Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

Work It Out Like a Superstar

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Superstar.

 

 

My workout series won’t make you as cool as Molly Shannon, sorry.

Time is flying by (or is that just me in my paranoia over this weekend’s competition?).  We are a month into my Work It Out series!  Thanks you guys so much for reading, trying out the workouts, and providing feedback!   I love all of the comments and emails.  Things are a little hectic, but I promise to answer as fast as I can.

In case you’re new, this series focuses on changing up your gym routines.  You don’t need to write new workouts to keep making forward progress – another approach is to change how you perform the exercise.

 

Another Disclaimer: I am not a certified anything.  I’m a figure competitor (or I will be as of Saturday).  Use good judgement when trying new exercises.  These tips won’t change your body overnight, but it’s a start.  A clean diet and working out regularly will produce results.

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Super 8s

I have heard these referred to as “static,” but I prefer super… because they will make you feel super after you get over the soreness.  This method is designed to deliver the maximum possible overload to each targeted muscle or muscle group. This is done by using your strongest range of motion; in most exercises this is the last few inches of your reach.  This is the range where you can handle the most weight and are least susceptible to injury.

 

Choose the heaviest weight that allows you to hold for the length of time on the final rep.  Perform 8 reps of an exercise.  On the last (8th) rep, hold it for an 8 count.  Immediately perform 8 more reps and hold for another 8 count, and finish up the set with 8 final reps.  Repeat for 3 sets.

This is a great technique for building endurance and gaining strength.  It can also force you to make some super faces while fighting to hold the weight up.

 

 

How do you use this technique?

Standing Lat Pull-Downs 

The lat pull-down targets the back, and this standing variation especially hones in on the upper back.

Start standing in front of high pulley with close grip “v” attachment.  Reach up and place hands on either side of the V; roll shoulders back to insure your shoulder blades are tucked.  Contract the upper back, pulling your arms and hands down bending at your elbows, until the bar is below your chin.  Release the contraction in a controlled manner, keeping some tension in the back to and raise arms and return bar to the starting position to complete a rep.

Note: Placing one leg on the thigh bar helps to provide a good base during the lift to prevent the weight from lifting you off of the ground.  This will allow you to use heavier weight without worrying about going flying through the air. 

 

 

EZ-Bar Preacher Curls 

Using the Super 8 method here gives you a combination of dynamic and isometric contractions, which not only improves upper arm definition, but it also improves strength level.

Grab an EZ-curl bar with an underhand, shoulder-width grip with your palms angled inward.  Place the backs of your upper arms across the top of the bench.  The mid-part of your upper arms should be the only part touching the bench.  Lower the dumbbells until your arms are bent about 20 degrees.  Without moving your upper arms, bend your elbows and curl the bar toward your shoulders. Pause, then slowly lower the weight back to the starting position.  That’s one rep.

Note: Proper body alignment is important when doing curls. Throughout the exercise, make sure to keep your abs tight. This will help with force production and it will also stabilize your spine.

 

 

Caution: It is easy to “over train” with these modifications.  They challenge your muscles to work much harder than usual, so these moves are not recommended as a long-term regimen.  Avoid doing more than 2-3 of these per muscle group on any given workout.

 

Check out last week’s Drop Sets, and then get more fitness ideas, tips, and tricks on my Fitness page!  As always, be sure to get your 20g of protein to help the muscles recover.

***

I am never eating asparagus again after this week.  Just let me know if you need my address to send post-competition treats.  LOL!

Did anyone try last week’s Drop Sets?  What did you think?

Are you dressing up for Halloween?  What are going as?  Let me live vicariously! 🙂

 

5 To Go + Healthy BBQ Sauce

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This week is a lesson in endurance.

“Prolonged endurance tames the bold.” – Lord Byron

When I was playing roller derby, we used to have Monday night endurance practices.  After 2 hours of balls-to-the-wall skating until you wanted to puke, Coach Jim would line up up for 30 more laps.  He’d always announced the little “surprise” at the end of practice by saying “30 to go!”

