scouter99 transformed

I can’t believe it’s been over a week since I’ve posted here.  I have been really sick of the computer lately and haven’t felt much like getting on it besides for work related reasons.  I also haven’t really had anything interesting to say or report.

Last week was a rough week for me.  My ex was off the wagon (alcoholic) and so he couldn’t take the kids on his scheduled days/nights.  Because of that I wasn’t able to get to the gym like I usually do.  LUCKILY I have a pretty good home gym in my basement so while I didn’t miss a workout- the intensity at home just isn’t the same as at the gym.  I love the feeling of putting on my headphones and getting lost in my workout.  At home I can’t do that- mucho distractions with the kids and I am constantly getting interrupted.  I ended up doing a few cardio weight circuit workouts and lots of cardio.  Keeping my body guessing, right?  It depressed me greatly, though.  I need my 2 hour long gym workouts to keep my sanity- I have discovered.  Cardio is much more a chore to me now.  

I feel like I’ve hit a wall and I can’t figure out why.  I am doing fantastic on paper.  I am eating great, my workouts are still intense, I feel as though I look better than ever, but mentally I don’t feel very good.  What’s the deal?

I definitely feel the pressure of having decided to compete this year.  I find myself second guessing every single thing I do.  How many calories should I eat?  What ratio of macronutrients?  Should I be doing more cardio or really hitting the weights hard?  Heavy for less reps or higher reps?  More or less sets?  I just want to scream!  There is so much information out there on this that I can’t even being to disseminate it.  I am on information overload and so much is conflicting.  I swear I feel like I am bi-polar or have multiple personalities.  One minute I think I have it all figured out, am gung ho crazy and have a plan, the next I am depressed and floundering- not knowing what the hell to do.  

PLUS- I am 4 weeks into the transformation challenge- 1/3 of the way there.  I am as determined as ever to win this thing- but am feeling doubts creep in.  What do I do to crush them and push them out of my mind?  They are seriously f*cking with me.  Sunday I have to take my 4 week pictures so I’ll do that and compare them to the ones I took at the beginning.  HOPEFULLY they will show some serous change and the doubts can then go f*ck themselves.

Anyone heard of them?  They have a challenge out there called the Extreme Body Challenge.  It starts on 2/1/09 and goes until May 1, 2009.  The grand prize (there is a Male and Female division) is $1000.00 and to become the spokes model for their summer ad campaign.  All you have to do is buy 1 of any of their product line during the competition (sold here on bb.com).

Who wants to try it??  I’m in (why the heck not??)!

Ok- this is very very scary- putting this out here.  That is why I am doing it.  I am announcing to the world that I am going to compete!  I went to a bodybuilding seminar this weekend put on by the NANBF (North American Natural Bodybuilding Federation) and I am psyched!  And totally freaking out at the same time!

I want to compete.  I really want to compete.  For many reasons.  
1.  To prove to myself and certain naysayers that I have it in me (mostly to myself, though).
2.  To give me something to train for.  I love training- don’t get me wrong.  I really don’t need a contest to keep doing it- but it will help me to keep upping the intensity.  I was a really good 3 sport athlete in high school and ALMOST in college (long story- involves me being a quitter after making a Division 1 basketball team).  I miss the competition.  I miss the goal.  I am super competitive and you can only compete against yourself for so long and then you need more.
3.  To allow me to meet other people like me who love to train!  I don’t know any girls IRL who lifts like I lift and wants to be muscular like I do.   It would be very cool to have other bodybuilder friends who are GIRLS.  I love talking about this with Chad but girls are different than boys- kwim?
4.  To show my children that if you set goals and work hard you can be successful at ANYTHING you set your mind to.  Seriously.  This would be an extremely difficult goal to achieve- what an awesome example!  Instead of bemoaning the fact that I want something but can’t have it- I’m gonna go out and get it!

Those are just off the top of my head.  

So anyway- as of right now today I am training for the The NANBF Northern States Natural Classic on 10/17/09.  Just writing that has me shaking in my boots!  

So- anyone out there have any advice for me?  I have so many questions!  I am 9 months away and have SO MUCH work to do!  I’m afraid I don’t have enough time!  I mean- I’ve got to drop roughly 11% bodyfat and put on MUCHO muscle in that time.  Holy shit- this is my Mount Everest!

