As you know, I'm new to this blogging stuff, and I just this minute realized that a few of you have posted comments! Wow! I had no idea! So please forgive my lack of responsiveness....
Since we are nearing mid-2010...can you believe it...let's check in on our Goals and how well we are meeting them. And let's be sure to put a positive spin on it. Rather than focusing on what you "failed" at and what slipped through the cracks, talk about what you did well, and then expand on how you can improve upon that.
- I have succeeded in keeping my blog going, and I can improve by spending less time worrying about preparation for it. I will spend that time by following Nike's advice and "Just Do It." I realized that I wanted it to be so perfectly planned out, that I never thought an idea was good enough or interesting enough to discuss. While I DO want it to be interesting to my readers, I also want them to have something to read!
- I have succeeded in training a minimum of 6 days weekly to prepare for my 1st bodybuilding show -- which happens to take place 6 days from today! I can thank Coach Adam and my family for helping me achieve this goal. Without them, it would have been impossible to have come this far. To improve upon it, I simply need to stay the course. My real goal included a specific number of contests in which to participate: 3. It just so happens, I'm enjoying this enough to actually WANT to keep going. There is another in August and September. I will discuss it with the family and Coach Adam before deciding which is next.
Where are YOU in achieving your goals? Now that I know people might respond, I'll be looking for your mid-year status report!
RECIPES
A dear follower friend has asked a few times for more snack ideas and I have unintentionally neglected her! To be honest, I wanted the ideas to be perfect and fabulous, yet nothing seemed amazing enough to post. Following my own improvement advice above, I'm just going to put some of my regulars out here!
Baked Cinnamon Apple (1 serving, can certainly be increased to desired amount)
- peel and dice a large Granny Smith apple
- squeeze 1/4 fresh lemon over it, or use a tsp bottled lemon juice
- sprinkle 1/4 tsp cinnamon over apple
- sprinkle 1/4 tsp Splenda (or other sweetener) over apple
- toss to coat
- bake in toaster oven set to 375 until apple pieces are easily pierced with a fork (try 10 mins first and see how they are...increase time as needed).
For larger quantities, bake in a regular oven (and use more of everything). Adjust seasonings to meet your family's tastes!
Desserty Cottage Cheese (1 serving)
- 1/2 c. Low Fat or Non Fat Cottage Cheese
- 1 tsp Splenda
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
Combine ingredients and enjoy! I love this one.
Actually cottage cheese is quite versatile! It offers a decent helping of protein with very little fat (if you go the Low or Fat Free route). I love to mix a serving of yogurt with it (choose one of the low cal, low fat yogurts) - Boston Cream Pie being my favorite combo; you could even put the cinnamon apples in the cottage cheese. Fresh berries in cottage cheese is another tasty choice. Basically, I believe that cottage cheese should be a staple grocery item.
Here is one that feels very decadent:
Ginger Pears (4 servings)
- Crush 2 gingersnaps into each of 4 dishes
- Dice 2 large fresh pears and divide evenly over the gingersnaps (you can use canned pears, but unless fresh pears are unavailable, I don't know why you'd want to)
- mix 1 cup vanilla yogurt with 1 tsp cinnamon (can you tell I like cinnamon?) or pumpkin pie spice (or chai spice...whatever spice you like, actually)
- divide the yogurt mixture evenly over the 4 dishes
- Top with a few more gingersnap crumbs if desired and chill about 30 mins to 1 hour or until serving.
This one is easy and delicious for breakfast (or anytime, really)
- 1/2 cup of regular oats (please avoid the instant kind)
- 6 egg whites
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
(you can also add mashed banana or other fruit or sweeteners, or chopped nuts)
Blend with a hand blender, and cook on the griddle like pancakes. It's very runny, so be sure your griddle is HOT and pour carefully.
Other easy snacks:
- low fat string cheese (can dip it in sugar free pudding...)
- low carb tortilla rolled with turkey or roast chicken, lettuce (okay, it's a sandwich)
- mix Canadian Bacon in your egg whites & scramble or make an omelette with diced mushrooms and onions -- this is currently my favorite breakfast
- grill canadian bacon and serve with chunks of canteloupe or pineapple
- oatmeal mixed in yogurt, or oatmeal with the above cinnamon apples (add in a scoop of vanilla protein powder to make the meal similar to apple pie a la mode - but healthier!)
- Smoothies are always great and versatile! Mix up the fruits, mix up the protein powder flavors, even mix up the liquid you use for endless possibilites.
- vanilla protein + orange juice + bananas + unsweetened shredded coconut = tropical shake
- chocolate protein + water + brewed coffee = mocha shake
- chocolate protein + water + peppermint extract (just a touch) = mint chocolate shake
- vanilla protein + oats + water + vanilla extract + blueberries = blueberry muffin shake
- vanilla protein + canned pumpkin + pumpkin pie spice + water = you guessed it!
