Competition Update - January

It's been a while since I mentioned my personal experiences. I'm still training with Coach Adam 3x each week and it has made a huge difference in what I see in the mirror.

We are "officially" training for a competition on June 5 that will be held here in D/FW. I put "officially" in quotes because I have verbally committed to it, but I haven't filled out any paperwork. I don't expect to back out on this, but Coach Adam tells me the last month of preparation is a pretty grueling experience. I'm hoping my family can put up with me long enough to see it through!

We take my body measurements each Saturday, and my body fat percentage is on the rise, but that is to be expected right now. It shouldn't get too high - hopefully I'll top out around 17%, but I'm nervous about that because I hit it yesterday! I was hoping it would take a little longer before getting there. Probably the delicious tapas on Friday night was the culprit (see I do take the opportunity to enjoy good food every now and then).

Chest circumference measurement is down overall - that figures. That is the one place I wouldn't mind keeping some inches, if you catch my drift. But it seems to be the first to go. Waist is about the same as it's ever been, and my hips were down and are back on the rise.

I'm trying to eat between 1800-2000 calories daily right now, which is actually kind of hard for me. I feel like I'm constantly shoving food in my face. Oh yeah - keep in mind, it is supposed to be lean proteins, fruits, veggies & starches. It's easy to hit 2000 calories if I ate fast food all day. Heck - one meal at most restaurants can easily hit it. When I do go out on a limb and eat incorrectly (like the tapas on Friday, or not eating enough calories), Adam can always tell. I'm consistently amazed by it. Sometimes I think I might eat poorly just to test him. Sure enough, he called me out on a couple of lower calorie days! I guess that's why I pay him the Big Bucks...

I chatted briefly with a woman who is a judge for these competitions and she will start working with me in April so that I can achieve a good presence on stage. From the walk onstage to each pose and standing off to the side, I will be judged every moment. I want to be sure I'm on pointe (as a ballerina might say).

There are a few different kinds of body competitions: bodybuilding, figure, fitness, and bikini. Bodybuilding is for the very muscular ladies, and they can get pretty big. For those who prefer not to gain so much mass (which, by the way, is only possible with the help of pharmaceuticals), there is Figure. Figure competitors do have muscle tone, but also still look quite feminine. A large number of fitness models would fit into this category -- and the competition is fierce due to the high number of women who are interested in it. Fitness is for the women who have some muscle tone, but who can also incorporate dance and gymnastic moves into a routine. They are very talented women! Alas, I do not have their talents. Finally, Bikini is a relatively new competition (at least in the world of bodybuilders) and it is just what you imagine. Women who look good in bikinis -- they should be fit, but not particularly muscular.

I prefer the Figure category, but Coach Adam says I could have a chance in the bodybuilding category as well. When I explain how I don't want to be as large as a man, he tells me not to worry - at the local level, the women are not that big. So right now, I'm just keeping my options open, trying to eat the right number and the right quality of calories, and I practice smiling a lot. I am sure other drivers are wondering what the heck I'm so happy about.

Try smiling non-stop for 30 minutes, believe me, you don't feel all that happy about it. But just like all training, it gets easier!

The pictures were taken in my back yard in July - 2 months before I began training with Adam. Soon I'll get My Darling Husband (DH) to take some updated photos.

Meal Planning - The Macronutrients

I get asked a lot of questions like, “Can I eat this?” or “What should I eat before my workouts?” I am super happy to hear questions like that because nutrition is THE MOST important part of a Body Improvement Plan. A good work out cannot out work a bad diet!

So while I love to give tips on training, you will be able to see major improvements just by changing your diet.

The good news is that I’m not recommending any specific “DIET.” What I’m talking about is truly changing the way you eat. For good. In fact, if you eat the right foods long enough, you will think less and less about eating your former favorites. Chicken Fried Steak smothered in cream gravy used to be my favorite meal. These days I’m always shocked to see it on a menu. Do people really still eat that?