Right now I am in a Transformation Challenge trying to lose bodyfat while at least maintaining muscle.  Will that compromise me?  This is a bodybuilding contest, not figure.  I will need much more muscle!  Should I be putting on muscle right now and screw the bodyfat loss?  The challenge ends on March 31- at that point I will have a little over 6 months till competition- what should I be focusing on that far out?  I really want to win this challenge but I don’t want to compromise myself for my first competition!  Although if I lose a bunch of BF now and then really start a bulk I will have less BF to lose later….. so much to think about!

Anyone willing to give me a timeline for what I should be doing to prepare (roughly- I know everyone’s body is different).  Please help!

Tonight I had THE BEST leg workout EVER!  EVER!  EVER!

Why- you ask?  Because my knees actually felt pretty damn good!  So I could go all out and NOT have to compensate for their sorry asses!  It was a beautiful thing!  OMG- taking a day off yesterday was the best thing I have ever done.  Had I worked legs last night this would be a whole different kind of post (a horse of a different color, if you will).

HIGHLIGHTS!  Oh baby, first of all- excuse me if I shout this:

I DEADLIFTED 245LBS!  Not JUST 245lbs- but I finished with 1 solid one at that weight (Ok, Chad said I was straight up and down and achieved lock out- I was trying not to pass out so I wasn’t sure).  My deadlifts looked like this:

Romanian Deadlifts 105lbsx10, 155×10, 195×10
Regular old Deadlifts 215×1 and 245×1

Squats- I squatted 215lbs 5 times!  This was huge for me because weight like that usually kills my knees- but not tonight!  My squats looked like this:
105×12, 155×10, 195×10, 215×5

Leg Press- this rocked as well!
145×15, 190×15, 220×10, 250×8 (Chad reminded me that he does 400lbs- stinker!)

I did LOTS and LOTS more (2 hour leg and ab workout, thank you very much and this is AFTER the 45 minutes of cardio earlier in the day)- but these were the heaviest weights I’ve ever done on those things so THOSE are the highlights!!

GOD I am a happy happy girl right now!

Ok- I do have to add something, though.  I totally feel guilty about missing my workout last night.  A cheat meal is one thing- but missing a workout to me is like missing Church on Sunday to a devout Catholic.  A sin.

So today my penance is two workouts!  I have to do the leg workout I missed yesterday and the cardio workout already scheduled for today.  NO PROBLEMO!

Cardio workout complete!  Leg workout- here I come!

I enjoyed a fantastic cheat meal last night!!  It was totally unplanned and totally necessary!  When I started the Meltdown Challenge I thought I would do it without any cheating.  I was going to power through the whole 12 weeks without missing a meal or workout.  And then yesterday I hit a brick wall which I never even saw coming!

Last night after work I was supposed to go to the gym and do legs.  First of all I have to tell you a little something about me.  I love to work out.  Love it.  If I won the lottery I would workout multiple hours every single day.  I would probably belong to multiple gyms because of the different strengths they would have to offer me (better cardio classes vs. better free weights and machines or a better lifting environment, etc).   I rarely miss a workout because it isn’t work to me at all.  It is fun.  Ok- back to the point of all this.  I was suppoesd to do legs last night but hell if I could do anything but collapse on the couch.  I was exhausted.  And all I wanted to do was sleep and then eat pizza and drink beer.  God did I want that.

Chad was at the table on the computer and I walked right by him, fell over onto the couch and fell asleep for about 45 minutes.  When I woke up I didn’t feel much better.  When I started all this I enlisted Chad to kick my ass if ever if got out of line.  Well- he didn’t do a very good job last night, lol.  Of course, he saw that I really really had nothing in me and knew that if I was willing to skip the gym then maybe I really needed to skip the gym (dang why do those awesome boyfriends have to be so wise, too??)!  

SO what did we do?  We skipped the gym and went out for pizza!  I got my FAVORITE garbage pizza and drank 2 Blue Moons.  Those were the best beers and that was the best pizza EVER!

And this is how I know that cheat meals are a must.  Because today I am all better.  Raring to go and reenergized!  I don’t even feel guilty about cheating last night (and for me- that is a miracle!).  It must have been just what I needed!

When I am in the gym, toughing out that last few minutes on the treadmill at 7.0 that’s what I’m thinking.

When I want to eat what everyone else is eating and not what I should be eating, but I stick with my plan, that’s what I’m thinking.

When I want to sleep instead of get my ass out of bed for my early AM workout but I DO get my ass out of bed, that’s what I’m thinking.