I always started out going as fast as possible to get it over with, but by the last 5 my legs were shaking and the only reason I was still moving was so I could go home.

Today I only have “5 to go.”  My first figure competition is Saturday.  I’m tired.  Each day I’m pushing myself as hard as possible with every workout, running sprints, doing 30 mins of posing practice, and keeping up with my 100 pull ups.  That familiar “if I can just push through this last bit, I can rest” feeling has returned.

Not to mention the diet changes… more on that Wednesday!

With those diet changes, I can’t even eat this BBQ sauce.  I’m glad I did it when I did!

For those who aren’t 5 days out from a competition, this is a great open for a clean BBQ sauce.  It has no sugar or sodium added… and it’s actually good.

Healthy BBQ Sauce - sugar and salt free!

There are two schools of thought on BBQ Sauce – one likes a more ketchup-like sauce, and the other is a vinegar-based sauce.  I don’t feel the need to choose!  My sauce is tomato-based and laced with that satisfying vinegar tang.

Healthy BBQ Sauce - sugar and salt free!

Thick and satisfying, this is the perfect topping for just about any protein.  You could even toss some red pepper and broccoli slaw in it for a quick BBQ veggie roast.  That was a really a really tasty combo.

In this photo shoot, I sliced tempeh into thin strips and coated one side with the sauce.  I baked it at 375 for 10 mins, then flipped and coated the other side and baked for another 8 mins.  Easy!

Healthy BBQ Sauce - sugar and salt free!

Served here with side of roasted winter squash, asparagus, zucchini, carrots, red onion and sage.  My leftover sauce is n the freeze for safe-keeping for when I can have this again!

Recipe after workout recap…

Workout Recap

There’s nothing more disappointing than seeing a light at the end of the tunnel and having it suddenly shut off.  Friday I got my final workout plan from my trainer.  I thought Sunday was going to be a rest day… it wasn’t.  Turns out you don’t workout 2 days before a show, so there will be no rest until Thursday.  Lovely.

We took measurements at Saturday’s workout.  I haven’t gained much in terms of inches – my waist and chest are actually smaller – but my body fat is certainly lower!  I’d like to find one of those Bod Pods to get an accurate measurement at the end of the week.  I’d also like to have to time to actually go do it.

There will be pic ad nausea post-comp, but for now a little sneak peak…

Workout Recap (10/20 – 10/28):

  • Monday – Rest
  • Tuesday – Legs, 2 mile walk 100 pull ups
  • Wednesday – Back/Tris, Calf raises, 1 mile incline walk, 100 pull ups 
  • Thursday – Shoulders/Glutes, 1 mile incline walk, 100 pull ups
  • Friday – Chest/Bis, 100 pull ups, Calf raises, 2 mile incline walk
  • Saturday – Legs (with trainer), 100 pull ups, 2 mile sprints/incline walk
  • Sunday – Shoulders, 100 pull ups, Calf raises, 1.5 mile sprints/incline walk

Healthy BBQ Sauce - sugar and salt free!

Healthy BBQ Sauce

  • 15 oz can tomato sauce (no salt added)
  • 1/3 C apple cider vinegar
  • 2 T ancho chili powder
  • 1 T smoked paprika
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • Liquid smoke, to taste

Place tomato sauce in a small pot over medium heat. Add vinegar and spices, stirring and tasting as you go. Add the liquid smoke to taste. Start with 5-6 drops and add from there – a little goes a long way! Allow to simmer 5-6 mins more to allow flavors to combine. Taste and adjust flavors again before serving.

Note: You might add a bit of Stevia or other sweetener here if you like a sweeter BBQ sauce. I prefer the vinegar-based.

***

It sounds like I’m complaining… but I’m just tired.  I’m really excited/nervous/ready to get ‘er done!!!