Nutrition is pretty simple. There are no secrets. You’ve seen the Food Pyramid. It’s not rocket science. Lean protein - Whole grains - Vegetables - Fruits - Dairy - Minimal fats & oils. You already know that, don’t you? Since you are fueling your body, be sure you are putting in high quality fuel. You wouldn’t fill the tank of your sports car with 85 octane gasoline, would you? You say you feel more like a Corolla? Well, to get the best performance out of your Corolla, you still need to meet the manufacturer’s requirements. Guess what YOUR manufacturer’s requirements are? Yup. Lean protein - Whole grains - Vegetables - Fruits - Dairy - Minimal fats & oils. And all of it in the proper proportions.

Let’s break it down.

PROTEIN
Protein is your body’s basic building block. Meat-eater or not – you need protein. The best protein choices are lean, meaning they are low in fat; specifically saturated fat. Included on any lean protein list are white meat chicken and turkey, fish, and certain cuts of beef like sirloin (sorry, not bacon – not even center cut bacon). What you may not realize is that egg whites, soybeans and tofu also fit on this list. (Actually, I’m a firm believer in the health benefits of the entire egg, but if you are focusing on lowering your fat intake as well as your calories, then you should stick with just the whites).

You should eat a lean protein at every meal. Not only does it provide important nutrients, it will help keep your belly full longer. I recommend that you prepare the protein in such a way that it stays lean. In other words, grill it, smoke it, or bake it with non-stick utensils so you don’t have to smear on the oils or butter. Add fresh or dried herbs if you need more flavor.

Your portion size is also important! A standard portion of meat is about the same size as the palm of your hand. For people who are actively weight training, you may need to eat more in order to attain a daily guideline of one gram of protein for each pound you weigh.

CARBOHYDRATES
There are a lot of recent diets that have given carbohydrates a bad name. Face it: Carbohydrates are important! Sure, those folks lose weight when cutting out carbs. When you cut out about 50% of your calories, you are going to lose weight. But you cannot live without carbs. Fruits, veggies, and grains are all a part of the carbohydrate family. Carbs are used for energy production, digestion regularity (fiber!), and they keep people from being overly cranky.

Be aware of what kind of carbs you eat:
Potato chips = bad carbs (and really more of a fat)
Baked sweet potato = good carbs
White bread = Bad
Whole wheat bread = Good

Let’s make this even simpler: eat carbs that are as close to nature as possible.
Orange = Good
Fresh-Squeezed orange juice = Good
Orange juice from concentrate + added sugars = Less good
Orange flavored soda = Bad!

Read the ingredients list (if there is one – fresh fruit and veggies don’t have ingredients lists). If there are more than just a few ingredients, you’re probably better off looking for something else to eat. And if you can’t pronounce some of the ingredients, put it back. For breads, always choose 100% whole wheat. That’s a no brainer. If you see enriched flour as a main ingredient – put it back. Grab another bag that uses whole wheat flour. Just do it. Quit arguing. And always choose brown rice. Don’t even think about white rice. And no, fried rice does not count as brown rice even though it is brownish. And while I personally don’t eat a lot of pasta, there are some good pasta choices out there including some sprouted grain pastas which make them a little higher in protein as well as being a whole grain.

A reasonable portion of carbohydrates is about a handful, or about one cup. Again, this will vary based on your own caloric needs.

FATS
Yes, I admit it. Fats are a necessary part of your diet. But again, we want to focus on good fats. A good fat is unsaturated. I won’t get into the science of what makes it a saturated vs. unsaturated fat (it has to do with how many hydrogen atoms are in the molecule), but unsaturated fats don’t cause as many blockages since they can’t pack together as tightly as saturated fats do.

You know darn well what some examples of saturated fats are: animal fats (chicken skin, many cuts of beef), butter – basically any fat that is solid at room temperature. Unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature, and olive oil is a great example of one that is heart healthy, when used in moderation.

Other “good fats” are nuts like almonds and walnuts, and avocados. Fats should be used sparingly, even the good ones. No matter what kind of fat it is, it still contains more calories per gram than either protein or carbohydrates (combined!).

