2016 Recap and 2017 Plans: 10.5-ish Week Contest Prep

I have obviously been absent from the blog for...almost a year. Without going into too much detail, last year ended up being full of change. New business endeavors, moving, lots of family stuff...just overall full of change. I don't have any regrets about not getting on stage last year outside of hiring a coach that I REALLY didn't work well with (message me if you have questions about hiring coaches. I have worked with some big teams that are really really really not worth your money or time).

Super quick recap of the past year:

Around July I switched my mindset to going purely for some big strength goals. I pulled a 315# deadlift for the first time during the summer and decided to chase 400# more seriously along with goals for a 250# squat and 200# overhead. Getting strong requires energy, so I decided to give my body more than enough (just in case) and spent a few months in a caloric surplus (around 4000 calories/day). I pulled my 400# deadlift and my bodyweight hit a personal high at 169# in December when I made a commitment to compete in a weightlifting meet (after 3 years of coercion from my weightlifting coach, Scott). 

I took a break from my powerlifting-bodybuilding type training and focused on weightlifting for 4 weeks and I missed my 'normal' training SO MUCH. The meet was fun and I got a PR of 198# overhead (just need the 2# now. Silly me) on the CJ and a decent snatch (my snatch is weak in comparison). 

Since the meet, I have been working on bringing my calories down to a comfortable level for cutting, while keeping them as high as I can. I weighed in at 162.2# this morning (so a VERY slight drop from the meet) and I am eating roughly 2500 calories/day and feeling optimistic about prepping for the stage:)

2017 PLANS:

Fitcon at the end of April (10.5 weeks) is the goal right now; however, it is going to be very dependent on how my body responds to cutting. 10.5 weeks is A LOT less time that I would like to have given myself...but I am dumb sometimes. I don't want to drop my calories below 1900 and I am estimating that I need to drop roughly 25-30 pounds to be ready for the stage. It's a very rapid and aggressive weight loss, so I am not entirely sure it will happen.

I know that I want to compete in two local shows to requalify for nationals in bikini and again to give figure a test run. The show in June should be easily within reach, I just have to decide which division to compete in. 

USAs are in July in Vegas, and I am hoping to compete nationally there (not counting my chickens...). 

After my shows, I would like to prep and compete in a powerlifting meet in the fall. I have gone to a handful of meets over the past few months and the atmosphere is so fun. It's full of energy and everyone is so positive and encouraging. 

CONTEST PREP:

I am only a few days in, so there really hasn't been much change at this point. I spent the last 2 weeks just tracking and trying not to eat like a complete dummy so I have a good idea of where to start cutting. I took my starting photos and measurements this morning:

R Thigh (10 inches below anterior iliac crest): 22"

L Thigh (10 inches below AIC): 21.5"

Hips (widest, most saddle-baggy circumference): 41.75"

Belly Button: 31.75"

True Waist (small of the waist/most narrow circumference): 28.5"

Under Bust (just under the boobs): 30.25"

R Arm (relaxed): 12.75"

L Arm (relaxed): 13"

There are a few things that I am hoping to do differently during this contest prep:

Nutrition/Diet

I have been listening to and reading articles by a biologist, Ray Peat, who has done more than half a century of research on how to optimize metabolic function by optimizing thyroid function and minimizing inflammation in the body. His approach is very very unorthodox, especially in the fitness industry. I want to go over more of the details in future blogs with how my nutrition will be different while following his guidelines, but for now I will just say there are some strange things, and I don't plan on being 100% compliant to his philosophy during the next 10.5 weeks, but probably at least 80% and whatever else is flexible will still fit with the flexible dieting philosophy (which I will also write more about in the future). 

Cardio

I have already started implementing cardio on a daily basis, but it's a little bit hard to even call it that right now. This week has been 10 minutes max of walking on a treadmill, although yesterday I did about 8 minutes of some high intensity work. I have never and probably will never actually like cardio, so the plan is to keep it minimal and low intensity steady-state for as long as possible. As soon as the weather is nice enough (for my personal comfort) I want to start walking in the mornings. It's a great way for me to get some calorie burn and I love to listen to audiobooks (I will share what I am listening to!) and get my brain working and start the day. 