Do you prefer vinegar or ketchup-like BBQ?

What inspires you to push through?  Any good quotes or songs to share?

The Good, the Bad, and the Strange

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Obviously these aren’t always mutually exclusive in my world.

Consultants will advise you to “sandwich” bad news.

If you have to deliver bad news or feedback, one theory is to begin with a positive, followed with the negative, then end on a positive.  A positive sandwich.  I’m not your traditional consultant – I prefer to get the bad out of the way immediately.

This bad in this post isn’t news (at least I HOPE it’s not new to anyone).  I saw this on Instagram, and I think you’ll agree this spotting method is never good: 

And now for the #strange but good. 🙂

Despite Because of my insane diet, I’ve managed a good deal of #strangebutgood recently.

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1. Airplane Protein Muesli Pudding

2 days after the trip I chronicled in yesterday’s Healthy Traveling Food post, I had to do it again.  This time I had a very early flight and brought breakfast on the plane.  A (recycled) container of muesli, protein powder, strawberries, and walnuts.

Before boarding, I asked the coffee shop for a larger glass so I could mix it up without spilling on the plane.  Once seated, I asked the flight attendant for some water to make it a pudding-like consistency.

Not too shabby… but I’m fairly certain the person next to me though I was insane. 

2. Chicken ‘n Pears

This was from before most of the fruit was cut from my diet, but I had to share because it was a very #strangebutgood breakfast!

I cubed some pre-cooked chicken and sautéed it was a diced pear in a quick sauce of low-fat coconut milk (NOT as good and the real thing), cardamom, and ground flax.  I had my doubts about this one, but it was pretty good… it would have been even better for dinner over some parsnip rice.

3. My New Brinner

This kind of goes with #2 above.  Brinner normally is breakfast for dinner.  Lately I’ve been eating dinner for breakfast.  At least that’s what it feel like when I’m eating chicken at 8am.

If you’re going to have to eat chicken at breakfast, I recommend my Cinnamon-Flax Chicken.  It almost make it like breakfast.  The roasted grapefruit on the side was fabulous, and I coated my no-sodium Ezekial toast with fantastically creamy new peanut flour combo.

Peanut Flour Spread

  • 1 T peanut flour
  • 2 T Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp butter vanilla extract (yes, this combo does exist – I found it at Home Goods)
  • 2-3 drops liquid Stevia

4. Chocolate Red Cabbage Ice Cream

The consensus last night on Instagram is that this is strange.  I can’t take credit for this strange idea though!  The Vitamix demo guy always makes a red cabbage “ice cream” when he’s at Whole Foods.  His doesn’t have protein (I think he just adds apple juice), so I’ve been making my own post-workout Chocolate Red Cabbage Ice Cream.

Once you get over the color, it’s really quite good.  You can’t taste the cabbage, and it adds a lot of volume so you feel like you’re eating a gigantic bowl of ice cream.

Chocolate Red Cabbage Ice Cream

  • 90g red cabbage (~1 C)
  • 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 tsp Guar Gum (optional, but adds creaminess)
  • 7-8 drops liquid stevia
  • Ice + water, to taste

Place everything in your high-speed blender and mix until creamy.

Notes:

  • If your protein powder isn’t very chocolate-y, try adding some coca powder or chocolate extract
  • You could do this in a smaller blender, but you need to be sure you cabbage is cut into small piece before blending. 

5. Lee’s Cauliflower Tuna Hummus

Lee @ In My Tummy was holding me to my idea to start a #strangebutgood link up… but I’ve been so busy with work travel and training that I haven’t been able to organize it.  Being the awesome blogger she is, she agreed to share her #strangebutgood creation anyway! 

Starting with a recipe for Cauliflower Couscous as the base, Lee funk-ed it up by adding tuna and hummus.  Brilliant!!!  From Lee: “It was surprisingly good!”

Totally trying this.

