Work It Out: My 2nd Figure Competition

May 7, 2013 By Laura

I like to Work It Out with a purpose.

Yes, being fit is a purpose… but I’m talking about an event.

Sticking to a fitness routine is easier for me when I have a set goal. It’s like a light at the end of the tunnel. Today’s Work It Out is about my most recent tunnel-light.

Last weekend I competed in my second figure competition – The Palmetto Classic in South Carolina. This recap has been difficult for me to write. I’m struggling with being proud of the results. I placed in the Top 5, which is great… but I was #5. In my first competition I placed 4th. Granted, I do feel like the competition was a bit tougher this time around… but I’d been working SO hard to gain. And I did gain… just not enough.

After the competition I asked the judges for feedback. My feedback was “get bigger.”

Lisa, Steve (our trainer), and Me

I know that I should be proud to have even gotten to compete, let alone place. I know that I worked hard and did my best. I don’t mean to sound ungrateful… I just want to be better.

Yesterday I admitted to feeling a little lost – there is a certain melancholy after something your work so hard for ends. BUT I have to remember it’s not over. I am going use the judges’ feedback as a motivator. I will do another competition and come back better.

The only time you should look back is to see how far you’ve come.”

Being better requires a plan. It’ back to the gym for me – heavy weight, low reps. I’m also going to play with my food more, increasing my intake and experimenting with numbers.

Diet changes will be done slowly – if you try to add all at once your body doesn’t know how to react and (if you’re me) you feel so full that you don’t stick to the plan.

Lisa and Me

And now for the positive: I was less nervous and I felt more prepared. I knew what to expect and had a better idea of how to eat on competition day. I also had an amazing team with me – Lisa (who competed in Bikini) and our trainer, Steve. Having a support system and people to laugh/bitch and moan/over-analyze performance with is invaluable.

One thing about my poor abs is that they respond to volume. This means if I even drink a glass of water, you will see it in my stomach 5 seconds later. On competition day you don’t drink water, but some people will eat a combo of sugar and carbs to pump up. Often this means something like a waffle with syrup. For me, this is too much volume. I figured it out though! I took a gel (like the goo that runners eat) to have at pre-judging. It was low volume, but still gave me calories in the form of carbs and sugar. Perfect!

The most difficult thing about competition day is that after pre-judging you have to wait 6-7 hours until the show that night. So what do you do?! Immediately following the pre-judging many competitions have a small treat. I ate my Barney Butter, savoring it like someone who hadn’t had nut butter in years. 🙂

After that, Lisa and I laid around the hotel and talked… and ate a little. Since I had time for my food to digest (read: move out of my abs), I ate chicken, asparagus, and sweet potato. Lisa and I also split a glass of wine. And I had about a quarter of a warm cookie the hotel put out. It was delicious.

Waiting around with my partner-in-crime

The night show is when awards are presented. I loved the statue trophy, and you better belive it is proudly displayed in my living room now!

And then, as you saw yesterday, it’s time to EAT. 🙂

***

I’m supposed to be resting until Wednesday… but I wanted to hit something so I took a kickboxing class. It was SO much fun to go back to an old love.

Do you like to have a finish line or end goal to train for?

How do you deal with feedback? Is it a motivator?

Marvelous Mandible Monday

May 6, 2013 By Laura

Let the food obsession begin.

Oh wait… that started at birth.

I had fully intended to do a recap of this weekend’s competition today… but I’m a little tired and still processing. It’s a huge build up to the event and then it happens… and you feel a little lost when it’s over. Does that make sense? Not that I’m not doing more (I am!). I’m just taking it all in.

For now, I just want to say that I am honored and overwhelmed by everyone’s support via comments, emails, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter… this blogging community really is just that – a community. I felt that 100% this weekend. THANK YOU!!

So in the meantime, let’s talk about food! I mean, that’s the MOST marvelous thing about completing the cutting process, right? 😉

After pre-judging I had a little treat – Barney Butter! Kristina swore by it and I’m glad I trust her. This almond butter packet of deliciousness was the smoothest, most fantastic nut butter I’ve never out in my mouth. Absence makes the heart grow weirder.