I could go on and on with smoothies. If you don't have a hand blender, you must remedy the situation right away. Do not pass Go, Do not collect $100. Seriously. I'm not joking here. I recommend the Cuisinart Smart Stick. It even comes with chopper and whisk attachments!
So let me know --
1) How are your goals coming along?
2) What is your favorite healthy snack?
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Friday, May 28, 2010
One Meal at a Time
Over the course of the past few months I've eaten uncountable number of meals that consisted only of fish or chicken plus green veggies. So many people where I worked would comment on it: "Fish AGAIN?" or "How can you eat just that?" or "Have some of this cake -- you can spare it."
Well, yeah, I can spare it, but that's not the point. The point is to achieve a goal. For me, the goal is to get up on stage with the best physique I can muster. In order to be able to achieve that goal, I have to eat a certain way. Food is fuel, not entertainment. Not emotional support. Not a social event.
I have been known to carry my dry salad & chicken & broccoli to sporting events just so I'll have something to eat other than the standard stadium fare. Other members of my group scoffed & laughed and thought I was being ridiculous. That's okay. In fact, it just made me more proud of my decision to do what it took to meet my goal.
I know that when I get on that stage, even if I don't place well when compared to the others, I did the best I could. I ate the right way. I burned the right number of calories. I didn't give up.
Sure, I've had moments of weakness. I binged once or twice, but those "binges" included fruit. Yes, berries. A granola bar. A NutriGrain bar. Or a Sugar Free 60-calorie pudding cup. I didn't binge on ice cream. Or a bag of Cheez-Its, even though we had those in the house. You can say it is because I have amazing will power, but that's not entirely true.
I made a conscious decision to binge. I weighed the options in front of me. Cookies? Yes, that would be delicious, but it's all sugar, no health benefit whatsoever. The granola bar was a comparable cheat -- sweet, crunchy, but consisting of oats and nuts (in addition to the honey sweetener). I calculated how long I'd have to work out to burn that extra 200 calories -- or I saved other calories earlier in the day.
The will power is more about eating consiously than it is about "power." There have been many times when I wanted a cheat snack, looked in the pantry & freezer, weighed all my options: calories vs. satiating-abilities, only to choose NOT to have a cheat snack.
Achieving a goal of weight loss requires discipline. Discipline to go to the gym when your legs are too tired to do anything. When you feel too weak to put on your gym shoes. Get there knowing that doing something is better than doing nothing. And often once you get there, you will do more than you first thought you could.
When it comes time to eat, you choose what will best serve your goal. Ask yourself, does this meal help me achieve my goals? If not, how can I modify it? I went to Macaroni Grill just this week. A restaurant meal 2 weeks before a contest? An ITALIAN restaurant meal 2 weeks before a contest?? Yes. I knew I could specifically request that the food be prepared a certain way. And it is MY body and MY goal, so I'm not afraid to ask for it. Plus, Macaroni Grill has the Mediterranean Grill menu items which are lower in calories and fat than most of their other menu items. I ordered the Shrimp Spiedini, which is the lowest calorie meal they have. Yet, I still modified it: no oils, no butter, steamed veggies. I stressed to my server, Chris, that it was very important for me to follow this diet. Chris understood and he explained that spices are already included on the shrimp and the standard veggies have olive oil so that they don't stick to the pan. Chris became a PARTNER with me in meeting my goals because he understood it was important to me. I let him know the spices were okay, and please replace the standard veggies with just steamed -- not grilled.
One meal at a time. Make those decisions. Don't be embarrassed to request special meals. When a special meal preparation is impossible (such as at a stadium) bring your own food. They WILL let you bring it in. If they try to give you grief, ask if they sell grilled chicken with no oils or butter and steamed broccoli. Chances are, they don't. If you tell them you are on a special diet (which you are), then they can't deny you sustenance. I guarantee you are NOT the first person to walk through those gates who has special needs.
It is YOUR body. They are YOUR goals. You ARE special and you are worth the effort. If you don't achieve your goals, you have no one to blame but yourself. Eat consciously. Schedule your workouts and never cancel. If you have trouble with that, hire a trainer. For me, Having Coach Adam has been a complete blessing. I don't want to make him waste his time waiting for me. He never lets me down -- how could I let him down? He is ALWAYS there when he says he will be. I don't want to be one of "those" people who cancels or shows up late. I don't want to be the client he dreads or doesn't trust to do as told.
Sacrificing cookies and crackers and ice cream and birthday cake is not easy. But I also realize that this process is temporary. When I am done with the contest, I can slack a bit and enjoy those things (in moderation) again. They will still be available. Face it, these are the United States of America. I can get those items on every corner. They are not in scarce supply. So there is no need for me to feel obligated to eat it tonight.
