fitnessprincess’s BodyBlog

It’s been said before but it truly bears repeating – there is something truly powerful about community and about this community in particular.  Bodybuilding.com and all of you have truly been a blessing to me and I think many of you out there feel the same way.

Every time I come here I learn something new that enriches my life not just the physical part but the spiritual, emotional parts as well.

So I have decided to give some heartfelt thanks today to some amazing people who continue to motivate and teach me through their posts and their willingness to open their lives to public scrutiny.  God bless you!

The last two days buoyed by the positive spirit on these blogs and in particular by Buffmother and dvsness’ posts, I have been walking whenever possible.  I walked to/from the gym for my body comp yesterday and stopped at the farmer’s market where I got fresh heirloom tomatoes and red leaf lettuce.  Today I walked to/from the Registry to renew my driver’s license before going to workout.
Foodwise today was my cheat day and boy did I need it.

In terms of exercise today was cardio day and I visited my old friend Mr. Step Mill.  60-min  started out at L9 and went up to L11, 291 floors and 6.06 miles.  I sweated up a storm!  LOL!   I just hope I didn’t overdo it because tomorrow is leg day and I plan on lifting heavy!

Have a great, great evening all!

Yesterday I posted my latest bi-weekly photos.  I think I see some improvement in the mid-section and the legs.  Just gotta keep plugging away I guess.  Today I went to BE and had a body comp.  %BF has decreased by 1.5% since I last had it done (7/31/07) and best part I have put on 2 lb of lean muscle.  No, the best part is that the biggest change in my skin folds was in my thigh -LOL! which is where I desparately need to see change.  So even though my weight hasn’t changed I have been making progress.  This was so reassuring and serves as yet another reminder to beware the scale!!

Hard for me to really say what specifically is responsible but I suspect my work on the step mill has something to do with it and I intend to "step it up" so I can improve my legs as much as I can before the competition.

Today I also placed my order for my figure suits.  I need two suits - a one-piece and a two-piece for the figure competition I am entering in October.  I am ordering my suits from Lidia Conti.  I really struggled with the colors and styles.  I love red and I think I look good in black - I wear black alot so I decided in the end to get one suit in red and the other black velvet.   Now I am fully committed.

I am changing up my program and going to lift heavy the next few weeks.  I will also be switching up my nutrition.  I plan to post on these changes when I make them.

Nutrition has been good:

Nutrition summary for 8/26/07
1200 calories consumed (1397 calories target)
107 g protein (140 g protein target)
55 g fat (54 g fat target)
72 g carbs (87 g carb target)

Nutrition summary for 8/27/07
1562 calories consumed (1397 calories target)
132 g protein (140 g protein target)
58 g fat (54 g fat target)
128 g carbs (87 g carb target)

Nutrition summary for 8/28/07
1554 calories consumed (1397 calories target)
143 g protein (140 g protein target)
55 g fat (54 g fat target)
120 g carbs (87 g carb target)

Since Saturday at 7:30 am I have been actively involved in the annual national conference in my scientific discipline.  To say it has been a challenge is an understatement.  In some ways it is not a new challenge for me as I have attended numerous conferences since I joined WW and completed my weight loss.  However, it is much easier to do WW and eat at a meeting than it is to eat clean and eat at a meeting.  In some ways it is like taking off the training wheels.

My favorite moment from the meeting was when I participated in a poster session prior to the awards ceremony.  The usual hot hors d’oeuvres were offered and liquid libation - nothing healthy not even a veggie tray - ugh!  I was prepared though and pulled out a packet of Elite protein oatmeal for which I requested a cup of hot water.  I sat down poured it in and ate.  Everyone kept asking me what it was and why I was eating “that.”  It was pretty funny.

I usually care some essentials with me in case of emergency:  a packet of Jay Robb protein powder which I can mix up and enjoy by itself or add to oatmeal if that is available.  I carry nuts in preweighed baggies.  Usually you can get an apple or banana so I don’t carry fruit though I do eat it.  I also carry a couple packets of Elite oatmeal great in a real emergency. If salad is available getting low fat dressing can be a challenge and I often don’t trust what the waiters say so I carry packets of fat free zero-calorie Walden Farms dressings - yummy!  All of this really helped me stay pretty well on program throughout the week.  Unfortunately I did end up undereating and binged as a result (I have noticed that’s not a good thing for me undereating, it always comes back to bite me the next day).