Do my teeth look oddly large in this pic?

After the show itself, my team headed to a fantastic restaurant in Columbia, SC called The Oak Table. It was absolutely perfect – kind of tucked away in a large building, it had a speakeasy feel to it. Our server was very accommodating, even if we did walk in 30 mins before closing and looking… well, a little like drag queens with our stage make up, fake lashes and glow-in-the-dark orange spray tans.

We downed a couple of draaanks, duck, seared scallops, NY strip steak, roasted mushrooms, salad, a butterscotch bread pudding with salted caramel popcorn and smoked cinnamon ice cream, and homemade s’mores. The food was all phenomenal, but in the end the simplest pleasure won my heart – truffled frites with shaved smoked gouda. And water. Lots and lots of water.

By the time we got back to the hotel and I did the best I could to scrub off the spray tan and bikini bite, it was 1am. I passed out.

Only to wake up at 8am starving and thirsty. I managed to soothe myself with water and slept another 1.5 hours… but them breakfast needed to happen. I was hangry for a ~~trashy~~ favorite: Waffle House.

Chocolate chip waffle topped with runny egg

I like to dip my waffle in coffee. It’s redneck biscotti. 😉

If you thought my trainer would be a better food-influence, you’d be wrong.

On the ride home I enjoyed another (much classier) favorite: Ginger-Peach Greek Yogurt by Atlanta Farm Fresh. I’m not sure you can find it outside of Georgia, but in Atlanta you can get it at Whole Foods and some Kroger stores.

It’s the best flavored yogurt out there. Try the Peach-Ginger and the Port-Cherry. And the plain, too.

We got back to Georgia and I went straight to the Farmer’s Market – didn’t even go home first! I didn’t have a list – I just bought everything that looked good. Lots of veggies, pineapple, eggs, crab, sea bass… and injera!

Injera is Ethiopian bread. It sounds fancy, but it’s really just teff flour and water left to ferment for a few days before being cooked in pancake-fashion. The finished product is a little sour and sponge-y in texture. I know that doesn’t sound terrible appealing, but it really is good!

There may have also been a trip to Whole Foods involved… I was craving my favorite Roots hummus!

When I got home with all my loot, I made a strange but good snack: injera with chipotle hummus, spinach, and crab. What the belly wants, the belly gets!

So there you have it. A little bit of what’s been making my mandible-parts smile in this Marvelous Monday.

Check out my favorite diva’s (Katie) blog to see what’s Marvelous is everyone else’s Monday!

***

I’m still overwhelmed. Thank you again… I promise the recap will be coming as soon as my head stops spinning. 🙂

What marvelous thing has you smiling today?

Have you ever felt a little lost when a big event comes and goes?

Strange But Good Turkey Breakfast Sausage

May 3, 2013 By Laura

Sausage doesn’t have to mean “bad.”

Neither does bacon, but that’s another post.

This sausage is 100% competition approved and 100% delicious. I actually like it better than “normal” sausage because it isn’t all processed and loaded with salt. And this strange spin still tastes good.

What I love about this dish is that it takes a fairly bland meat – ground turkey – and makes it full-flavored. It has all the spice of sausage, depth from the liquid smoke, and adds some extra with the fresh herbs. Note: You could always use dried herbs if you don’t have fresh on-hand.

I enjoyed this with a side of cinnamon oatmeal and a #strangebutgood salad – tomato, pear, raspberries, cilantro, and TVP Smoked Bacon Bits.

If you don’t eat meat, I’m thinking this would be a great place to use a bean-based patty!

Turkey Breakfast Sausage

1/2 lb ground turkey
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp fenugreek
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 T fresh sage, finely cut
1 T fresh rosemary, finely cut
1/2 tsp maple extract
10-12 drops liquid smoke
5-6 drops lemon liquid stevia
Red pepper flakes, to taste

Mix all ingredients together with your hands and form small patties.