When I want to cut a set short because my muscles are screaming, even though I haven’t completed what I set out to complete, but I finish it at all costs, that’s what I’m thinking.

When I picture myself winning the Meltdown challenge at the end of March- that’s what I am thinking.

If you’ve read any of my other blog posts you would have seen a few posts down where I detailed my workout plan to help me win the Meltdown Transformation challenge.  Two of my 6 weekly workouts involve cardio and weight circuit training.  On chest and Back day- which I did two days ago- and Bicep and Tricep day- which I did tonight.

This workout kicks ass.  Wow.  I was thoroughly spent by the end of it and had nothing left to give.  Nothing.  It was incredible!  All I have to say is these circuits BETTER result in some…uh… RESULTS or else!  Seriously!  To work that hard I better start seeing the body fat fly off me.  Literally!  I want to be walking around and have someone behind me say- "oops, you dropped something" to which I would reply" Oh- that’s just some extra body fat, don’t need it anymore so you can just leave it for the custodian to take care of".  

I’m sure you are waiting with bated breath at this point to see what all the hoopla is about- and instead of make you go to my workout tracker I felt it would be MUCH sexier to just post it here… so here is the workout du jour for your viewing pleasure!

Each circuit took about 35 minutes to complete.  I then finished with about 15 minutes of really tough weighted abs and then because Chad wasn’t done yet I did some more biceps (dumbbell preacher curls, cable crossover bicep curls, 1 FULL chin up unassisted).  On every exercise I did 15 reps.  On some I could have gone slightly heavier- but I wasn’t sure about the weight I needed since I am used to doing around the 8 rep range so I was guessing.  I will up it on those next time.

Circuit #1
10 minutes running on treadmill (ran at 7.0 for about 5 minutes, 8.2 for a little less than a minute and 6.0 the rest of the time)
DB Curls 20lbs
Alternating Hammer Curls 20lbs (1st set 15lbs)
Double Arm kickbacks 15lbs

Circuit #2
Run on treadmill for 5 minutes doing intervals at as fast a pace as I could handle- heart rate topped out at 79% and hung there for about 3.5 minutes
Barbell Curls 45lbs (could have done more)
BB Lying extensions 45 lbs

Circuit #3
Cardio- plyo drills for 3 minutes- again got heart rate up to 79%
Incline DB Bicep Curls 20lbs
Seated Overhead Triceps Extensions 35lbs

Circuit #4
Cardio- Run on the treadmill- this was more steady state at 6.0 for all but 1 minute which I did at 7.0
Bicep Cable Standing Double Bicep curl 70lbs
Tricep Overhead Tricep Cable Extensions 90lbs

That’s it!  Doesn’t look like much, does it?  I dare you to try it!  DO NOT rest between the supersets and ONLY rest after the cardio as long as it takes you to set up- unless you can’t catch your breath (which happened to me a few times) and in that case walk around for about am minute or so.  Keep this sucker moving as fast as you possibly can and you will feel it.  I promise.

PS: if you do try it- let me know what you think!

I just whipped this up and am in love!  You can tweak this any way you want to adjust calories and protein but here is what I did

Denise’s Sweet Lemon Cream
1/2 cup 2% cottage cheese
1/4 cup plain fat free yogurt
splenda
True Lemon packet

Blend all ingredients in a blender or magic bullet.  Either serve immediately or put in the freezer for 15 minutes.  This rocks and totally kills my sweet cravings!

Serves 1
Calories 122.5
Fat 2.5
Carb 8
Protein 15.75

How can I tweak this?  
Use fat free cottage cheese for less fat
Use more yogurt to make it creamier
Use another real lemon packet to make it more LEMONY!
Use more splenda to make it sweeter (OR LESS)
Use more cottage cheese to give it more protein

I was inspired to write this by this picture that I took of my love before a set.  He is an amazing inspiration and workout partner.

Preparing for Battle
By Denise (scouter99)

On this day I come to win a war
A battle I’ve fought a thousand times before
With unwavering concentration I quietly sit
Inside me passion, pride, intensity and grit

With my eyes closed I see muscles of steel
To lift more today is part of the deal
A deal that I made in the back of my mind
To be the biggest and best- leaving all others behind

The iron at my back a worthy adversary
The weight on the bar I must lift or be buried
Many a lesser man would cringe and flee
But the muscles under my shirt I know are not free

I pay the price for a ripped physique
The way I train is not for the meek
So with a deep breath I unclench my fists
The tango of man and iron is all that exists