PUTTING IT TOGETHER:
You’ve heard of a balanced meal, but do you know what that means? A balanced meal contains a proper portion of a lean protein and a proper portion of carbohydrates along with some extra veggies (vegetables are nice and low in calories, so it’s difficult to overdo it on veggies). Don’t forget, how your meals are prepared will impact their caloric value! If you smother the lean chicken breast with cheese and bacon, or fry it, it is no longer lean. A leafy green salad with grilled chicken breast is a great lean option. But once you add ranch dressing, bacon, cheese, and candied pecans, or if you bread and fry the chicken, you’ve just created a thousand calorie meal!

You should eat 5 or 6 times a day in order to keep your metabolism active. Remember when 3 square meals were all the rage? Well, eating only 3 larger meals a day means your metabolism slows down right before it’s time to eat again. If you eat every 2-3 hours, then the metabolism doesn’t get a chance to slow down, and you don’t get a chance to feel hungry again – making it easier to not overeat.

PERSONALIZE IT
Remember the goals you made at the beginning of the year? Take them out and look at them. You need to understand what your daily calorie intake should be for your goals. And based on those needs you can adjust your caloric intake. For folks wanting to lose weight, you’ll need to consume fewer calories than you need just to get through the day. For folks who want to gain weight, you’ll need to eat more. For active people and athletes who are at their desired weight, but just want to “tone up” you’ll REALLY need to focus on the quality of the foods you eat. If you need help with determining your personal needs, email me! I’m not a dietician, but I do have lots of experience with adjusting food to meet different needs.

Let me know what changes you are making to your diet! What is working for you and what isn't? What item do you crave the most - maybe there's a way to improve it's nutritional profile!

Resolve to Have Successful Resolutions

Happy New Year!

A new year is time for new beginnings! It is time for a fresh start. Don’t worry if you have attempted the same resolutions every year for the past decade. This is the year that you will achieve your goals!

Use this week to assess where you are and where you want to be. All the mistakes of last year can be forgiven and all the lessons that you learned from those mistakes will be brought forward to help you in the New Year – you did LEARN something from them, didn’t you?

Henry Ford said, “Failure is only the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.”

So let’s begin 2010 more intelligently! Write out your resolutions if you haven’t done that already. They can be general right now because you’ll refine them later.

Where Are You Now?

Sticking to a New Year’s Resolution requires more than just writing it down and a desire to improve. Anything worth doing is worth doing right, and to do it right you need a plan.
You have to know where you ARE, where you WANT TO BE, and how you PLAN to get there. Let’s start with where you ARE.

To know where you are, you need to be measured. What to measure depends on what you resolve to change. If you want to lose weight, you’ll need to measure your current weight, and possibly the circumference of your chest, waist and thighs. If you want to improve your body composition (muscle vs. fat), then you’ll need to measure your current body fat percentage. If you want bigger muscles, you’ll need to measure the circumference of those body parts (biceps, chest, thighs, calves). If you want to improve your time to run a mile, then you’ll have to know how long it currently takes you to run a mile (avoid the treadmill in this measurement, as it hampers your natural speed adjustments. I recommend finding a mile-long path and a stopwatch). You get the idea…

For many measurements, you should enlist the help of a trusted friend to handle the measuring tape or stop watch. Ideally, it is a friend who will help motivate you when you are struggling, and possibly someone who wishes to improve their health in the same way you do. If you are a member of a gym, ask one of the trainers to give you a full assessment. The initial consultation is generally offered free of charge.

Where Do You Want to Be?

Goal setting seems easy enough; however, “I want to get in better shape” is not really a goal. If it were, you could go out running every day for a week and technically you would be “in better shape” than you were before. To make resolutions that you can successfully achieve, you need to set SMART goals. SMART is a common acronym used in goal-setting....I'll explain:

• Specific – Write down how many pounds you want to lose. Write down your target body fat percentage. Write down how many miles you want to be able to run (and how long you want it to take you).
• Measureable – Remember those things you measured in order to determine your starting point? Those statistics should be included in your SMART Goal because, obviously, they are measureable.
• Accountable – most resources say the “A” is for Achievable, but we’ll cover that on the “R” and there’s no need to be redundant in an acronym. I like to use “Accountable” here. This means that you make yourself accountable. How? TELL EVERYONE what you are trying to accomplish. At the minimum, tell one other person who will encourage you.
• Realistic – Achievable. Don’t set a goal to run a marathon in a month when you can barely run a mile now. It is more realistic to set a goal to run a 5K in a month. Also good: to lose 2 pounds a week for 8 weeks.
• Time-Framed – Always include a deadline. This also aids you in the “accountability factor” since you will not be able to procrastinate without impacting your ultimate success.