***

 I really am going to do the link up.  My competition is November 3rd and I hope to get myself together after that. #thebestlaidplans

Have you had any #strangebutgood items lately?

How do you prefer to give/receive bad news/feedback?

Healthy Traveling Food (BYOP)

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Operation Bring Your Own Protein (BYOP) is in full swing.

Keeping it clean while traveling is daunting.  Traveling while on a competition diet is downright terrifying.

When I realized I was going to have to fly to a client meeting at 3 weeks out from my competition, I immediately panicked started planning.  Eating 7 meals per day is hard enough without throwing airport security, conference rooms, and clients into the mix.

10 Healthy Travel Tips

I had to think about what I could transport, how I could keep it at a safe temperature (food poisoning isn’t the ideal way to cut pre-contest), and what I could do to avoid disrupting meetings when I needed to eat.

The packing process was simple.

I gathered all of the dry/room temperature foods and packed most of them in my suitcase.

The refrigerated stuff I measured out in advance and divided it into baggies.  This was my effort to avoid the last-minute panicked rush to get out the door.  All I needed to do was pull everything out and put it in a cooler when it came time to leave (the panicked rush still ensued… but food prep wasn’t the cause).

The following 8 meals were all eaten on the fly (tee hee).  I thought a meal-by-meal explanation would be easiest to follow, but there are bullets tips at the bottom if you don’t feel like reading the whole post (I know it’s long).

1. Airport Dinner

My flight was scheduled to depart at dinner time.  For this meal, I needed a protein, a carb, and 2 vegetable servings.  Of course, my flight was delayed… which was fine since it enabled me to spread out and eat dinner at the gate.

  • Chicken
  • Spinach salad (squirted with lime just before leaving the house)
  • Zucchini and celery sticks
  • Butternut squash cubes

2. Plane Snacks

No peanuts for me!  This meal required a protein and a vegetable.  I enjoyed homemade fro-yo.  The night before leaving, I mixed peanut flour, cinnamon, and a little Stevia into a single serving container of Greek yogurt.  Then I wrapped foil around it and stuck it in the freezer.

By the time I was ready for this snack, it had thawed just enough to be a fro-yo treat!  It was also dark on the plane – sorry for the fuzzy pic.

Added bonus: the frozen container helped keep my other items in my bag cool.

3. Dessert

I bought an orange, but spied apples in the hotel lobby and opted for that instead.  I made a peanut butter-chocolate protein “pudding” dip for my apple using protein powder, peanut flour, and water.  Stirred up in a hotel cup (I never use the glass cups – according to an ABC expose those are NOT properly cleaned).

4. Room Service Breakfast

The night before I filled out the breakfast order form and hung it on my door.  (Tip: time the delivery so that it also acts as wake up call.)  Breakfast consists of fruit, a protein, and a carb.  I request oatmeal prepared with water only (no milk, butter, or salt), fresh fruit, and coffee.  Pretty basic, right?

Then I request some special sides: ice water and tons of lemon (a cleansing way to start the day since I couldn’t bring my apple cider vinegar cocktail), and cinnamon.  Sometimes I ask for peanut butter too, but that wasn’t on the meal plan this week.

In my oatmeal went ground flax seed and protein powder brought from home, the hotel cinnamon, and blueberries from the fruit plate.  Brown is beautiful.

5. A Bathroom Snack

Meal 2 had to be eaten at an awkward time.  No one else in the meeting was eating, and I needed a protein and a fruit.  I packed my Curried Tuna Salad (sans apple) in a baggie.  It is delicious, but curry and tuna have a strong scent.

One of the benefits of being female is that I can bring my bag to the bathroom without anyone questioning me.  this is exactly what I did.  I camped out in the Ladies with my tuna and a fruit squeeze.  I promise it tasted better than it looks in that baggie.

6. Bringing In Lunch

Predictably, they ordered sandwiches for lunch.  I needed a protein, a carb, and a vegetable.  I can’t have “regular” bread or deli meat, so I brought my own carb and protein.  Curried chicken and butternut squash cubes.