Warm a pan over medium-high heat on the stove top. Spray with PAM (olive oil or coconut oil work too) and place patties into pan.

Saute patties until just cooked through, about 3 mins on each side (this will vary depending on thickness of your patties).

Makes 3-4 servings.

How have you enjoyed making co-workers, friends, or family stare with strange but good creations this week?

The link up rules can be found here or by clicking on “Strange But Good” in the menu bar above. In short, I want to see what concoctions have earned you weird looks from co-workers, family and friends!

Post your Strange But Good creations, grab the logo below for your blog, and link up here.

Remember to use #strangebutgood in any Tweets and Instagrams of your creations. 🙂

***

As of the time of publication, I am just 6 servings of asparagus away from my competition. Woo hooooo!!!

Do you like meat at breakfast? It’s grown on me!

Are you doing anything strange or exciting this weekend?

Facing Fears and Microwave Huevos Rancheros

May 2, 2013 By Laura

2. More. Days.

I am one workout, a car ride and a spray tan away from the stage.

I’m convinced that part of the last week’s misery prep is to make you so tired and sick of prep is to make you so uncomfortable that nerves are the least of your worries.

Yesterday I ran sprints, worked, did shoulder and glutes, practiced posing, and ate a lot of asparagus. Today I need to run sprints, work, work my chest and bis, practice posing, go to the chiro, get a mani/pedi, and eat still more asparagus.

And I can’t forget to pack my post-competition treats:

Barney Butter, Bacon-Caramel Chocolate, and thick Fig Balsamic. The balsamic won’t come with me, but I’ll be enjoying that when I get home. It will NOT be used on asparagus.

I would also like to eat the recipe Kat is sharing today. So without further delay, I will let her take it over… with another how-did-she-read-my-mind post.

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Facing Fears and Microwave Huevos Rancheros

My theme this week will hopefully resonate with many of you. I feel like we come across people and situations on a daily basis that would be easier to avoid and run from than to face head on.

Lately, I find the people I admire the most are people who live authentically – the people who are not afraid to be themselves, and do or say whatever comes to mind when it comes to mind. The people who speak their mind, regardless of what others might think. the people who take risks even when they doubt themselves. This fear takes away the “Happy.”

All doubt, shame, and other negative emotions stem from fear of some kind – maybe a fear of failure or judgment. Take a second to think about what your fears are, and what you might be able to do to face them. Live fearlessly! (This is one of the reasons I seriously admire Laura – I’m sure she is afraid when she gets on stage to pose but she’s about to do it… she’s fierce and fearless. I’m not even sure that is a fear I could face. She is a badass.) (Editor’s note: YOU are a bad ass. But thank you.)

Tying into running!

I recently read The Summit Seeker, by Vanessa Runs. While her fears and struggles are absolutely different from my own, she is true to herself and faces her fears on a regular basis.

She quit her job and sold all of her belongings and got in an RV with her boyfriend to run. Yes, just to run Ultras and run wherever they wish. She does not take more than she needs, she gives back, she explores, and she lives authentically and fearlessly. I love her.

I also have friends who are inspiring me to be more fearless (Editor’s Note: I think this is so important in life – it’s why I try to surround myself with friend’s like Kat). Fear comes in all forms so being fearless comes in all forms. Without going into further detail, I want to thank my friends Martha and Krista for inspiring me to be more fearless. The two of them are incredibly true to themselves and help me on my journey in life, and in running.

Spending time with them running or at a concert or just at dinner, I feel connected and true to myself. Martha has taught me more about loyalty than any friend I have to date, which helps me to feel secure in my friendship with her.

Facing fears alone is possible, but with friends on your side, everything is a bit more rose-colored and you get some different perspectives. I hope everyone is as lucky as I am.

Fearless friends at the impromptu Jimmy Buffet Concert AND got free tix

Lately, my main fear has been injuries. RUNNING injuries. Many of you are familiar with this running stigma and have dealt with it, maybe over and over. I have finally discovered the root of one of my running injuries, and am able to manage it. It is helping me to run stronger and more fearlessly. When I run fearless, I live life the same way. Try it!