Here’s my SMART goal: I will train at least 6 days each week in preparation to compete in at least 3 NPC figure & bodybuilding contests, with the first contest in June 2010.

How Will You Get There?
Now you know where you are and where you want to go. Now it’s time to make your road map to successfully achieve your goal.

• BABY STEPS – Behind every SMART Goal, there are baby steps to reach it. Break down your goal into smaller steps. For example, I included the baby step of six training days each week in my SMART Goal statement. I could also break it down into steps for weekly meal planning and weekly measurements to ensure I stay on track.
• RESOURCES – Make a list of the resources available to help you reach your goal. Do you know how to use the gym equipment, or how to design a workout plan? A trainer at your gym can help or you can subscribe to a fitness magazine. There are even entire television stations designated to health and fitness programming. For me, I’ve not trained for a contest before, but my trainer, Adam, has years of experience of preparing women & himself for competition. He is my main resource for information and motivation.
• RISK ASSESSMENT & MITIGATION– What could get in the way of your success? Every goal has something that could impede upon its success. Make a list of the impediments that you foresee. It could be your own motivation, lack of time, get-togethers with tempting foods, lack of family support…any number of things. List every risk you can think of.

Once you have your list of risks, come up with a mitigation plan for each one. That way, if you come up against that risk, you are already prepared to move past it. For me, registering for the first contest as soon as possible will keep me committed – I want to look my absolute best on stage! I’ve listed a few suggestions for you below.

Common Risk Mitigators

• Risk: Motivation
  - Schedule a professional portrait sitting that coincides with your deadline date.
  - Book a beach vacation - as long as you’re going with people who are motivating to you.
  - Save money every time you successfully complete a Baby Step & use it to do something nice for yourself when you achieve your goal.
  - Re-measure weekly. It helps keep you accountable to yourself.
• Risk: Lack of Time
  - Prioritize your training! Schedule it in your calendar and don’t book anything over it. (If that same hour were booked to help someone else improve their health, would you skip it?)
  - Waking up earlier and working out first thing is a great way to fit everything in.
• Risk: Tempting Meals with family or friends
  - Eat a snack beforehand to limit your portions of the tempting foods
  - Request a special item to be included on the menu for you (if your diet was vegetarian, they’d surely accommodate, so why not have the same expectation when your diet is lean foods?)
  - Drink lots of water – it curbs the appetite and makes your skin look great in the process. Add Crystal Light if you need flavor.
• Risk: Lack of support from family or friends (This is a tough one, yet quite common. Often, they don’t know they are sabotaging your efforts by saying, “Come on, one brownie won’t kill you. You can afford it.”)
  - Be prepared with statements like, “It’s hard to stop once I start.” Or, “That will cause my training session from this morning to be a complete waste.” Or even, “There is a reason I am so lean, and it’s because I don’t have brownies in my diet.” I recommend that last one for repeat offenders.
• Risk: Unidentified
  - Have a mentor. When you experience a risk to your success that you didn’t plan for, it’s best to talk to someone who has been through this sort of thing. Maybe it is your personal trainer, or your trusted friend who is working toward the same goal, or another person who inspires you. Identify this person early on so that you will know where to go when the time comes.

Get Started!

There is no time like the present! Start with your general resolutions, take your starting measurements, turn your general resolutions into SMART Goals, break it down into Baby Steps, then identify & mitigate your risks.

You are on your way to achieving your goals in 2010!

Post your SMART goals below to start making yourself accountable right away!