Chicana_Peach’s Transformation Blog

Well, here i am almost a month after my 2nd figure competition and on my way to adding more lean mass. This is SOOO different from a cutting diet for sure. You have to figure out what works best for you on ratios and what not. I keep reading articles and getting different ideas, some say to cut the carbs really low and keep the fats high if you want to stay lean. Others say keep the carbs high and watch the fat intake…UGH! So confusing. I’m thinking i need carbs (good ones of course) to grow and i have been averaging around 2200-2600 calories (yes, that much). Getting enough protein, but sometimes a little too much. I have been averaging in the 30s percentage for each macro (protein, carbs, fats). Sound alright or just too much? I am about to get some info from Scivation on bulking so we will see what happens with that. I want to put on the most muscle and be ready to compete again in May or June. Also on the tummy tuck procedure, well i do want to get it done and just trying to figure out the best date for that. I would like to get it done before this year is out, but i have to see. I have to have someone around for the recovery time as i will have my 2 yr old and can’t be too cripple…lol. I know a figure girl who had the procedure done and she said it took her about 6 weeks to recover, wow i’m going to freak out not training that long!! Muscle memory right

Clothing - getting snug! I don’t like that part of bulking. I have bought some new sweats to wear during this process, but will be buying some *bulk* jeans to have. I like having a butt again though Can’t wait to build up my glutes and have a nice shapely butt that will fill out my jeans better. Freaking thigh part on most jeans are snug on me. I still have bicep veins and still get great pumps at the gym! I freaked out two ladies walking by me while i was doing 21’s. One just made this disgusted face while walking by with her friend and pointed at my arms, i was looking dead at her. I just laughed. They then went to the bench machine and one of the chicks was struggling benching with just the 45lb bar…lol. How dare they! Some people think muscles and veins are just so gross. I don’t though I LOOOOOVVVVEEE it! Very empowering I feel my back is widening and just overall feel like i’m growing. Doing moderate cardio 5-6xs a week so i can stay some what lean. I know i’m burning a lot of calories during my workouts cause i really work up a sweat! I say if you aren’t sweating while lifting, then you AREN’T working hard enough! I’m guessing its possible to gain around 1/2 a pound of muscle a week, i thought i read that some where, anyone know whats the max a week? Just curious! Any input on the whole bulking process is much appreciated! I know not to focus on the scale numbers (i haven’t been on the scale too much), but on how you feel and look. Still feeling lean, just fuller. Thanks!

So i have really been thinking about it MORE lately and i really want to get a tummy tuck done. I have lost a good bit of weight and got down to really low body fats and STILL have the nasty loose skin and the horrible stretch marks. SO NOT FAIR! I feel like its going to be a roadblock in my journey into figure competitions and bodybuilding (hoping to do crossovers soon, yes lots of work to do). I have already had one consultation and the surgeon said i was a good candidate. I still haven’t made the decision as i wanted to hold out and see if my skin would go back, but i seriously doubt it. I have done my research on how long it takes and on tummy tucks and i’m one of those rare cases where the skin doesn’t go back. I think this also impedes my abs from coming out too. I want to feel comfortable in my skin and the tummy is NOT HELPING. Having 4 kids and yo yo dieting most of my life has completely destroyed my midsection. So you may think that its not that bad as per my pictures, but you see i’m flexing and not moving around much. My sister even noticed it. It really puts a downer on me even when i try not to focus on it. I also feel a bit of discrimination towards it when doing my competitions. The tanner doesn’t really help neither nor the Dermablend (actually makes them appear worse). I have tried a few things to soften and fade my stretch marks, but nothing. I have tried the Jean Wu method, Vitamin K, Trilastin (went through 2 tubes of this stuff), aloe vera, and cocoa butter. No luck, these battle scars are really engraved. I have brought it up to my husband of how i really want the tummy tuck, not only will it rid me of most of the stretch marks, but it will rid me of the nasty loose skin. He even mentioned how i am almost perfect EXCEPT for the tummy I almost cried on that and just want to cry thinking about this. I have gotten some mean comments about them before too Not cool, i say if you don’t like what you see, you can kiss my a$$! Now the only way i would get the funds to cover this operation would be out of my 401k, i would really hate to do this, but i’m getting really desperate! Not only because of competing, but when i go to the beach, i don’t want to be thinking about who is looking at my stretch marks/loose skin crap and how i have to bend over to pick up stuff. It just SUCKS!! I deserve to be happier with myself. I have yet to bring up my plan to my husband. I have a feeling he will not be 100% up for it. He is not the one that is dealing with the issue. Its been 2 years now that i have gotten my body to a stable weight and bodyfat and i know the skin and stretch marks are not going anywhere. Does anyone know if this will cause issues with me competing in judging? I mean will it count against me? I have a very valid reason. What are your thoughts on this? Sorry to ramble on, but this has really been on my mind. I want to continue competing, but would like to take care of this issue first as i think my chances of building a better physique will be higher. Yes, i know about the scar from hip to hip, but i would rather have that then all the stretch marks that plague my stomach

