The I Love Carbs Blog

I had my first Team Body Tech meeting yesterday.  I am so excited about being about of this awesome team!  My trainer is awesome.  He brings such a wonderful, positive, energy to the Team.  His dedication to his members is incredible.  I don’t know if the guy ever sleeps! 
Before the meeting, we had our assessment.  My diet and training will be stepped up, and changed again.  I was happy to hear him tell me he though since the last time we met, (about 1 month ago) my shoulders and squads look like they put on some size.  Niiiice!  I plan on doing a show perhaps in August.  This will give me plenty of time to make the gains I need.  I’m looking to qualify for Nationals this year.  That’s the goal.  Hubby and I fly out for Vegas this week, so coach gave me time off from my diet!  Woo-Hoo!  I said…”are you crazy?!”  But, since I’m in my off season, and my weight has been steady, along with my body fat, he said I can go ahead and just enjoy myself.  I think I’ll pretty much stay on the diet plan and have some cheats.  That way I don’t totally come back looking like Jabba the Hut.  I will also continue with my training. 
So…back to the Team meeting.  We started out by everyone introducing themselves.  We must have had about 100 members present.  That’s not even half of the team!  He introduced the newbies.  (Which I was one of them) and then the veterans.  Out of about 20 ladies, there were only 3 bodybuilders.   The great thing about this team I noticed is that even though you may be competing in different categories, bodybuilding, figure, fitness, and now bikini, everyone was so supportive of each other.  We had a surprise guest speaker and poser.  As introductions were still going on, Mr. Olympia, Mr. Dexter Jackson and Marcus Haley walk in.  Dexter talked a bit about reaching your dreams and what he went through to get him where he is today.  Then, Marcus Haley striped off his clothes and did the mandatories for us.  He’s competing in the Ironman.  He looked spot on!  Also another person to watch out for at the Ironman is trainer JPhillips17. 
After the nice surprise visit, the team was split up.  The guys did their platoon training, and the ladies did the Agility training.  Let me tell you, I was totally not prepared to do this!  I thought we would be training with weights.  Oh no!  We totally did some conditioning to start off.  Then the fun began.  I’m not sure what football players call it when they do their training on the field, like running in place while in the wide stance squat position.  We did some abs and core conditioning.  And we were then broken up into teams, 3 groups of 5.  We did team drills.  We took the training out to the parking lot and finished off with team relay sprints.  Starting from one end of the parking lot to the end, we sprinted up and back and tapped the next teammate.  After finishing the rotation, we switched the relay sprints to other things like side stepping in a squat position, backwards running and sprinting forward, front squats all the way front and back.  Oh man…it was a lot of fun!  After the team training, we all headed out for lunch. 
Today I’ll finish up my training week and train my back and do my cardio. 

Mr. Olympia, Dexter Jackson, my coach Tim Gardner, and Marcus Haley.

Marcus Haley

Last night I trained back.  It’s my last training day for the week.  I do love back days, but lately I love working those wheels.  I feel like they’re looking thicker, but sometimes it’s hard to tell in the off season with the extra layer of body fat. They are getting stronger.  I did front squats for the first time, and those are awesome!  I got my leg press up to 450. Niiiice!   Anyways, I digress from back day.  I started with Bent BB rows, pulling 105.  I moved onto DB Rows, ending with 50lbs.  Then, I did Seated Cable Rows ending at 120lbs.  Afterwards I did Lat. Pull Downs at 120lbs. and to end my weight training I did Reverse Grip Pull Downs.  Those are a bit awkward on my wrists, but 110lbs felt comfortable.  I wasn’t able to finish my ab workout.  I was training side abs, and got half of it done before the gym closed. 
Today I took it off from training.  Hubby and I have been remodeling our kitchen.  We gutted the entire thing.  He patched the drywall and sanded it, and after training last night, we painted the whole thing.  Today the carpenter came out and put in the new cabinets and will finish putting in a bar.  In a few days the counter tops will be installed.  I can’t wait.  The kitchen is my favorite part of the house, and I’m gitty just thinking about having it all finished. 
Other than being busy remodeling and training stuff, life has been good.  I have gotten people lately asking me how much I bench press.  Why is it that that’s the first question a guy will ask you?  I’ll take it as a compliment because obviously they think you look strong and fit to ask that question.   I think my new diet plan is really working well with my body.  I’m feeling strong during my lifts, I seeing some gains, and I’m not looking puffy.  That’s a BONUS!  I meet with my coach on Saturday so we’ll see what he thinks after looking at me.  I haven’t seen him since I had my initial interview.   I’m anxious to hear what his plans are for the year, and what he has to say about my physique.
Hubby and I went out to celebrate our 16^th anniversary with our good friends.  It happens to be their 16^th anniversary as well.  They have the same anniversary date, and time as ours.  Dinner was fantastic.

Well, thank goodness the leftovers are dwindling away.  I made SO MUCH food, it was ridiculous.  All of the extended family left out of town this year, so that left us alone. I guess I don’t know how to cook for just the four of us.  I decided to go ahead and freeze the other half of the casseroles for another time.  Really, it’s enough to just bring it back out for Christmas!  With those put away in the freezer, it will be out of the way and I won’t be tempted to have them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 

It was a relaxing Thanksgiving.  After dinner, the family chilled out and watched a little TV.  I think hubby and I fell asleep.  Later on that evening, we all had settle into our pj’s and watched a holiday movie, ELF.  That’s such a funny movie.  And tonight we went on a walk around a lake near our house.  It’s basically a light pier around a lake.  We bring bread to feed the ducks, turtles, and fish.  Yes, the turtles and fish eat the bread like there’s no tomorrow. 

I took yesterday off from training since I was cooking all day.  I went to bed early and woke up late.  I guess I needed the rest.  My legs and calves are freaking sore and my upper body is just now feeling up to training tomorrow.  I took two days off from weights, but did one hour of cardio today.  I felt like I needed it after the amount of food I’ve been eating.  Even though I bulking, I think I’ll keep up the cardio until after the holidays to keep my body fat percentage in check.  I could tell after taking in the extra sodium, I was looking a little puffier today. 

I’m so excited about this holiday.  It’s my favorite time of year.  The air is cooler, (and that only lasts about 3-4 weeks out of the year in FL. So I enjoy every bit of it), holiday music is playing everywhere, I can bake tons of goodies to give to others, and the Christmas lights and decorations are twinkling.  My daughters have been helping me in the kitchen.  I think they enjoy baking and cooking.   It’s a nice time to spend with them.  

Not much going on these past two days.  I pretty much ate Thanksgiving dinner for every meal.  And surprisingly, I’m not sick of it I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.