TLC: Trust, Love, Consistency

Kudos to the kids at Gen-Tec. Thermofuel is the best thing since sliced bread! I just nailed a brutal cardio session (average hr 168 for 20 mins: 389 cals) and it didn’t even feel remotely hard. My love affair with tyrosine, the key ingredient has only just begun.

I was taking iSotori LS5 as a fat burner before and it really upset my stomach and gave me a bit of a nasty caffiene buzz. Thermofuel is great because although it contains caffiene the main ingredient seems to be tyrosine which is a mood elevator, and give a really focused, steady concentrated feeling instead. I actually feel more relaxed after taking it but have much more energy.

In other training updates I did my usual back workout with Joe last night. He said I did well and all weights went up but I just didn’t feel as strong. I realised at the end I’d forgotten to take my l-carnatine pre-workout and I was missing that nice warm feeling. Hmm am I taking too many supps!? Nah! We did wide chins (assisted negs), wide lat pull-downs, narrow palms facing pull-downs, rows with the wide pull-down bar & wide-wide grip bent over row alternating over and under-hand grips each set. Did at least 4 sets of each. Most of the grips Joe has me doing are ones I wouldn’t have used before and I’m really loving the variety, especially the super wide bent over rows.
In contrast to my slightly average effort last night my Sunday leg workout was insane. Set huge PR’s in my squat and could have easily done the same on my deads had I remembered my straps. I even did the evil bench step-ups Joe tortured me with the other week. I love doing legs on Sundays, I don’t feel rushed. It’s sad but it feels indulgent to be able to spend as long as I need to in the gym to get through a great workout. I don’t think my quads have been this sore ever. I really love the intensity I was able to bring to this workout. I also hadn’t done any cardio since Thursday when I rolled my ankle so I bought some lap-swimming bathers and jumped in the pool. I always forget how damn hard swimming is. My heartrate was cranking in no time. I only managed 10 minutes of freestyle before my whole body reached exhaustion and I started doing ‘intervals’, 2 laps breaststroke, 1 lap freestyle. I finished up with  sauna and a quick tan. Normal people might find this all a bit much for a Sunday arvo, but this really is my ideal. It’s 100% me time.

Last night I was in the foulest mood. My ankle was absolutely killing me and I couldn’t walk on it without my boot on. Boy’s first opinion when he picked me up from work was that I need an X-ray, but at that point I wasn’t feeling too bad. An hour later he’d got to me and I was starting to loose it. What IF my ankle was broken? I was starting to feel like such a failure. I yelled at the hound, who was just trying to be caring. I yelled at the boy, who was cooking me a tasty, clean meal. I hung my head and shoveled my dinner and grumbled off to bed.

Lying there feeling foul, I wanted chocolate. I NEEDED chocolate. F-it if I was going to have stuffed ankle then I could eat chocolate. There MUST be chocolate somewhere in my house. Wow! I’m not much of a chocolate person, but this was getting crazy. Then I remembered the free samples Well Naturally sent me. It included 1 bar of sugar free 70% cocoa dark chocolate. I crawled from bed (literally) to the other end of the house and broke of 1 square. Hmmm orange flavoured chocolate, oh well. Then I read the back of the packet. Yeeehah! I could have had the whole bar and still been within my calories (macros were out). I broke of another 2 more squares, to make half a bar (100 calories) and crawled back into bed. You know what? I felt so much better! I know chocolate doesn’t buy happiness, but right then I was so pleased to have my dark chocolate, my electric blanket and not to have blown my calories I slept like a baby.

Good news is that I woke up this morning and almost all the swelling on my ankle had gone down. I’d love to say it was the chocolate, but bed rest and glutamine are more likely responsible. Boy poked at it again and there was almost no pain so his orders (he’s a Nurse Practitioner) were to keep it strapped, elevated and iced for the rest of the day; and to not run any marathons. The poor hound was a little upset by the whole thing, especially when he got locked in time-out (the laundry) for bugging me about his walk. The upside of it all was that I was in bed by 9.30pm and got over 9 hours sleep which is a record for me.

I woke up this morning to a jaw dropping surprise on the scales (TTOM is now over and done with). I’m down over a kg in a week (I even ate some rice last night, go figure). I didn’t feel like questioning my scales too hard so didn’t go back to check my hydration levels but am glad my scales are catching up with my mirror and belt!