So, my injury! In case you were curious. I was having some foot issues. Yes, just inflammation that would come and go and I could NOT pin point where it came from. It turns out that the IT Band Syndrome many of us have can lead to tightness in the calf. That leads to problems with the Peroneous longus (see image) and brevis tendons, which in turn cause that inflammation in the foot I just told you about. It’s crazy HOW connected the body is. (Editor’s Note: training has taught me this BIG time!)

Solution? My chiropractor, Nate, is a god and he really helps me out with this. (Please check him out if you are in the Atlanta area). But other than that, I ice the foot and roll the IT band once a day. The pain is gone and I am back to fearlessness! I love finding solutions to problems that are so hard to overcome!

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And, thinking about solutions, how about breakfast or midnight snack solutions that we want to take us only 3 minutes to prep, start to finish!?!?

Huevos Rancheros with a perfect runny egg! (Editor’s Note: I cannot WAIT to have a runny egg… maybe that’s where some of my balsamic will go!) Topped with salsa of your choice! Not only is the egg perfect and running, but the tortillas are also perfectly cooked.

Feel free to add avocados and other seasonings! This is just a basic needs recipe that allows for flexibility.

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Microwave Huevos Rancheros (minus the beans)

2 corn tortillas
1 organic, cage free egg
¼ avocado, sliced
2 T salsa
1 oz gouda (or cheddar cheese), cut into small pieces
Sprinkle of salt

Place one corn tortilla and in a small, microwave-safe bowl (about the size of the tortilla).

Crack the eggs directly into it, so the tortilla cradles it. Next, take your cheese and put it directly on top of the raw egg, and the avocado directly on the cheese.

Lastly, place the other corn tortilla on top and microwave for 1.5-1.75 minutes.

Enjoy!

***

I already requested Waffle House Sunday morning. Chocolate chip waffle topped with a runny egg. Don’t judge. #strangebutgood

What running injuries are you afraid of? What other injuries? (Editor’s Note: Falling off my plastic heels on stage)

What fears are you facing? And how is that going? (See above comment)

Eating for Abs + WIAW

May 1, 2013 By Laura

This is the point where food gets really fun.

And by “fun” I mean weird.

I’m 3 days out from my figure competition. The asparagus started, (click here for the reason behind that), but I have a bit more variety this time. Broccoli and green beans have never seemed so exciting!

People comment a lot about my diet. They are surprised that I’m still eating carbs, that I waited so long to cut hard. What you have to remember, my little snowflakes, is that every body is different. I didn’t start out with a lot of body fat, so my cutting is different. If I did eat like this for weeks on end… I’d be tired and skinny!

There’s not one right or wrong way to do it. (Ok, there is a wrong way… people go nuts but you know what I mean.)

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My WIAW meals were strange… but (mostly) good. After yesterday’s ab post, I got a few questions about what exactly I’ve been eating. Here it is! Eating for Abs: 101.

Note: I was still eating Greek yogurt up until Sunday. Water depletion hasn’t started as of this post (that beings today – the real Wednesday). Sodium is super-low.

Check out my 7 low-fat, low-sodium, protein-laced meals below, and then click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get to see how more normal people are eating!

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Meal 1:

My day still begins with my morning cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos). This morning I drank half, ran my sprints, and then drank the second half. If I had a full glass before running I’d cramp up!

Then breakfast. If you follow me on Instagram, you know I found some a curious new coffee flavor this weekend at TJ Maxx:

Which lead to one awesome #strangebutgood creation! Chocolate-Peanut Butter Coffee Oats with an Elvis twist – I added banana extract and Smoked TVP Bacon Bits. The King would have been proud.

I took the Southern further with chicken. Cinnamon-Flax Baked Chicken and oats is really just a healthier version of the classic chicken and waffles. Sort of.

Anyway, this sweet and smokey banana creation was legit good. (The chicken is certainly optional.) Topped with mashed strawberry “jam.”