I haven’t blogged in awhile and have just been relaxing. Well, not really just taking a break from the internet and training hard at the gym. I’m so determined to build more muscles. I just started a new shoulder routine and going to start working them 2xs a week (posted starting point, will post again after done with 8 weeks of training, already 1 week in). I’m going to have to rearrange my lifting plan a bit to give the shoulder workout some days in between to let them recover properly. I’m thinking 2-3 days in between. I took some starter pics of the shoulders (8 week program) and can’t wait to see what happens!! My sister is doing the same program too. I am getting my strength back in the gym and i LOVE it!

On another note, i was cleaning out my closets this weekend and found that i STILL had some size 14 and size large work outfits that i was still holding on for some reason? What the hell, i’m DONE being the fat girl! I’m going to list some stuff on Ebay, i got a good bit of stuff that i could get some cash back on. I have my old size large X-Men Storm costume that i just posted and got a few more of the girls that are in great condition. Its just money laying around, you wouldn ‘t believe it would sell, but it does. My closet is kind of empty now…lol. I have more workout clothes than anything, speaking of which i need to get some workout pants since the seasons are about to change. Heck, i still had some bigger workout clothes that were stashed away, time to get them out of my house!

The other day while at the gym, I was showing my picture in the 2 piece that was taken by a photographer to a few people at the gym including one of the owners. Well, when i was about to leave, he asks me if i could bring in a picture of me like the one i had so he could display it with some other competitors on his display table. I was flattered! I got one and going to take it to him when i drop off my daughter. Maybe they will be nice and give me a free t shirt or something Funny, now my oldest daughter Karina is interested in doing bodybuilding after watching my show. There was a young bodybuilder there that inspired her. She asked me if i could find a beginner program for her so she can start working out. She has already started doing a little bit on her own and people at school are starting to notice. She has big legs too and already starting to build as well as her triceps I TOTALLY support it if she wants to get into it as long as it doesn’t affect her school work. I would be so proud of her! I told her to find out about it first really good before she commits to it and take her time. There is a lot more she could research. Oh i had one of my daughters turn 12 this past Friday. My girls are growing up so fast! Yes, i had a small slice of that delicious Publix cake! Hmmmm, buttercream frosting chocolate cake, who could resist!

The bulking. Well, last week as pretty much semi clean and now i’m trying to get a little better with the eating cause i hate the way my midsection is and the weight gain. I know the scale sucks right about now and most of it could be water retention and what not, but it sucks. The midsection is so weird after doing a show. Mine is really flat on the bottom and in the middle, it looks like i have a tire or something…lol. Not so bad in the mornings, just during the day. I have been drinking lots of water, at least a gallon to help with it, but Amy/my trainer said it will take about 1 month for my body to go back to *normal*. I would like to stay within 125-130 range with around 15% BF off season so i don’t have to bust my butt when i do a few shows early next year. That sounds about right? I still want to be able to build, a trainer at my gym tells his girlfriend (figure competitor) that she has to eat big if she wants to continue gaining muscle. I think he believes in dirty bulking which does work for some i guess. I don’t think that would work for me though, i would just get fat. I either lose weight fast or gain weight fast…NOT FAIR! I do like the fact that i have a little bit of freedom now though and don’t have to think about food constantly. If i want to go out, i don’t have to freak out if i forgot a meal and all that. I missed outside food! I’m so bad, i haven’t went to Pizza Hut yet and that was something i was really craving towards the end of my comp prep. Just afraid of what it will do to my body, i think i will have to make a stop there this week though to get it out of my system. I’m so crazy, i have started to track my calories again already cause if i don’t get an idea of where i’m at, the pounds are going to start creeping up on me. I need some structure and don’t want to be guessing. Well, thats about all i got right now. Just enjoying life a little more since i don’t have to be so strict witht the diet and all. I’m still a total gym rat though No over training for me though. Train smarter, not harder as my friends tell me.