Let me know your struggles. What is your most tempting treat? How do you avoid giving in to those temptations -- or do you avoid it at all?
My biggest temptation just might be German Chocolate Cake. Or the On The Border brownie. Yum. How do I say no? I weigh my options. And I realize there will be an opportunity down the road to enjoy that yummy dish.
Well, yeah, I can spare it, but that's not the point. The point is to achieve a goal. For me, the goal is to get up on stage with the best physique I can muster. In order to be able to achieve that goal, I have to eat a certain way. Food is fuel, not entertainment. Not emotional support. Not a social event.
I have been known to carry my dry salad & chicken & broccoli to sporting events just so I'll have something to eat other than the standard stadium fare. Other members of my group scoffed & laughed and thought I was being ridiculous. That's okay. In fact, it just made me more proud of my decision to do what it took to meet my goal.
I know that when I get on that stage, even if I don't place well when compared to the others, I did the best I could. I ate the right way. I burned the right number of calories. I didn't give up.
Sure, I've had moments of weakness. I binged once or twice, but those "binges" included fruit. Yes, berries. A granola bar. A NutriGrain bar. Or a Sugar Free 60-calorie pudding cup. I didn't binge on ice cream. Or a bag of Cheez-Its, even though we had those in the house. You can say it is because I have amazing will power, but that's not entirely true.
I made a conscious decision to binge. I weighed the options in front of me. Cookies? Yes, that would be delicious, but it's all sugar, no health benefit whatsoever. The granola bar was a comparable cheat -- sweet, crunchy, but consisting of oats and nuts (in addition to the honey sweetener). I calculated how long I'd have to work out to burn that extra 200 calories -- or I saved other calories earlier in the day.
The will power is more about eating consiously than it is about "power." There have been many times when I wanted a cheat snack, looked in the pantry & freezer, weighed all my options: calories vs. satiating-abilities, only to choose NOT to have a cheat snack.
Achieving a goal of weight loss requires discipline. Discipline to go to the gym when your legs are too tired to do anything. When you feel too weak to put on your gym shoes. Get there knowing that doing something is better than doing nothing. And often once you get there, you will do more than you first thought you could.
When it comes time to eat, you choose what will best serve your goal. Ask yourself, does this meal help me achieve my goals? If not, how can I modify it? I went to Macaroni Grill just this week. A restaurant meal 2 weeks before a contest? An ITALIAN restaurant meal 2 weeks before a contest?? Yes. I knew I could specifically request that the food be prepared a certain way. And it is MY body and MY goal, so I'm not afraid to ask for it. Plus, Macaroni Grill has the Mediterranean Grill menu items which are lower in calories and fat than most of their other menu items. I ordered the Shrimp Spiedini, which is the lowest calorie meal they have. Yet, I still modified it: no oils, no butter, steamed veggies. I stressed to my server, Chris, that it was very important for me to follow this diet. Chris understood and he explained that spices are already included on the shrimp and the standard veggies have olive oil so that they don't stick to the pan. Chris became a PARTNER with me in meeting my goals because he understood it was important to me. I let him know the spices were okay, and please replace the standard veggies with just steamed -- not grilled.
One meal at a time. Make those decisions. Don't be embarrassed to request special meals. When a special meal preparation is impossible (such as at a stadium) bring your own food. They WILL let you bring it in. If they try to give you grief, ask if they sell grilled chicken with no oils or butter and steamed broccoli. Chances are, they don't. If you tell them you are on a special diet (which you are), then they can't deny you sustenance. I guarantee you are NOT the first person to walk through those gates who has special needs.
It is YOUR body. They are YOUR goals. You ARE special and you are worth the effort. If you don't achieve your goals, you have no one to blame but yourself. Eat consciously. Schedule your workouts and never cancel. If you have trouble with that, hire a trainer. For me, Having Coach Adam has been a complete blessing. I don't want to make him waste his time waiting for me. He never lets me down -- how could I let him down? He is ALWAYS there when he says he will be. I don't want to be one of "those" people who cancels or shows up late. I don't want to be the client he dreads or doesn't trust to do as told.
Sacrificing cookies and crackers and ice cream and birthday cake is not easy. But I also realize that this process is temporary. When I am done with the contest, I can slack a bit and enjoy those things (in moderation) again. They will still be available. Face it, these are the United States of America. I can get those items on every corner. They are not in scarce supply. So there is no need for me to feel obligated to eat it tonight.
Let me know your struggles. What is your most tempting treat? How do you avoid giving in to those temptations -- or do you avoid it at all?
My biggest temptation just might be German Chocolate Cake. Or the On The Border brownie. Yum. How do I say no? I weigh my options. And I realize there will be an opportunity down the road to enjoy that yummy dish.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Two Week Countdown
I was reminded yesterday by my mom that I haven't posted anything to this blog since March. I didn't realize it had been quite that long!