Working out was a whole other story. I made it to the gym only twice.  No regrets - you do the best you can.

Since I am so far behind I will just post yesterday:

Today went better than yesterday except I am just exhausted through and through.  My brain is dead.  I have no brain.  Ugh!
workout with John 45-min
10-min step mill before 1.14-mi 55 floors speed intervals L12-15
10-min stationary bike after intervals 2.5-mi

Dietary Adherence (x=adherence, 0=missed meal, *=non-compliant meal)
Meal 1 x
Meal 2 x
Meal 3 x
Meal 4 x
Meal 5 x

Nutrition summary for 8/23/07
1469 calories consumed (1397 calories target)
120 g protein (140 g protein target)
44 g fat (54 g fat target)
151 g carbs (87 g carb target)

Supplementation
multivitamin - 2/day - done
calcium - 2/day - done
Creatine - Cell Mass (38 calories, 10 g carb) - no creatine
Fish Oil (30 calories, 3 g fat) 3x/day 2 capsules each time - done
vitamin C - morning and PWO - done
vitamin E - PWO - done
BCAA’s  - before workout, before bed
I hope to catch up with all of you - your blogs and threads this weekend!

Hi everyone! Sorry I haven’t posted in the last few days. I am pulling my hair out!! Next week a national conference is in town and I am heavily involved in LOL too many activities related to it. I am also teaching a new prep this fall and it involves developing a lab curriculum which can’t be done overnight so I have been trying to get that in decent shape. Agh! Lastly, I have to admit I have been in something of a funk over the lack of progress I have had here so far with my nutrition/workout plan. I have not given up but I am very concerned that I won’t be where I wanted to be in Oct. and that makes me very sad. I am confused because I haven’t been able to lose weight and I don’t see any progress in terms of recomposition and that frustrates me as well. Don’t get me wrong. I am patient - hey anyone who lost 110 lb over about 2 years has to be patient. It is just I am tired of being patient!!! Waaah!! I want this now!!! OK rant over Time to get back to work!

7 am treadclimber (3 bozos were leaning on the rails of the step mill so I couldn’t get one) 30-min 1.84-mi 445 calories
7:30 - 8 am
[incline Bb sh press 3 sets 12 rep @ 20 lb
incline Db curl 3 sets 12 rep @ 12.5 lb]
front raise 3 sets 15 rep @ 7.5 lb
[rope bicep curl 3 sets of 15 rep @ 40 lb
rope tricep pressdown 3 sets 15 rep @ 40 lb]

6:30 pm step mill L9 aerobic training 60-min 5.47-mi 263 floor 550 calories

Dietary Adherence (x=adherence, 0=missed meal, *=non-compliant meal)
Meal 1 x
Meal 2 x
Meal 3 x
Meal 4 x
Meal 5 x
Meal 6 x

Nutrition summary for 8/15/07
1442 calories consumed (1397 calories target)
113 g protein (140 g protein target)
60 g fat (54 g fat target)
122 g carbs (87 g carb target)

Supplementation
multivitamin - 2/day - done
calcium - 2/day - done
Creatine - Cell Mass (38 calories, 10 g carb) - no creatine
Fish Oil (30 calories, 3 g fat) 3x/day 2 capsules each time - 6 capsules
vitamin C - morning and PWO - done
vitamin E - PWO - done
BCAA’s  - MRM pre and post workout

7 am step mill (for the 4th day in a row AM fasted cardio   ) 1.81-mi 88 floor L9 aerobic training 20-min 180 calories

workout with John 6 pm - upper body
5:40 pm step mill 10-min manual L8 48 floor 0.99-mi 95 calories
6:50 pm step mill 10-min manual L7 44 floor 0.88-mi 90 calories

what’s very interesting has been my satiation this week on fewer calories (by the way the decreased caloric intake was not planned - just due to my inability to fit in the final meal at the end of the day).  I have been eating alot of egg whites.  I am beginning to think this may be due to the eggs.  I really like eating the eggs and have been putting dried veggies in with them.  I have been reading some articles by Poloquin and according to them while the eggs may be a good idea it sounds like I would be better served eating whole eggs not egg whites.  Certainly would be cheaper.  Well, that will be another experiment for another week!
Dietary Adherence (x=adherence, 0=missed meal, *=non-compliant meal)
Meal 1 x
Meal 2 x
Meal 3 x
Meal 4 x
Meal 5 x
Meal 6 x