If I’m not too sore by the end of the day I’m going to see if I can get my bi-tri-ab workout done tonight. I’ll have to do something horrible like rowing for my warm-up. Then I’m faced with a monster busy weekend in which I’ve promised Joe I’ll fit a leg workout.

Don’t remind me about the half a block of 70% chocolate with a hint of Valencia Orange Oil sitting in my gym crate.

Sometimes I wonder what other competitors motivations are. Do they still look in the mirror and not like what they see? This is totally not the case for me. Every morning I step on the scales, but I’m not so phased by the number that comes up. I could have eaten too much salt or rice the day before and then I’ll hold up to 3kg of water for the next day or so, so I write the number down and get on with my morning cardio. It’s when I look in the mirror after my shower that I really take notice. Every day I’m happy with what I see but today my abs were looking amazing, my biceps were popping out and my legs looking firm and shaped. I actually thought, this is perfect, do I really want to cut any more? I’m actually scared of getting skinnier. I love the way my body is now.

Is this just an excuse for me to be slack? I certainly couldn’t step on stage how I am now. So I move forward with excitement and trepidation. I tell myself that my arms are going to look firmer and more muscular and that soon I’ll have a cool little V on my belly and that I’ll only be ‘too skinny’ for a week or so and maybe I won’t. Maybe I’ll be solid carved granite.

In other less positive news I rolled my ankle this morning pushing my bike through the pedestrian underpass. It’s pretty sore to walk on but I managed my bike to work within my usual time without too much pain. I’m now going to hobble down to Woolworths to get some frozen peas to ice it. Maybe I can eat them with my sweet potato and kangaroo steak later.

I’m still a zombie so here’s a product review….

After my reservations with Xtend Orange I was reluctant to order more extend for fear of it’s evil chalkiness. However, all the cool kids tell me I need aminos so I wound up on ASN’s website and ordered a jumbo tub of Xtend Lemonade. Not only does Xtend Lemonade not taste chalky, it also mixes a million times better than the orange flavor. It’s sweet and addictive. I’ve been doing extra cardio just for an excuse to drink it. Only financial reasons are stopping me sipping the stuff all day.
Xtend Lemonade scores a delicious 10/10 in my books.

Also in my box of goodies was a freebie sample of Elite Diva Whey, Belgian Chocolate. Flavour was perfectly acceptable but certainly not rich belgian chocolate, just protein shake choc. At least there was no metalic taste. The mix was awful, huge chunks even after shaking. The texture was reasonably creamy for a water-mix, which to me is always important. Would I leave my beloved Vital Strength Ripped for it? Not a chance.
6/10

P.S trained back last night with Joe, still waiting for the pain to set in. Did shoulders today on his instruction though I didn’t much like the double-up and was tired and vague through both sessions but set some new PBs on my pulldowns and rows.

Actually I know sleep is the only thing that’ll give me time to grow, but buggered if I got any last night. I’m walking zombie today. I’m just hoping I can get 1 hour in after work before I go to training.

Found this great article on achieving goals and thought I’d share the key points:
So many of these things are ringing true to me.

There are 7 lessons from my story that I want to share with you because even if you have a different personal history than I do, these 7 lessons are the keys to achieving any previously elusive fitness goal for the first time and I think they apply to everyone.

1. Set the big goal and go for it. If your goal doesn’t excite you and scare you at the same time, your goal is too small. If you don’t feel fear or uncertainty, you’re inside your comfort zone. Puny goals aren’t motivating. Sometimes it takes a competition or a big challenge of some kind to get your blood boiling.

2. Align your values with your goals. I understood my values and made a decision to be congruent with who I really was and who I wanted to be. When you know your values, get your priorities straight and align your goals with your values, then doing what it takes is easy.

3. Do the math. Stop looking for magic. A lean body does not come from any particular type of exercise or foods per se, it’s the calories burned vs calories consumed that determines fat loss or fat gain. You might do better by decreasing the calories consumed, whereas I depended more on increasing the calories burned, but either way, it’s still a math equation. Deny it at your own risk.

4. Get social support. Support and encouragement from your friends can help get you through anything. Real time accountability to a training partner or trainer can make all the difference.

5. Be consistent. Nothing will ever work if you don’t work at it every day. Sporadic efforts don’t just produce sporadic results, sometimes they produce zero results.