Hi everyone. I just got back in today from TN and really tired! I have been enjoying some good food and drinking plenty of water to flush all the junk out. I already feel kind of sick

Well, i didn’t place in my class yesterday unfortunately, but i feel great though. I know i did better this time around and brought a better package. The judges were looking for a more muscular look it seemed at this show. The overall winner used to be a bodybuilder not too long ago and now doing figure competitions. She had huge shoulders too which i lack. Anyways, the experience was great. This was the first time this show was done and it was well organized to be a first show. All the staff was pretty friendly and i got a lot of free goodies at during the Expo. There were 9 competitors in my class, i was placed in the short class which was kind of weird. Pretty much anyone 5′4" and below were in this class. They were awarding trophies to the top 5 in each class. The other classes were much smaller so everyone in those pretty much went home with a trophy. I felt very confident in my posing especially at the night show. I pretty much followed everything my trainer told me to do until after the night show. I was a little surprised that i wasn’t called in the top 5, but then again i was glad it was over with and ready to eat and drink. SO THIRSTY! I was also surprised that they didn’t really judge or count off for bad posing and smiling cause i saw that happening a good bit in my class. Some of these girls have competed before in other TN shows and i believe there were like 1 or 2 new competitors in this class. They all looked pretty good though, but i have to tell you that some really needed to work on that backside…lol. Lots of jiggle backstage. Yikes! Anyways, i will continue training and focusing on building mass during the fall and winter seasons. I want to do another show sometime early next year if and when i feel that my upper body and backside have improved some. Those are going to be my focus areas. I went to the judges for feedback after the show and spoke to 2 of the judges. They said that the only thing is that i needed to lose more water next time. Basically they were saying i was holding water in my hams and all and should start cutting the water out starting Wednesday or something like that. They said i should have experimented with this as different bodies respond differently. I told my trainer about this and she totallly disagrees. She stated that figure girls cut water out by Friday and not sooner since figure is FIGURE and not bodybuilding (more dry look). They also said that my tan needs to be DARKER. Ay ya ya, i thought it was pretty dark as i got spraytanned at the show and had a good dark base tan to start with. UGH! We got further into detail with the judges and asked what exactly are they looking for and if they are still going for a softer figure look. He said that is what they are being told to look for and that the shoulders should not look like cannon balls and the seperation should not be there. They want a feminine look with softer lines and the judge was even drawing what they are looking for which was TOTALLY contradicting what they chose in this show. I even spoke up and said, "But the girl that placed high in my class and overall had exactly what you say that you are not looking for…". He states that he can not comment or dispute with me on that and had a funny look on his face. Hmmmmm. Whatever! I know i did good and worked very hard to where i’m at now. I already talked to my trainer about my future plans and plan on getting back in the gym this week for some light cardio & lifting. Next week i will take off from the gym as she recommended. I will still be focusing on building my shoulders a bit and working on my hamstrings and glutes. Watch out cause i’m NOT done! Oh, i got a picture with Guntar Schlierkamp that my sister took. I will have to get it from her and post it. What a hunk!

Hi everyone!    Sorry, i have been busy doing the last minute packing thing and trying to get in all my water before noon and all. Haven’t been blogging much. Staying off my feet is HARD! My trainer chewed me out yesterday about this and not being ready with the carb load stuff and packing. Opps! Busy mother here, hehe. I really hope the carbing up works this time, i feel it was my fault last time that it didn’t really work as i didn’t take any sweet potatoes with me and i didn’t eat enough on M5 like she told me. I’m such a goober. She told me to eat 2-3 rolls of sushi and a few pieces of sashami and last time i only ate 4 pieces of sushi, NOT rolls. What a freaking goober! LOL. I couldn’t believe i could eat all that last night I was really enjoying myself and today i get to have my PB balls for some of my meals!! Dang, those things are GOOD! I should have bought more granola to put into them. I got all my meals ready to go for the day of and the rest of today so i’m SO READY! Got 2 containers of PB balls and ready to eat those bad boys. I’m going to be greedy with them more this time cause last time the other ladies were drooling over them. Better get away hags! LMAO! I like how my physique came in this time and really look forward to having a good time. I don’t know what to expect at this show since its the first Sports Expo show that TN is holding so we will see. I only know of one chick that is competing there and i think she is in my class. Her arms are way better than mine, but thats ok. You never know I know i did better on the body this time so thats what counts. Not some political judging. I will be thinking about all of you while i’m there! ALL of you inspire me and give me the push i need to keep it up I love this and will continue to do it as my nerves permit..lol. Next time none of this summer dieting though, too rough! Also the way the shows were spaced out, didn’t like the way i did that. I am so ready to go back to some mass building and some freedom.

Alright, i really need to get going and get this packing done! Later peeps!   