I took a gamble that they would have vegetables and I was right.  Carrot sticks and celery, courtesy of the deli.

7. Taxi To-Go

My afternoon snack is a protein and a vegetable.  I had one last serving of chicken – this time it was an herbed flavor.  I saved celery to eat at the end of the trip, as it’s the most travel-friendly veggie.  It can take a lot of abuse!

8. Airplane Food Doesn’t Have to Suck

Well, it doesn’t suck when you bring your own.  I had a packet of low-sodium tuna, peanut flour, a seasoning packet, red pepper flakes (stolen from pizza day at my office), and previously frozen edamame.  In the airport I purchased a salad.  They didn’t have a plain one, so I had to throw out the deli meat.  I hate to waste, but what was I going to do with all that salty deli meat?

On the plane I assembled my meal.  From the flight attendant, I requested water to mix my peanut flour and seasoning.  I put the tuna and edamame on the salad, then drizzled my spicy peanut dressing on top.  Delicious and pretty!

The lady next to me was a sleep and didn’t even stir at the smell of tuna.  😉

See?  Not that hard, as long s you plan!

Here are the 10 things I keep in mind on every trip.

Top 10 Healthy Travel Tips

INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE?

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***

It seems complicated at first; however, this process was really quite simple.  I have done it repeatedly, and use the same tips to pack for long work days and in-town conferences.

Do you have any travel tips to share?

What “kid” food do you buy for yourself?

Cinnamon-Flax Baked Chicken + WIAW

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You don’t realize how much you love something until it’s gone.

I only endorse this statement as it relates to food. 😉

This week’s diet change s to seriously cut sugar to help my abs come in. *crossing fingers*  This means I go from 3 servings of fruit a day to 1 serving of berries (they are low in sugar) at Meal 1.

Next week I cut fats, which will suck.  I’m cherishing my nuts (#thatswhatshesaid) and salmon while I can this week!

In other news, I finally bought and hung my pull up bar!

  I did 100 pull ups UNASSISTED yesterday.  Don’t be too impressed – I did 10 sets of 10 and it took a while. 😉

I didn’t do so well at making my eats Halloween-themed for  What I Ate Wednesday.  It’s getting harder to do anything super-creative, but I did my best!   Check out my “special” low sugar, low sodium, high protein, super-clean eats below (it makes me tired just listing all that), and then click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get to see how normal people ate in spirit of Halloween this week!

Meal 1:

I’m repetitive.  Yes, I had my morning cocktail (mix of Apple Cider Vinegar, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos). Followed by TVP Protein “Oatmeal.” 

Today’s was a vegan version (no egg whites).  To get a little more protein, I used Greek yogurt to make it Strawberries ‘n Cream.  All I did was mash up strawberries with the yogurt, stevia, ginger, and vanilla.  Simple and delicious! 

Meal 2:

I made Cinnamon-Flax Chicken!  Does this count as #strangebutgood?  If you don’t eat meat, I would bet money that this would be delish with tofu.  Recipe at the bottom of this post.

It was good, but the sides were even better.  Kale chips coated in a sugar-free simple syrup and apple pie spice.  Simple syrup sounds fancier that it was.  I mixed together some sugar-free maple syrup and water so it was thin enough to coat my kale, then added apple pie spice.  I also tossed in some zucchini, which was also tasty!

Meal 3:

Once again… the steak of the sea makes an appearance in my kitchen!  Every Sunday I make a big batch of protein, and Swordfish is my #1 favorite.  It is such a rich fish that it tastes buttered.. but it’s not!  This was grilled with Herbs de Provence, garlic, paprika, and lime juice.

Eaten with pre-roasted calabaza squash with sage and onion, portobello slices, and parsnip “rice” with celery leaves. I would eat this competition diet or not!