Peanut Butter-Banana (Elvis) Mocha Oatmeal

1/4 C oatmeal
1/4 C water
1/4 C coffee
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp banana extract
1/4 tsp butter extract
5-6 drops liquid stevia
Strawberries
Smoked TVP Bacon Bits
Cinnamon-Flax Baked Chicken (optional)

Bring oats, coffee, and water to a boil. Cook until liquid is mostly absorbed. Add in spices, powder, extract, and sweetener (can adding additional water/coffee if needed).

Allow to simmer until water is absorbed and your oats reach your desired level of thickness.

Place in a bowl and top was desired. I used my bacon bits, mashed strawberries (warmed in microwave), and chicken. Mmmmm… protein. 😉

Meal 2:

Turkey. It’s not just for dinner. This breakfast-y version will be this Friday’s #strangebutgood! Eaten with strawberries and a sprinkle of smoked paprika (I’m obsessed)

Meal 3:

Lunch was pretty normal… or so I thought. My coworkers seems to think my colorful plate was strange. Either way, it was good! Swordfish (a.k.a. the “steak of the sea”) with broccoli, red pepper, and the dreaded asparagus.

The eggplant chips may be a little weird. I used this method, but made them dessert by seasoning with stevia and cinnamon. They are better when I crisp them back up in the oven, but the microwave was my only option at work.

Meal 4:

Rainbow Trout, baked with dill, lemon juice, and red onion. With a crunchy side of sugar peas and broccoli. I really like trout, but their teeny little bones are annoying.

Of course I had a little dessert. Gum. I bought this because it was on sale – I love the Apple Pie flavor, but Sorbet never appealed to me. I was pleasantly surprised! The flavor seemed to have lasted a little longer.

Meal 5:

This meal was scarfed down at the gym after working out back and triceps and an hour of posing. Swordfish with chopped broccoli and red pepper. I would have eaten my hand, but this was decidedly better.

“Dessert” was my carb – sweet potato cubes sprinkled with cinnamon and cocoa.

Meal 6:

I was desperate for dessert. So I made cinnamon and ginger roasted asparagus. And chicken. It was strange… not so sure it was good. 4 more days.

Not one of my proudest moments.

Meal 7:

After that last meal, I’d had enough. Bed time.

***

Protein count for the day: 145.9g; Sodium: 457.4mg

Is there a food you burnt yourself out eating too much of?

What would be the first thing you’d at post-competition? I’m still deciding…

What’s Driving My Marvelous (Monday)

April 29, 2013 By Laura

No one likes regrets.

Especially when it involves wearing a bikini on stage in front of a lot of people.

My favorite uncle likes to say:

If ifs and buts were candy and nuts, oh what a merry Christmas we’d all have.

My goal is to go into Saturday’s figure competition without thinking “if only I had…” or “but I should have…” No regrets. That’s what’s driving me right now, even though I’m tired, busy, and really hate running sprints.

That’s not entirely true… I have a lot of fantastic friends whose encouragement also drives me. After this post where I admitted to be being busy and more than a little overwhelmed, Jody reminded me that what I’m doing is not easy and I need to give my body time to recover. So I took my first bath in years.

Then, after a particularly hard-to-motivate-for run (I’m doing sprints daily now), Heather took the time to encourage me. She is the queen of training and balancing a busy life (and running), so I especially appreciate her props.

Note: I’m kidding about the fat and happy. I chose this and I AM happy. These last couple of weeks just get hard.

Something else that can drive a workout is new stuff. So often we think of treating ourselves with food, but new clothing or “toys” can do it too!

This weekend I took myself shopping and got new eye cream, eyeshadow primer, 2 new tops, a bra (so badly needed), and my first EVER top from Lulumon. I didn’t get a pic, but it’s this one.

I also brought my own marvelous lunch to the mall: a crumbled Indian-spiced bison burger, sweet potato cubes, broccoli slaw, and red pepper. I held it up proudly for a pic infront of Victoria’s Secret. ~~Bison and Boobs.~~

As much fun as spending money on yourself can be, free stuff is even more awesome. Thanks to Fitfluential and Reebok, I had the opportunity to try out these Bose SIE2i headphones (as always – my opinions is my OWN).