Sandra

Yep, 3 more weeks!! I have been super busy with training and all. I now have to do double moderate cardios 5xs a week along with my lifts and some extra stuff that my trainer has me doing. Polishing up my physique and getting it there! I started tanning about a week ago too as i don’t want to come in too light this time. I’m going to use Jantana this time instead of Protan. I used about 4-5 coats of Protan last time and was STILL the lightest one on stage and i’m latin!! LOL. You live and learn! Diet is TOUGH now even though i get a little more carbs (so my trainer says) then others do cause my body can handle it better. I am noticing that i’m still holding onto my muscle this time around and i think it really has to do with my diet changing. My trainer knows my body better so that helps a bunch! I STILL get my lean steak for one of my meals!! I just LOVE it Makes me a happy girl! Now if only i can stay out of the peanuts…lol. I am going to start weaning myself off of the diet drinks after this week and off the occasional sugar free puddings i have been having. Those last weeks are the ones that are REALLY going to count. Really sucks cause i can see my strength is diminishing in the gym and looking flat at times. Its all good though, 3 weeks till trophy and PIZZA time!! My oldest daughter is already asking me what type of candy bars i want so she can have them ready for me after my show like last time I just LOVE her and my sis! They ROCK! They were there supporting and rooting for me last time and i think it made such a difference especially when i would almost forget to smile. I will need to be practicing posing like everyday now and i can tell that i’m better at it then for my last comp prep. YAY! time to start making some journal vids of this comp. Alright, later!

YAY!! The blog is working now for me! Ok, time to catch up…here goes:
Been super busy lately and stressing! My daughters are about to go back to school and i’m trying to make sure they are ready as far as school supplies and clothes. They are pretty much set except for those list of things they will need when they get to school. You know, the final list of supplies Also finding out recently that i’m doing my 2nd figure comp alone and my sister will not be on the stage with me was a real downer. I know i can do this, i have done it alone for my first time. I know my sister will be there in the audience, but i was really hoping to share all the moments with her and the pigging out afterwards…hahaha!! You know how all that goes, freaking thirsty AND hungry! I am so looking forward to the peanut butter balls when carbing up the day of and the nice foods/candies after my comp. Tastes SOOOO rewarding after being done with the stage and all the thrills I have it in my mind that i really want to win this show, but i feel like its not going to happen because of the lack of size in my arms. I really need to stop thinking like that, because the judges may be looking for something different anyways and who knows, i may be lucky and the competition might not be that bad. Thinking WINNER WINNER, PIZZA DINNER…heheh, i know shut up with the pizza already! HA! Man, it would be nice to go home with one of those sword trophies. I called the lady over the show to get a little more info and she said that the overall winners and something like that get swords, HOW COOL! Just taking a trophy home is nice though

So like the weekends are the worst for me and knowing that i only have 4 weeks left is kind of driving me crazy. I just got my diet this past Friday and starting it tomorrow. Less complex carbs and some other changes, BUT I still get to have my lean steak..YAY! My diet has really changed since last time as i leaned out TOO fast and lost muscle. I do get the double whammy cardio this time around for some reason, but only totaling 1 hour a day. Only moderate cardio and my trainer told me specifically what to do for cardio so i won’t be overdoing it. She already got onto me for running and doing the cardio classes…LOL. Love this woman, she believes in tough love for sure. I’m just hard headed and if details or explanations aren’t given as to why and how, i tend to do it MY way. She asked that i get my bodyfat checked again so i will have to get on that this week. I also have to get my plain one piece ordered this week and a few more stones, that is really stressing me. I started going to the tanning bed this week too, just signed up for a month. I’m not a tanner so this is going to be interesting, i just don’t want to be the lightest chick up there on stage like i was last time. My face is a little burnt from the 2 sessions of tanning so far though…OUCH!

Now, i got to control the evil snacking i have been doing lately, especially when the weekends come around and I’m bored to death. Sometimes i don’t even give it a second thought, i have just been reaching for some club crackers thinking to myself "oh, 2 or 3 won’t hurt, it will probably help me"…you know those mind games we play with ourselves. Then the peanuts…oh the peanuts! Lately since my hubby cooked up a bunch of boiled spicy peanuts (love these) i have been reaching for some of these and not taking my flaxseed cause heck they are both good fats right? I feel like i shouldn’t be doing this, but i am still making progress so my mind says what the heck. I keep telling myself, oh once i get to 2-3 weeks out i will be 100%…I NEED TO BE 100% NOW DAMNIT!! Someone kick my butt already Oh yeah, Fridays we have been going out for dinner to eat at the steakhouse (using my steak meal here) and i have the side caesar salad with no crotons, but those stupid peanuts too that they have there…those peanuts call my name! EVIL! I have the 8oz sirloin (only supposed to be 5oz, but i’m freaking HUNGRY!) with a bit of the steak sauce and a plain sweet potato with cinnamon since they don’t have brown rice, i just feel like it keeps me sane and a dinner date with my husband because i so miss going out with him to eat. We used to go out all the time on the weekends. Geez, i feel like i don’t have a life sometimes! Alright, end of vent and confessions. Already feeling better