Meal 4:

I had to attend a conference, so into a cooler went a salmon salad.  This week’s salmon was baked with lemon juice, mint, and sage.  I chopped it up and tossed it with chopped celery, beet, and zucchini. 

Meal 5:

It was legs day, so I had a date with my trainer to do my hack squats (blech), followed by posing practice.

I took a liquid dinner to go. This shake is a combo of my Sweet Potato Pie and Carrot Cake shakes.  Sweet potato, carrot, tofu, protein powder, spices… and some celery for good measure.  Oh, and I hand mixed in some oats.  The Vitamix will blend anything.  Literally. 

Meal 6:

Is it weird to crave brussels at 9:30pm? That’s what I wanted, so that’s what I had.  Roasted in a sauce of nutritional yeast, apple cider vinegar, cumin, paprika, garlic, and a little coconut extract.  The coconut was the perfect pair with my (low-fat) coconut-curry marinated grilled chicken.  Fun-flavored protein, ftw. 

Meal 7:

Dessert!  No more fruit at night… I’ve missed my cherries on top, but this didn’t disappoint despite the fact that it looks like a giant poop.

Pumpkin-Chocolate Bread Pudding

  • 1/2 slice no-sodium Ezekial bread, ripped into tiny pieces
  • 1/2 C no-salt cottage cheese, 
  • 1T peanut flour
  • 1T cocoa powder
  • 2T pumpkin puree 
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp cocoa extract
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Stevia

I added some water to mix it, then microwaved it for a few seconds.  Warm chocolate-pumpkin bread pudding.  It looks odd… but I assure you it tasted incredible.  New protein dessert staple.

Cinnamon-Flax Baked Chicken

  • 1 chicken breast
  • 2 tsp ground flax
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg

 Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees (I used convection).

Rise your chicken, and place on a hard surface to pound with meat tenderizer.

Mix together flax, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Coat chicken with the mixture.  It should be wet enough from rinsing for the coating to stick without using an egg.

Place in oven for 8 mins, then flip to bake for an additional 6-8  mins.  If using convection, simply bake ~10 mins.  The chicken is done when it is white all the way through.

Note for my plant-based friends: This would rock with tofu too!

Serves 1, easily doubled (I made 4).

***

The protein count for the day: 170.9g.  The sodium count: 574.9mg.  And my new one to watch – sugar – was 28.6g.

I also want to thank everyone for your encouraging words on Monday’s post.  It’s a little scary, but all of your support means the world.  I did feel much calmer after your comments and tweets! XOXO

Do you pay attention to the sugars in your diet?

Have you had any delicious Halloween treats yet?  Let me live vicariously through you!

Work It Out – Drop Sets

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Dropping things is a part of daily life for me.

Years of softball save me most of the time – I knock things off counters but often catch them before they shatter on the ground.

This post isn’t bout my klutzy ways.  It’s the 3rd in my Work It Out series focusing on changing up your gym routines.  You don’t need to write new workouts to keep making forward progress – another approach is to change how you perform the exercise.

sprint2table-workitout

Again with the Disclaimer: I am not a certified anything.  I just workout a lot.  Don’t sue me if you hurt yourself or don’t look like Jamie Eason after performing these moves.

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Drop Sets

Drops allow you to continue a set pushing beyond failure.  They help to increase muscle endurance, and build good-quality muscle as a result.  This is what getting lean and toning up is all about!

To use the drop set technique, do 10 reps with a medium-heavy weight (5-10 lbs less than your max).  Once you finish those 10 reps, immediately drop the weight by 10 lbs (or pick up a weight 10 lbs lighter) and do 10 more.  Drop that weight by 10 lbs and perform 10 more reps.

These are easier to do on machines if you are working out alone because you can quickly change the weight yourself.  The amount of rest between drops should be no more than 10 seconds – just enough time to exchange the weight load.  If you use this technique with free weights, be sure to have your 3 sets of weights next to you so you can move through all 3 drops without breaking.