6. Persist through difficulty and self doubt. If you think it’s going to be smooth sailing all the way with no ups and downs, you’re fooling yourself.. For every sunny day, there’s going to be a storm. If you can’t weather the storms, you’ll never reach new shores.

7. Redeem yourself. Non-achievers sit on the couch and wallow in past failures. Winners use past failures as motivational rocket fuel. It always feels good to achieve a goal, but nothing feels as good as achieving a goal with redemption.

Parts of yesterday’s post sound a bit to big headed. I apologise.

As an apology I offer this delicious recipe for Thai chicken meatballs. These are going to be one of my lunchbox fillers for the weeks and I think I might put them in a clear broth with some galangal to make a soup too. This is a recipe that should fit into any BB’ers diet.

Makes 4 serves/32 meatballs

500g/17.6oz minced (ground) chicken
1/2 stalk of lemongrass finely chopped
1/2 bunch of corriander (cilantro), finely chopped including stems
1 large shallot or small red onion finely chopped
1 tablespoon sambal oelek (indonesian chilli paste)
1 large clove of garlic, finely chopped
2 cups finely chopped green cabbage (about 1/8 cabbage)
3 tablespoons (30g) wheat germ
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon (thai) fish sauce (nouc man)

Pre-heat oven to 190ºC/375ºF

In a large non-stock wok or frying pan sauté the onion/shallot until begining to soften. Add in the garlic and cabbage and continue to cook. When the cabbage starts to stick to the pan add the sambal oelekand continue stiring until the cabbage has reduced in volume by about 1/2. Add a teaspoon of water if needed to keep the cabbage cooking.
Add in the coriander seed and sauté until fragrant. Add in the herbs and wheat germ and toss around until mixture is combine. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Add in the chicken and fish sauce and use your hands to mix thoroughly.
Cover 2 baking/cookie sheets with baking paper and divide the mixture into just-smaller-than-golf-ball size (2cm/1inch) balls and space evenly across the 2 trays. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden on the outside.

Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to drain any fat. Try not to eat to many while they cool!

The numbers (8 meatballs):
173 cals
3.3g fat
6.2g carbs, 2.4g fibre
30.4g protein

but right now I feel like such a winner!

A big day today and it’s only just after lunch!

I’d arrange a doctors appointment to get a check up considering I’m planning on supposedly putting my body under a fair bit of stress. I also had queries regarding my lack of circulation and genetic thyroid issues. I was told that there’s not muc hi can do about my cold fingers but got sent to clinpath for bloods. Good thing I’d fasted from the night before with this in mind. Because I’d fasted my training partner didn’t get his walk and was very grouchy!

I’d hoped to squeeze in some cardio between the doctors and my session with Joe (my angel trainer) but ran short of time and instead had a nice relaxing coffee at one of the cutest places in town which happened to be next to where I had to get my bloods done. I got to Joe’s gym a bit early so I managed 15 minutes on the treadmill.

I hadn’t planned on a workout today, I thought we were just doing measurements and coming up with a program. He had other ideas and after I was all measured up put me through a leg workout as brutal as ever. I swear he was channeling his weird desire to be squatting which he can’t do due to a busted knee. I did a million different stances of squats and bent-deads then weighted bench stepups, leg extentions and curls with slight alterations to each set just to make me squirm stay focused. Although I probably could have done all this without Joe, he’s really bringing an intensity and focus to my training which is amazing. Apparently he’s never seen hamstrings on a woman like mine before. Apparently they’re monsterous! I can’t wait till they start showing through a bit.

He’s also trying to convince me not to cut my calories down yet. This scares me no end! He reckons I could still get a bit of muscle on and wants me to wait until 6-8weeks out!!!! I don’t think I can do that Tim! I swear I’d go mad with anxiety. I’d planned all my meals this week with my calories set at 1550 but after my measurements came in today I think I can keep going steady at where I am now 1750-1800. I haven’t eaten this much in ages and that’s scary enough.

Now for the results (drum roll please….):
waist -1cm
chest: +1cm
left-bicep: +0.5cm
right bicep:0, calves:0
legs: +1cm
weight: -1kg
bodyfat: -0.8%

In other words I’m loosing fat and gaining muscle and my busted arm and chest/lats are growing back. I’m stoked! Photos suggested maybe a little fat loss but the muscle gains are what thrill me. I’m already wanting to compete again next year carrying much more muscle. Maybe I’ll aim for the all females. Joe agrees that doing the WNBF show would be good practice and was expecting me to step on stage at 11% and looked a little shocked at my idea of 9.5%, but thinks it’s doable.