Nutrition summary for 8/9/07
1354 calories consumed (1397 calories target)
142 g protein (140 g protein target)
46 g fat (54 g fat target)
94 g carbs (87 g carb target)

Supplementation
multivitamin - 2/day - had one
calcium - 2/day - done
Creatine - Cell Mass (38 calories, 10 g carb) - 2/day - done
Fish Oil (30 calories, 3 g fat) 3x/day 2 capsules each time - 4 capsules
vitamin C - morning and PWO - done
vitamin E - PWO - done
BCAA’s 3 capsules 3x/day, 3 capsules before workout, 3 capsules PWO - done

Wow!  This is a whole new world for me!  I have always been most comfortable with guys and even though I was overweight I was just never into all the "girlie" stuff.  Right now though I wish I had paid a bit more attention to at least some of this when I was growing up.  Now here I am trying to learn it all in 12 weeks and wow!  so much to learn:  how to wear/walk in high heels, how to wear/put on makeup, waxing, makeup, tanning, clothing - yow!  Where were you PAM growing up???  (I was a total, total geek  hey my only jewelry is a brass rat, earned by the way, and if you know what that is then you’ve pretty well got me figured out!)
I spoke to Lidia Conti, a suit maker and a really nice person on the phone yesterday.  I like her suits not too much bling - nice designs and decent prices.  I emailed her because I couldn’t figure out all the different terms on her website that you need to know in order to buy a suit.  Oh and it isn’t just her site either.  Things you need to decide include:

1) bottom style:  brazilian, moderate, full (the language changes from site to site could be french cut, brazilian, or V front/back)
2) bottom type: low rise, medium rise, high waist
3) top style:  triangle, swoop, or rounded
4) cup size (I don’t have much up top so I don’t wear
3) whether you want bra padding or not (I don’t have much upstairs so do I or don’t I?)

Anyway, I got homework for Lidia: take photos (I was planning on doing that for my biweekly anyway), do my measurements (ditto - for biweekly), and go to a store and get fitted for a bra so I know my cup size.

Summary for 8/8/07

7 am PT7000 step mill 20-min 1.81-mi, 88 floors, L9 aerobic training, 180 calories (3rd day in a row of morning fasted cardio)
5:55 pm stationary cycle Star Trac Pro forest ride L5 20-min 4.25-mi 197 calories
6:20 pm treadclimber (love, love, love this thing!!!) mixed terrain 30-min 1.82-mi 350-calories

I am a bit stiff today. Not my happiest day - I heard back from Engineering and the lack of enthusiasm for my labs was upsetting to say the least.  Then I got hit with constraints on running the actual lab and of course I am feeling very pressured time wise.  Then I got the two studies for the meeting which starts next weekend. Ugh!! So much to do!!! Deep breath.

Dietary Adherence (x=adherence, 0=missed meal, *=non-compliant meal)
Meal 1 x
Meal 2 x
Meal 3 x
Meal 4 x
Meal 5 x
Meal 6 x

Nutrition summary for 8/8/07
1387 calories consumed (1397 calories target)
154 g protein (140 g protein target)
54 g fat (54 g fat target)
68 g carbs (87 g carb target)

Supplementation
multivitamin - 2/day - had one
calcium - 2/day - done
Creatine - Cell Mass (38 calories, 10 g carb) - 2/day - done
Fish Oil (30 calories, 3 g fat) 3x/day 2 capsules each time - 4 capsules
vitamin C - morning and PWO - done
vitamin E - PWO - done
BCAA’s 3 capsules 3x/day, 3 capsules before workout, 3 capsules PWO - done
finally back on track in terms of nutritional compliance!!!