How do you use this technique?

Leg Extensions 

The leg extension specifically targets the quadriceps.  Sit on the machine with your legs under the pad, hands holding the side bars.  Be sure to adjust the pad so that it falls on top of your lower leg (just above your feet), and make sure that your legs form a 90-degree angle between the lower and upper leg.  If the legs form less than a 90-degree angle, your knee is over your toes and this will creates stress at the knee-joint (which you don’t want).

Using your quadriceps, extend your legs as you exhale.  The rest of the body should remain still on the seat.  Pause a second in the contracted position before lower the weight back to the original position in a controlled motion.

Note: Depending on how you angle your feet (inward, straight or outward), you can emphasize different muscle fibers on the area.  Toes “in” emphasizes the outer thigh while toes “out” emphasizes the inner.  You can also perform the movement one leg at a time.

Rear Delt Machine 

If you want something to really burn your deltoids out, do drop sets on this machine.  It is great for developing the back and the shoulders, and is an especially good exercise to strengthen the muscles that become weak due to long periods of sitting (hello, fellow cube monkeys).

Sit at a pec-deck machine with your chest on the back rest.  Place your feet on the floor and grab the handles with an overhand grip.  Draw belly button in, separate your arms back and squeeze your shoulder blades together.  Slowly return back to start and repeat.

Note: Keep your chin and ribcage lifted so that you are not tempted to lean forward in an attempt to push the handles further back.

Caution: It is easy to “over train” with these modifications.  They challenge your muscles to work much harder than usual, so these moves are not recommended as a long-term regimen.  Avoid doing more than 2-3 of these per muscle group on any given workout.

Check out last week’s Fulls and Partials, and then get more fitness ideas, tips, and tricks on my Fitness page!  As always, be sure to get your 20g of protein to help the muscles recover.

***

The hardest exercise for me to do these with are side lat raises with free weights.  Holy failure, Batman.  

Did anyone try last week’s Fulls & Partials?  What did you think?

Have you ever done fulls and partials?  What exercises do you apply them to?

My Last Supper

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I can be so predictable.

 

If only my life could be predictable…

Allie was in town this weekend for a training session with my trainer… excuse me… OUR trainer. 🙂

She came in Friday night and since we are on the same nutrition plan (minus the sodium restriction for her) so I volunteered to make dinner.  Obviously, I made cauliflower crust pizza.

 

 

We had a little pizza-topping party.  Allie’s (in the back) had a veggie burger and asparagus.  Mine (in the front) had tomato sauce, sauteed kale and red pepper, butternut squash, and chicken.

 

And then we went to Whole paycheck Foods where we bought pumpkin hummus.  I also got a kombucha on tap.  Typical bloggers.

 

When we got back home I made PB & Ceggs (Peanut Butter & Carrot Eggs – the vegan tofu version).  I won’t bore you with yet another pic of those.

The next day we woke up and I had what will probably be my last runny egg before my competition before we headed to the gym for a leg session and posing practice.  Obviously, we were armed with a cooler of smoothies, proteins, and veggies.

 

 

This was the most predictable 24 hours 2 bloggers could have.  And it was a BLAST.

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The unpredictable was just as fun.  We trekked up the highway to my hair stylist, Karen at Lava Hair Studio (I drive an hour to see her – that’s dedication).  Allie got a trim too – how cute are those blunt edges?!  Karen decided brown with red undertones were the way to go for the show – I have NO vision; I always ask her to do whatever she think would be cool.  I think she made the perfect color choice!

 

 

Annnnnd… then we had my last supper.  Last cheat supper, that is.  Allie and I met new guest blogger Kat at STG Trattoria,

We started with a bruschetta of butternut squash, ricotta, and arugula.  It was supposed to have cashews but they didn’t make it on our plate.  It was good… but the added crunch and richness of cashews would have made it better.

