash threw me off since it looks very similar.  No wonder I screwed up!!  See…writing this stuff out helps…lol

Supplements
MRM Minus-10
ALR Venom
Max Muscle chewable Glutamine
Kre-Alkalyn
Whole Foods Multi-Vit Capsules
Whole Foods Omega 3-6-9 Oil Capsules
MRM Digest-all
Cellular Research Colon Cleanse

It’s been a few months since I’ve started being single again.  It’s been really hard, because I haven’t really been single since my mid-teens.  I’ve been involved in what seems like one long relationship after another, back-to-back.  Each time, I thought I found someone who possessed qualities that the last was lacking.  What I never did was give myself the opportunity to really be comfortable with myself.  It’s been really hard these past few months with many sleepless and tearful nights.  What I realize what I am afraid of most is being alone, and how uncomfortable I am with myself.  What I realize what I must do now to regain some of my sanity back is to find my bearings and learn to love myself again, and to truly be comfortable in my own skin without feeling compelled to answer to someone or be told what to do.  I am learning to make decisions on my own and about my own life, without having any regard or input from anyone else.  Sometimes I feel so desperately alone that I want to curl into a ball and cry and cry, yet I don’t want to see or go out with any of my friends.  Other times I feel free as a bird, ready to take on the world.  Most of the time I feel helpless and without direction.  The best I can do right now is to occupy myself with pending projects, and tackle each one to completion.  Each completed project is usually another weekend, and another weekend spent is another passage of time.  Since time heals all wounds, I am hoping each day will be a little easier to live.

OK, I slipped last week.  Friday I was too sore from running the entire week and took a day off…the vacation extended to Sunday.  I had 2 doughnuts and 2 pasteries on Friday, along with a smorgusborg of other treats…food was not good that day!  Saturday was about the same with my day starting off with 2 egg McMuffins and finishing with a bottle of wine, hamburger and fries.  For breakfast on Sunday I had a box of Nilla Wafer cookies and ended the day with another case of assorted tea cookies.

Starting today I have to switch out my workout routine since I need to take my daughter to summer school in the mornings, so no more early runs.  I ran my 4 miles at lunch, and it was very nice and hot outside!  It still felt good to be in the sunshine and fresh air, and I’m hoping to squeeze a workout session before I join the afternooon traffic.  In the afternoon, I completed a circut whole body workout.

My meals for today:

8am - 4 egg whites and 1/2 c oatmeal, 1 c fresh fruit (papaya, canteloupe, honeydew)

11am - apple

1:30pm - 4oz chicken, medium salad and 2 Tbs quinoa

8:00pm - 4oz chicken, small salad, 1c steamed cauliflower and 4oz yams

We’ll see how the rest of the day goes.  No supplements today, including vitamins or thermogenics.

Just a moment of silence.  My thoughts and prayers go to her family and friends.

I usually find it easier to stick to a plan if I have a goal.

Right now, I would love to lose some of this post-show water and fat, adn get back down to the 126-lb range.  My target date will be the USA’s in Vegas…I won’t be competing, just watching, but who wants to go to Vegas looking like a cow???  I have 8 weeks to get my game on…I know I can do it!!!

Yesterday was almost a wash…i managed 45 minutes of cardio in the morning, but didn’t get any other workouts / cardio for the rest of the day.  For breakfast, I had 4 egg whites and a 1/2 cup of grits.  I’ll need to remember to have some fruit for breakfast, because by the time I was ready to drive to work, I was hungry again and ate 1/2 cup of BareNaked Fruit n’ Nut Granola in the car.  I ended up finishing the bag the rest of the day…that’s about 1540 calories!!!  For lunch I had a small salad (romaine lettuce, tomato, and fat-free ranch dressing) with 4oz of chicken.  For dinner I had 1/2 box Carr’s water crackers, 1/2 carton spreadable cheese, and 4oz grilled chicken breast with 3/4 bottle of Smoking Loon Merlot.  I had a rough day and needed some soul smoothing.

Today I am back on track…I got up at 5am, and was at work and ran on the 4-mile trail out back in 45 minutes, then did some abs.

Meals / Supplements:

Breakfast: 1/2 cup oatmeal, 3 scrambled eggs (whole) and 1 1/2 cups diced fruit (grapes, papaya, canteloupe, honeydew melon, strawberries).  1 Venom pill

Mid-morning snack: 3 scrambled eggs (whole) and 1/2 cup diced fruit (see above).  I forgot my bottle of Venom so I took 2 "Thermo Fire" (Prolab)

Lunch: 4oz chicken, 4oz yams, 1/2 small salad (no appetite =( ) 

Workout: Squats: 20 @ 45lbs, 10 @ 115lbs, 8 @ 135lbs,  8 @ 115lbs, 15 @ 45lbs; Split-leg squats: 15 @ 30lbs, 15 @ BW, 15 @ BW; Sumo squats: 15 @ 15lbs X 3; Single-leg wall squats (BW): 15-12-12; Walking lunges: 10 (each leg) @ BW X 4

My clothes are finally starting to fit, and my face isn’t as puffy.  I am still waiting for the x-ray results on my ankle to see if I have a chipped bone or not.  I hope it heals soon!

On a positive note, 24-hour Fitness had a "Family Special" sale this weekend, so I was able to add my brother on to my gym membership for only $12/ month forever.  YAY!   I want to help him lose weight, put on some muscle, and feel good about himself!  Anyone have any advice to get him unhooked from World of Warcraft?

After about a month’s hiatus, I am struggling with my weight…I have gained a ton of fat and water from not eating / training properly and lack of cardio.  I am setting my issues aside and will regain focus on cleansing my mind and body.  This entry starts the record of my new progress journal for going from fluffy to in-shape.

 This morning I went for a 4-mile run.

 Nutrition / supplements / water:

Breakfast: 4 egg whites, 1/2 cup of oatmeal and 3oz of raisins for breakfast, one capsule of Venom (thermogenic)

Mid-morning snack: 1 scoop of whey / 1 capsule of Venom

Lunch: 4oz chicken with 4oz yams and medium salad for lunch

Dinner: 4oz chicken with medium salad (romaine lettuce and med tomato)

Water: 2 quarts

Training / cardio:

Ran 4 miles outside this morning

Training (chest/arms): Incline db press: 15/15lbs, 6/55lbs, 8/50lbs, 7/50lbs, 15/15lbs; Incline db flyes: 15/15lbs, 8/35lbs, 10/30 lbs, 10/30 lbs, 18/15lbs; Cable flyes: 15/30, 15/30, 15/30; Pec-dec: 10/60, 10/60, 10/60; Freeweight dips: 8-8-8; DB hammer curls: 10/25, 6/30, 10/25; EZ-bar cable curls: 15/30, 10/50, 10/50