I read a post on several of the discussion boards I frequent yesterday about motivation.  Reading it, it was clear to me that the author is in a very different place than I am.  I am alternately amused and saddened by what I read.
For me my competition journey is like my weight loss an exciting adventure filled with hope and promise.  My motivation?  Well, I am forty-six pushing forty-seven.  I want to see the body that God intended me to have.  I want to see what it should look like.  I want to know what it can do physically.  Chuckle.  This is about the journey not the end in my opinion, my honed physique, the new friends I make along the way, the things I learn about myself - all of these are the true prize!  For me competition is about doing things I have never done before and never dreamed that I could or would - wearing shoes with heels, wearing a bikini, standing on a stage and walking across it!  It is about losing those pesty inner thighs, building muscles that I can purposely flex (kinda cool!), and being able to stand on one foot!    It is about learning who I am and testing myself in ways I never dreamed!  In short, it is about becoming a better person, a more whole human being.

Summary for 8/6/07

I woke up for the second day in a row big, big smile and carted myself off to the gym where I did the PT7000 step mill for 20-min aerobic training mode L9 (decided not to kill myself - I do have a 5:30 pm workout with John - likely lower body - to look forward to this afternoon so I don’t want to completely wear myself out) 1.84-mi 88 floors 185 calories
did 10-min of manual L8 step mill before and after my workout with John total of 94 floors 2-mi 200 calories
lower body 50-min workout with John - 270 lb new PB on 40-degree leg press - 10 reps yow!!

Dietary Adherence (x=adherence, 0=missed meal, *=non-compliant meal)
Meal 1 x
Meal 2 x
Meal 3 x
Meal 4 x
Meal 5 x
Meal 6 0

Nutrition summary for 8/7/07
1056 calories consumed (1397 calories target)
117 g protein (140 g protein target)
36 g fat (54 g fat target)
63 g carbs (87 g carb target)

Supplementation
multivitamin - 2/day - had one
calcium - 2/day - done
Creatine - Cell Mass (38 calories, 10 g carb) - 2/day - done
Fish Oil (30 calories, 3 g fat) 3x/day 2 capsules each time - 4 capsules
vitamin C - morning and PWO - done
vitamin E - PWO - done
BCAA’s 3 capsules 3x/day, 3 capsules before workout, 3 capsules PWO - done

This was the third day in a row I ended up eating under my calorie goal.  I have been eating on schedule but I have been tired and haven’t been making the last meal of the day.  I am loathe to add more calories at this point as I know that I need to lose quite a bit of weight if I am going to get where I need to be in October.  That said, I don’t want to suppress my metabolism by eating too little.  Hmmm…

August 3rd - overall good day:

45 min kickass workout with John - upper body and abs
20 min PT7000 step mill fat burner L10 1.99 mi 96 floors 195 calories

Dietary Adherence (x=adherence, 0=missed meal, *=non-compliant meal)
Meal 1 x
Meal 2 x
Meal 3 x
Meal 4 0
Meal 5 x
Meal 6 *

Nutrition summary for 8/3/07
1290 calories consumed (1397 calories target)
135 g protein (140 g protein target)
51 g fat (54 g fat target)
88 g carbs (87 g carb target)

Supplementation
multivitamin - 2/day - done
calcium - 2/day - done
Creatine - Cell Mass (38 calories, 10 g carb) - 2/day - done
Fish Oil (30 calories, 3 g fat) 3x/day 2 capsules each time - done
vitamin C - morning and PWO - done
vitamin E - PWO - done
BCAA’s 3 capsules 3x/day, 3 capsules before workout, 3 capsules PWO - done

Saturday August 4th - disaster - ugh!  Started off well enough breakfast OK, lunch great but then on the way home and I can’t blame anyone else I was driving I pulled into this indian bakery that I just love and I bought masala bread and a pound of indian cookies.  If you have never had them there’s nothing like them - some are spicy.  some are sweet.  some are salty.  We came home.  I had cookies and moved on to ahem!  other things and couldn’t seem to stop. Ugh!  OK enough about my binge.

Sunday August 5th!  yeah back on track

Good day - workout 60-min
[front squat 15 rep @ 65 lb, 15 rep @70 lb, 15 rep@ 70 lb
step ups (big box) 15 reps @ 25 lb, 15 reps@ 25 lb, 15 reps@25 lb]
[Bb squat 10 rep @95 lb, 10 rep@100 lb, 10 rep @105 lb
front/lat combo 12 rep@ 5lb, 12 reps@ 5 lb, 12 reps@ 5 lb]
Bb deadlifts 6 rep@95 lb, 6 rep@95 lb, 6 rep@95 lb
Bb rows 12 rep@65 lb, 12 rep@ 65 lb, 12 rep @ 65 lb
flat bench press 15 rep@65 lb, 15 reps@70 lb, 15 rep@70 lb
standing tricep press 20 rep @ 30 lb, 15 rep @ 32.5 lb, 15 rep @ 35 lb
Captain’s chair straigh leg lifts 3 sets of 15 reps
situps 2 sets of 25 reps