For our main, Allie and I split a pizza.  Yes, more pizza.  This was an Italian-style crust and was topped with ricotta salatta, sweet onion, mint, and lamb sausage (Allie ordered her half sans lamb).  The lamb sausage was was flavorful without being over-powering or greasy.  I loved the char on the crust; however, the middle was a big soggy.  It was a solid effort.  You better believe there wasn’t a crumb left!

 

 

Of course, I couldn’t pass up one last dessert.  Our chocolate mousse was topped with whipped ricotta, macerated strawberries, sea salt, and olive oil.  This may have been my favorite part of the meal – the mousse was dark, letting the strawberries provide much of the sweetness.  The olive oil and sea salt on top was absolutely perfection.  I love a dessert that is rich without being painfully sweet.

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Workout Recap

I’m starting to freak out a little.  Watching other people prep, I never understood why they were so obsessive and worrying over every little detail… and then I woke up Sunday morning feeling guilty about the last cheat meal and began reading every body building forum I could find.  My abs are not wonderful.  They have always been my most-hated body part.  I blame genetics and a really short torso.

After talking myself off the ledge, I went to the gym and had a great workout.  Apparently 100 daily (assisted) pull-ups develop the muscle under your arms as well as your back.  Excuse the bewildered look.  It was a tough arm day.

 

 

Workout Recap (10/15 – 10/19):

  • Monday – Shoulders/Glutes, 1 mile incline walk 100 pull ups
  • Tuesday – Chest/Bis, 100 pull ups, Calf raises, 1.25 mile incline walk
  • Wednesday – Shoulders/Glutes, 1 mile walk 100 pull ups
  • Thursday – REST, 100 push ups
  • Friday – Back/Tris, (180 pull-ups were part of the workout), Calf raises
  • Saturday – Legs (with trainer)
  • Sunday – Chest/Bis, 100 pull ups, Calf raises

***

OMGOMGOMG… less than 2 weeks!!! I bought my bling this weekend too. 🙂

Are you loyal to a hair stylist?

What would your last cheat meal be?

 

Friday Peeves and Positives

By

It’s Friday, Friday Friday!

 

I thought it would never get here.

After a long week my pet peeves tend to peeve me even more.  I want to get a few off of my chest so that I can move on to more positive things going in to the weekend.  Stick with me for a few and then we will end on a lighter note.

 

The Peeves:

Instagram

If I post a pic of something and you would like the ingredients, posting “recipe” is not the way to get it.  There wasn’t even a question mark after it!  Are you making IG demands now?  In the words of Stephanie Tanner, “How rude!” #sorryimnotsorry

 

The Last 15 Minutes

You know tone ones.  The period where you should leave soon but don’t need to leave yet.  It always flies by and I leave late.  Yep… someone was running through the airport again… only to find my flight was delayed 2 hours.

 

That Guy

The one in the gym that’s propped up on a machine, playing on his phone or reading TIME magazine (yes, this did happen).  It’s a gym.  We’re not here to read or tweet.  I need to get through my work out too, so move it or lose it buddy!

 

The Positives:

House Guests

Allie has decided to start working with my trainer after visiting a couple weeks ago and is coming back today to train this weekend.  I’m so glad I’m going to get to see her regularly!

 

Hair ‘Dos

Saturday I’m going to see my stylist to get a pre-competition hair cut and color.  It’s probably on my Top 5 Activities list.  Now I just need to decide whether to go more blonde or brown for the stage… 

 

Recipe Wins

My Maple TVP Protein “Oatmeal” has been a hit!  Check out this vegan coffee version with Coffee Mouse from Danni. 

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If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen some of my healthy BYOP (bring your own protein) travel meals.  I cannot WAIT to write a post next week with some of my “how tos” … and some of the more interesting things I did to make it work on this week’s business tip.

What peeves you most?

In the spirit of positive, what’s something good that happened this week, or that you’re looking forward to?

 

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