I was also meant to go to a posing class put on by the WNBF today, or so I thought. So after killing time after training I finally found the place, a fight club, and found out that it was actually Sunday. Not sure if I can make it tomorrow as we’ve got family brunch, but will try.

Now it’s time to take the training partner for some frisbee in the park.

I’m still a little sniffly from my cold but managed a massive chest workout yesterday. The focus Joe had me at on back day totally followed through and now I’m sore right through my upper body. My cripple side even feel strong and sore. I love it when I know I’ve got my training right.

I’ve spent the day reading the contest prep forum and am now shitting myself over whether I’m going to be ready in time. I can’t find anywhere what BF a chick should be aiming for, but I’m thinking I want 9.5%. I’m considering doing the WNBF show 2 weeks beforehand and want to step up somewhere in the 10’s for that. Which gives me 13 weeks to loose just under 8% or 7kg of fat (534g/week or 4118cals/week).
I’m a little nervous about lowering my calories too drastically because I’ve spent the last 5 months eating 1700 calories and not really loosing any weight. I’ve upped to 1800-2000 for the last week and my weight is the lowest it’s been without being on a nasty low-carb bender and is still falling. I want to do this competing, but I want to do it and feel strong and happy too. About this time last year I embarked on a cut with daily bike riding, weight training, and 1600 cals and it did nothing but leave me tired, grumpy, sick and no skinnier. That’s the last thing I want. Weird thing was my post-workout nutrition was spot on then and everything. I’m blaming my solid diet of broccoli as a sole carb source other than my pwo-carbs. I don’t remember ever carbing up either….. Time to carb up actually.
So far what has worked:
Morning walks fuelled by creatine, glutamine and BCAA’s and an over energetic Border Collie with a passion for steep hills. I need to start wearing my HRM and logging calories for these walks but last time I did I was coming in at about 150 cals a walk.
Cut out almost all high intensity cardio, resulting in more energy and strength in my weights sessions and therefor better recovery for my shoulder problem. I’ve ridden my bike to work twice and both times taken the train home because I’ve been too exhausted and want to/use the excuse that… I need to look after myself and not overtrain. Keeping tabs on myself and how I’m really feeling (and why) seems to make my mood more stable and drive more consistant. I really want to maintain this.
Started eating carbs. Mmmm all carbs except rice rock my world. Rice and me will have to wait until post-comp to figure out our differences. I’ve been keeping my carbs at an equal ratio to my protien and it’s been great for my energy levels. I am willing to sacrifice every gram of fat (minus my beloved fish caps) to keep this awesome balance.
The plan for next week:
Reduce calorie intake to 1650 (creates a 300 cal deficit by diet)
Do 1 HIIT session when this cold is gone- 21 minutes: 1 minutes jog, 30 seconds sprints (est burn:400cals)
Do 5-6 weight sessions (talking to Joe about program on Saturday). Not counting calories in weights session to goals
Daily hill walking with the hound: minimum of 6 days for min. 25 minutes (est burn: 150 cal/session)
Sleep for 7 hours each night
Bike to and from work once (maybe on arms day). (-350cals)
Find time to meditate!!!!
Finish all freelance work and teaching stuff so I don’t have to worry about it after work.
Carb up in the next 2 days.
Estimated results:
900 cals from walks + 400 cals from HIIT+350 bike=1650 deficit from cardio
6 days at 300 defecit (1 day for re-feed)= 1800 cal deficit from diet.
Total deficit= 3450cals= 450g

I suspect I’ll loose a bit more than that because I’m burning about 100cals in my weight sessions and a small amount in pilates.

Report back in 2 weeks with results. I’ll then be at 1! weeks from WNBF and 13 from the INBA shows. If it all goes to shit, panic and get back on the game over diet!

Time to order some more Xtend (I mean, work).

All this contest prep was starting to look pricey until I managed to knock a huge chunk off my budget. I walked into a huge porn shoe sale and scored my posing shoes for $30! Style on stage has the same shoes for over $100. They didn’t even seem hard to walk in.

Now I can make a time with my posing coach and start talking bikini and routine. Oh my! I really am gonna be a figure competitor!