20 min on step mill PT700 fat burner L10 1.99-mi, 96 floor, 196 calories

Dietary Adherence (x=adherence, 0=missed meal, *=non-compliant meal)
Meal 1 x
Meal 2 x
Meal 3 0
Meal 4 x
Meal 5 x

Nutrition summary for 8/5/07
986 calories consumed (1397 calories target)
110 g protein (140 g protein target)
31 g fat (54 g fat target)
72 g carbs (87 g carb target)

Supplementation
multivitamin - 2/day - had one
calcium - 2/day - done
Creatine - Cell Mass (38 calories, 10 g carb) - 2/day - done
Fish Oil (30 calories, 3 g fat) 3x/day 2 capsules each time - 4 capsules
vitamin C - morning and PWO - done
vitamin E - PWO - done
BCAA’s 3 capsules 3x/day, 3 capsules before workout, 3 capsules PWO - done

Today - great day, too

got up and went to the gym and did some fasted cardio this morning.  I am going to try this (fasted cardio) this week and see whether or not it is worth the effort.  I have read much both ways so I guess the only way to decide is to test it myself.  I did step mill for 20-min fat burner 2-mi 200 calories burned 96 floors climbed L10 took a shower and went to work

Evening workout:
5000-m rowing Concept 2 25:23.3 41s/m L7 271 calories
treadclimber 30-min 1.79-mi 436 calories - felt surprisingly strong given I had worked out this morning.  LOL!  We’ll see how I feel tomorrow morning and better yet tomorrow evening since I work out with John tomorrow.
Dietary Adherence (x=adherence, 0=missed meal, *=non-compliant meal)
Meal 1 x
Meal 2 x
Meal 3 x
Meal 4 x
Meal 5 x
Meal 6 0

Nutrition summary for 8/6/07
1061 calories consumed (1397 calories target)
106 g protein (140 g protein target)
44 g fat (54 g fat target)
53 g carbs (87 g carb target)

Supplementation
multivitamin - 2/day - had one
calcium - 2/day - done
Creatine - Cell Mass (38 calories, 10 g carb) - 2/day - done
Fish Oil (30 calories, 3 g fat) 3x/day 2 capsules each time - 4 capsules
vitamin C - morning and PWO - done
vitamin E - PWO - done
BCAA’s 3 capsules 3x/day, 3 capsules before workout, 3 capsules PWO - done

Two days ago I went to see MK, a very successful local bodybuilder who owns his own gym here and had body comp done.  Arm circumference up (biceps, girl!!) but waist, hips, thigh even calf down   Skin folds - all down except for thigh (grh!!) Body fat decreased by 3% since March!!!!  My body fat is 14.5%  I am soooo psyched - that’s a 3% decrease in 5 months!!!!!  Yow!!  and that means I have boosted my BMR - it is 1649 calories!!  Gotta like that.  OK now here’s the tough part - do I compete or not?  I have been planning on it.  I learned from MK that I need more muscle and I need to learn how to control the muscle I have (posing).  Is it realistic to push for Oct. 20th or to plan for a spring 2008 competition???  Also I need to be lifting much heavier in the gym.  I have been so focused on my thunder thighs and LOL!  MK says that will resolve itself by applying myself with the same resolve to:  side lunges, one leg squats, and 45 degree leg press with legs pointed out, i.e.,  some  plain old hard work and  that’s something I am  very good at

I am so torn.  I have my shoes.  I was in the process of buying the suits.  What I am going to do is forge ahead - I made an other appointment for Aug. 28th and we’ll see where I am then.  In the meantime no harm buying my suits and pressing forward.  I can always wear them next spring if I decide that I am too small.

So onto the next problem, suits!!  I need a one-piece and a two-piece (skimpy, skimpy two piece!) - what maker?  what color?  bling or no bling?  swarovsky or not?  Agh!!  too many decisions!! and oh how expensive these little things are - LOL!  Yow!  I think I am going to take a deep breath and just exhale and chill for a while on this one.