Workouts
I think the moral of the story here is, lifting heavy weights will NOT make you bulky, ladies. Eating cookies and doughnuts and drinking a crap ton of wine will. I'm lifting heavier than I ever have, yet I'm the smallest I've ever been. Now that's science I can get behind. Speaking of behinds... despite all the booty gainz (thank you squats and stiff-legged deadlifts), I'm happy to say I went shopping this past weekend and fit my sculpted rear end into some super adorable shorts from the kids department. SO - lesson learned here: don't be scurred to lift heavy! In fact, my body is sooo much leaner than it ever was when I ran 5 days a week. I'll take it!Nutrition
I've officially started calling my meals "feeding time." While I have not yet had the privilege of raising a small person yet, I imagine my attitude is akin to a hungry child. Every 2 1/2 - 3 hours, without ever needing to look at a clock, I am hangry. In fact, I've often told Coach Steve to please give me more cardio, or add time to my lifting, but under no circumstance can he take away my food!! Part of my current meal plan is consuming 3oz protein 7 times a day.
My list of "approved" protein sources include:
- Ground turkey
- Salmon
- Boneless, skinless chicken breast
- Cottage cheese
- Non-fat plain Greek yogurt
- Protein powder (1 scoop max per day)
- 1 whole egg with 3 egg whites
- I think I also get tilapia, but I cannot stand that fish... so I don't even pay attention to that
So, you'll see I'm somewhat limited here - especially considering the fact that I'm throwing back protein 7 times a day, it can get slightly monotonous. SO - I've done some research and stumbled upon Muscle Egg - flavored, pasteurized egg whites. Sounds funky, but hear me out. They come in gallon jugs and are drinkable! I just placed an order for 1 gallon of cake batter (their most popular flavor) and 1 gallon of chocolate caramel. I'm hoping they'll help me quell my sweet tooth while helping me lay off the protein powder (I may be consuming more than a scoop a day - and since whey protein is known for its bloating properties, I think I'll need to start laying off the stuff!) The nutritional info posted on Muscle Egg's website is impressive - relatively low in sugar, carbs and no fat or cholesterol!
Nutritional Facts for Chocolate Caramel:
Serving Size: 1 cup (237mL)
Calories: 140
Total Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0g
Sodium: 390mg
Total Carbohydrates: 3g
Sugars: 1g
Protein: 26g
While I cannot believe I just dropped $75 on two lowly gallons of egg whites, I sort of justify it by saying that's two bottles of wine I'm not buying/drinking... so really, I deserve it :) Treat yo self!
Mental State
I think I've quite possibly hit my "runners high"... or whatever the equivalent is for competitors.
Once I cut myself some slack and changed my thoughts from:
"OMG will I ever be lean enough to compete?!" and "My abs do NOT look like hers" to:
"Wow, check out the progress I've made in just short 9 weeks" and "Her abs may be tighter, but she's 3 weeks out AND has been at this for years"... I've began enjoying this journey much more.
Additionally, I'm not battling insane cravings or feeling as though I'm missing out on social gatherings or being held back from dating, etc. I have a new way of life - that is empowering me to make better choices and feel the best I have ever felt in my entire life. The scale is the lowest it has ever been, none of my belts come close to fitting, and I'm buying shorts in the kids department. But beyond the physical changes, I am uncovering this awesome self-respect I'm not sure I've ever had before. I don't mean to toot my own horn here, but competition prep is no joke. The sacrifices are REAL. I'm pretty damn impressed with the level of discipline and dedication I'm putting into this. And I'm realizing it doesn't matter if I'm the fittest girl on the stage - I'm not doing this for a trophy. I'm doing it for me :)
And, just for funsies... and since I like to go somewhere far away at least once a year.. I began researching all sorts of fun, post-comp vacation ideas. And after much consideration of what I want out of a trip, I've decided to cash in some Sky Miles and hit the beaches of Hawaii to enjoy some much needed R&R (okay, and to enjoy this bikini body!). Life is short and the world is wide - go somewhere you've never been. In the end, you'll only regret the choices you didn't make!
XO,
Jenn
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