Well, not sure if i will continue to do the NPC show in September at the TN Sports Expo. I called today and found out that its not a National qualifier (which i didn’t really care cause i already qualify for Nationals), no novice category (my sis) and my sister has just decided not to compete until next year as she needs more time in a building phase. Well, we were going to share the room to cut on the expenses and what not so now its not really feasible for me to do this show. Now i have my eyes on a NGA show in Georgia that is also being held in September. The exact date is September 6th and being held at the same place where my first show was at so what a coincendance…lol. I already know 3 ladies that will be competing there so that is a relief and will make it more pleasurable. Also looking on the site i see they are very alike with NPC. They require a one piece and 2 piece round with pretty much the same posing. Here is the site: http://www.wbfcatl.com/index2.html

Here are the standards/guidelines for figure that they emailed out not too long ago, i heard they aren’t really strict on this though:

For the WBFC in September all figure women should  only be 2 degrees from being a bodybuilder.

The shoulders should have a   rounded cap and the legs should have a line that separates the hamstrings when looking from the  side and a line that  separates the tear drop from the quad when viewing from the front. 

I know i will have issues with the upper body, but i’m working on that. I think the legs are pretty much covered and i will still have 5 weeks to lean out. Now what sucks are the extra fees with a new organization, entry fee of $100 and a drug testing fee. I still think it would be cheaper and more convenient than the TN show, i don’t know. I already discussed it with my husband, but he really isn’t all for this stuff. I have yet to make a final decision and discuss it over with my trainer. I really want to do one more show and not throw away all the weeks of dieting and hard work down the drain. I want to finish what i started! Also it would be nice to shave a week away I just have to hurry up and purchase a one piece, the one i had does not fit right…my torso is too long and boobs are about to bust out of it…so yeah. Thinking happy thoughts here, but feeling a little lost now.

Hi everyone, i’m doing pretty good. My diet is going to change starting tomorrow and today i’m allowed another simple cheat meal (SUSHI!!). I am leaning out from what i see in my pics and gaining a little bit of muscle. I also think my shoulders are looking better! Although i think my quads kind of overpower everything, maybe i shouldn’t flex as much?? I took my pics in different lighting and it really shows the definition in my quads (already under my progress pics, 8/1).

I have been killing it on the cardio and mixing things up (doing aerobic classes instead of boring ass cardio machines). Weight training is going great and i still have strength so thats good. Shoulder day is becoming one of my favorite training days. About the diet, I just get cranky cause i miss the food variety. I have had some chicken meals substituted with El Pollo Loco (no skin, side salad, no tortillas) and that really *fixes* me. I just drink up a lot of water to get rid of the extra sodium. I know, stop this really closer to the show I spoke with my trainer and she would really like for me to bulk a good 6 months after the September show. She also notices that i have gained some muscle since the last show, thats good to know coming from her cause she KEEPS IT REAL!! HAHA, i feel like she is my mama sometimes cause she gives me that needed tough love

Getting closer to a good weight? I am down to 127lbs and BF is 13.93%.

Oh yeah, its getting close! GASP! I’m feeling really good about my prep this time. I’m training WAY HARDER in the gym and doing different stuff. I feel so much more motivated in the gym too. What a world of difference it makes! I just don’t like it when people or in my way and just chit chatting, man get the F out my way! yeah, i get really hard core when i get in my ZONE. Hey, my competition probably isn’t slowing down so i gotta give it my all and that is what i plan to keep on doing to the FINISH LINE!

The diet is pretty good right now and i feel like my energy isn’t too bad YET. The water intake is A CHALLENGE. Workouts don’t suffer too much as long as i eat all of my meals and supplement right. Now that i take CEE consistently, i can tell it REALLY helps in my workouts. The diet gets so BORING and thank goodness my trainer was nice enough to allow a cheat meal this last weekend, oh yeah it was SUSHI!! It was YUMMO and it was a bit extended I had some mexican chips with salsa…BAD SANDRA!! Oh well, one little mishap is not going to stop me in my tracks. I don’t quit so easily. When i start something, I INTEND to finish it. Taking some progress pics tomorrow, hopefully the cheat didn’t do any harm. I don’t really think so because i still feel leaner day by day. I am getting my body fat measured again tomorrow. Just curious to see where it is since my diet has changed recently and then the cheat meal. Here i come TN!!!