I weighed in this morning at 123 pounds, and my goal is to get under 119 so that I can be a "lightweight" in bodybuilding. I'm told that about 5 or 6 pounds will be water weight that I'll shed the last day...let's hope. I really don't want to go up against those "middleweight" women.
Today is Saturday and I awoke at 3:30 unable to fall back asleep due to all the excitement in my head. I still have so many things to prepare:
- Posing to practice
- Music to edit for the evening routine
- Outfits to find & buy for a photo shoot
- Contest suit to try on (that ordeal is another story...)
- meals to prepare...
Speaking of meals to prepare. What is it I'm eating these days? Well, meat & veggies (of the green variety) and every 4th day I get to have an apple and what equates to one medium sized sweet potato and 1/2 cup of oats. That 4th day is my Carb Day -- which happens to be TODAY! To be honest, it's nice mainly because it puts some variety in the meal. I'm actually feeling okay with so few carbs. At least now I am. When I first switched to this diet, it was really challenging for the first week and a half. I sneaked an extra carb in once, I think.
I'm not sure how many calories all this is. But I get 4 oz of protein at a time (chicken or fish), 5x daily. I get 6 oz of 96% lean beef 1x daily. And with each meal I get 4 oz of green veggies. And you already heard about the changes on Carb Day.
In addition to this, I'm training (or rather, I should be training) daily and burning 700 calories each day. Those don't all have to be at the same training session...but I'm unlikely to go back for more punishment if I don't get it all done at once. At least I know my weaknesses, so I know how to mitigate failure. In fact, today, I need to burn some extra calories for a couple of days I missed due to hair appointments or meal preparations! YIKES! I plan on running to the gym, literally.
I'm not nearly as prepared as I hoped to feel at this point. the good news is that I only have one week left of corporate life, so I have no work or school for the full week leading up to the show. That will let me tie up loose ends and really give it my all. I hope that's enough!
My mantra lately has been, "Today, I will do what others will not, so that tomorrow I can do what they cannot." I don't know who gets credit for originally saying that, but it has helped me stay focused.
Well, it's time for me to get dressed for my jog to the gym. It's only 3.9 miles from my house to Coach Adam's gym. Recently I ran home from LA Fitness - Lewisville and that was more like 7 miles. Not sure I'll be doing that again anytime soon. At least I hope not!
I have a video of my posing routine, but I'm kind of a techno-dummy, so I have to figure out how to add it here....
I weighed in this morning at 123 pounds, and my goal is to get under 119 so that I can be a "lightweight" in bodybuilding. I'm told that about 5 or 6 pounds will be water weight that I'll shed the last day...let's hope. I really don't want to go up against those "middleweight" women.
Today is Saturday and I awoke at 3:30 unable to fall back asleep due to all the excitement in my head. I still have so many things to prepare:
- Posing to practice
- Music to edit for the evening routine
- Outfits to find & buy for a photo shoot
- Contest suit to try on (that ordeal is another story...)
- meals to prepare...
Speaking of meals to prepare. What is it I'm eating these days? Well, meat & veggies (of the green variety) and every 4th day I get to have an apple and what equates to one medium sized sweet potato and 1/2 cup of oats. That 4th day is my Carb Day -- which happens to be TODAY! To be honest, it's nice mainly because it puts some variety in the meal. I'm actually feeling okay with so few carbs. At least now I am. When I first switched to this diet, it was really challenging for the first week and a half. I sneaked an extra carb in once, I think.
I'm not sure how many calories all this is. But I get 4 oz of protein at a time (chicken or fish), 5x daily. I get 6 oz of 96% lean beef 1x daily. And with each meal I get 4 oz of green veggies. And you already heard about the changes on Carb Day.
In addition to this, I'm training (or rather, I should be training) daily and burning 700 calories each day. Those don't all have to be at the same training session...but I'm unlikely to go back for more punishment if I don't get it all done at once. At least I know my weaknesses, so I know how to mitigate failure. In fact, today, I need to burn some extra calories for a couple of days I missed due to hair appointments or meal preparations! YIKES! I plan on running to the gym, literally.
I'm not nearly as prepared as I hoped to feel at this point. the good news is that I only have one week left of corporate life, so I have no work or school for the full week leading up to the show. That will let me tie up loose ends and really give it my all. I hope that's enough!
My mantra lately has been, "Today, I will do what others will not, so that tomorrow I can do what they cannot." I don't know who gets credit for originally saying that, but it has helped me stay focused.
Well, it's time for me to get dressed for my jog to the gym. It's only 3.9 miles from my house to Coach Adam's gym. Recently I ran home from LA Fitness - Lewisville and that was more like 7 miles. Not sure I'll be doing that again anytime soon. At least I hope not!
I have a video of my posing routine, but I'm kind of a techno-dummy, so I have to figure out how to add it here....
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