Let me just say these ROCK. I didn’t even know what I was missing out on until getting these high quality ear buds… it was like surround sound in my ears!

Bonus: They aren’t PINK

How do Reebok and Bose go together? They partnered to release first ever Bose in-ear headphones specifically engineered for exercise. Their features are designed with workouts in mind. Click here for a video with more detail on the technology.

Here is what I liked:

They are sweat proof – there was NO sliding about in my ears even when I was sprinting
They didn’t give me a headache. In the past I’ve had some ill-fitting buds that were so uncomfortable I had a headache by the end of my workout. These still felt great 2 hours later!
The buds come with 3 sizes (small, medium, and large), and the small actually fit me
The shorter cable doesn’t get in the way of movement while lifting, but there is an extension cord for when you need length (I used it so I could place my iPhone on the treadmill while running sprints)
There is a remote in the cord that allows you to easily change songs and adjust volume (you can also take calls, but who doesn’t that during a workout?!)

It also came with a stretchy armband to holds your iPhone, but I didn’t use it. I am looking forward to using it when I do some running this summer – it even has a separate pocket for keys! For lifting, I can’t stand having something strapped to my arm. My pythons need ROOM. LOL!

The downside? At $149.98, they are pricey. Here’s how I look at it: I spend 1-2 hours everyday working out. It’s worth every cent if it makes that experience more enjoyable and comfortable. That means a better workout for me, so I consider it another investment in my fitness.

Lastly, the ultimate driver: Progress. It’s not big. But I do believe that is a booty:

Do these Bose headphones make my butt look big? 😉

It may not look like much, but it’s a BIG improvement after a lot of work. I dislike sprints, but I really hate having a pancake butt or a saggy ass. So sprints it is! I can do anything for 5 (more) days.

And all of this is what’s making my Monday Marvelous. Thank you for another week starting out right, Katie!

***

One more bit of awesome – 2 separate friends sent me their progress shots this weekend. I was flattered that they trusted me enough to share those proud (scantily clad) moments!

Do you make a conscious effort to live life with no regrets?

Are good headphones important to you? What is your fitness “splurge” item? Lulumon? 😉

Eggplant Chips + WIAW

April 24, 2013 By Laura

Life gets busy.

I know this isn’t news to any of you, but it’s hitting me hard this week.

I’m 10 days out from my next figure competition. The asparagus (click here for the reason behind that) begins this weekend. I’m thinking next Friday’s #strangebutgood link up will take a twist as my diet gets to the most strict point… not-so-strange but good, anyone?

Balancing work with the competition preparation is not easy. In addition to my 7 meals and regular workouts, I’m running sprints every day. It’s a lot of fit in, especially since I dislike working out at night. I’m TIRED. Cutting a good amount of carbs and basically all sodium and fat leaves my energy level a bit low.

But I’m focusing on May 4th (competition day) and staying motivated. I don’t want to get on stage and have any regrets!

I’ve been taking a couple of products I received from GNC through a FitFluentiual campaign that have helped me maintain my level of activity: Ultra 25 Probiotic Complex and TriFlex.

The probiotics (said to replenish good bacteria needed for digestion) made a BIG difference. Those 25 billion active cultures kept my gut healthy (translation: I have no problem going #2). This make me happy and had prevented bloating! This particular pill also has “enzymes and ginger for additional digestion support.”

The TriFlex I think I need to take longer to say 100% whether it’s made a difference. It is supposed to “promote joint mobility & flexibility” and contains Glucosamine, Chondroitin, and MSM – all of which are great for joint health. I have been taking it regularly. That, in addition to seeing a new chiropractor, I *believe* have kept my joints are feeling good despite some crazy workouts!

My WIAW meals were still pretty good, despite and lack of yummy, yummy fat. Mmmmm… peanut butter… I digress.

Check out my 7 low-fat, low-sodium, protein-laced meals below, and then click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get to see how more normal people are eating!