Everything else is just fine-tuning. I will share more about my meals and workouts (I post a lot of them on other social media platforms...instagram, FB, and twitter).  

I have been working on switching up a few things with posing, but will definitely be focusing on getting figure posing in a more comfortable place. 

New suits are happening again this year, and possibly a new hair color again. I have colors in mind, but I like to keep them as a surprise:) 

I am hoping to blog and possibly vlog (I hate hearing myself talk...plus I am shit at editing) often during the next 10.5 weeks (hopefully at least 2x weekly). So stay tuned!

Step Mill Interval Cardio Session #1

I have been incorporating a lot of intervals to help me get ready for my next show. I get bored with steady state cardio. I have a harder time feeling motivated to do ANY cardio, if I know that it is going to require more than probably 30 minutes. Luckily, I don't have to do more than that when I do intervals:) I really like the step mill for a few reasons: 1) Less impact forces 2) Lots of fun ways to target the bum 3) it will really get your heart rate going, without making you feel like you are going to cough up a lung. So, without further ramblings, here is an example of an interval session I would do on the step mill: 

25 MINUTES TOTAL:

5 minutes warm up (level 8-ish for me)

Repeat 5 Times: 

30 second step run (level 20)

1 minute right side skip step (back to level 8)

1 minute left side skip step

1 minute recovery skip step 

1 minute skip step with glute kick-back (level 7-8)

30 seconds right side skip step

30 seconds left side skip step

30 seconds recovery skip step

DONE! Give it a go! Good luck!

Legs, legs, legs...

One of my favorite workouts from the summer:

Each group is 12 minutes!
12 Rounds: 10 seconds rest, 50 seconds work
1. Santana Push-up Left & Right, Half-burpee
2. 2 Squat Jumps, Squat & Right, Left Side Leg Lifts
3. 10 Crab Kick-ups, 10 Mountain Climbers
4. Squat, Side Jump, Squat

18 Rounds: 10 seconds rest, 30 seconds work
1. Wall Sit with Knee Squeeze
2. Burpee, Side Jump, Burpee
3. Wall Sit with Knee Squeeze
4. Square Jump Burpee
5. Wall Sit with Knee Squeeze
6. 2 Jump Lunges, 2 Jacks

12 Rounds: 10 seconds rest, 50 seconds work
1. Mountain Climbers
2. Straight Abs
3. Cross-unders
4. Bicycle Abs
5. Knee to Elbow
6. Toe touches

4 Minute Cardio!
4 Rounds: 10 seconds rest, 50 seconds work
1. High knees
2. Low Jacks

When my husband has a minute, I am going to have him help me get videos started:) In the meantime, I will be messing around with the go-pro in hopes that I might figure it out myself first...wish me luck!

August 17, 2012 Workout

This is the workout that I am doing today!

I use an high intensity interval training (HIIT) timer, or a tabata timer for most of my workouts. Because it is summer, I have had a lot of extra time for my workouts, so this is more than I would normally do. Along with eating clean (more on eating clean to come:)), the first 12 minute interval is plenty to build strength and get toned:)...but I seriously have all the time in the world, so I fill some of it with more time in the gym.

If you have a smart phone, there are a lot of free apps for tabata timers. If you have an iphone, I recommend the gymboss app. If you have android, the one that I have liked the most is A HIIT Interval Timer created by pimpim mobile. 

Free Online Timer!

Basic 12 minute Interval Set:

12 Rounds of 10 seconds (rest) and 50 seconds (work)

1. 2 push-ups, 2 knee-to-elbow

2. Side lunge, Left

3. Side lunge, Right

4. Forward/back walking push-up

12 minute Ab Interval Set:

12 Rounds of 10 seconds (rest) and 50 seconds (work)

1. 90° ball squeeze abs

2. Bench knee tucks

3. Straight abs

4. Butt-lift, star crunch

5. Double punch abs

6. Plank jacks

12 minute Bonus Interval Set:

18 Rounds of 10 seconds (rest) and 30 seconds (work)

1. Forward/back sumo squat walk

2. 8 high knees, 3 star jumps

3. 4 cross-unders, 2 burpees with push-up

4. Bent-over row, half-burpee

5. Surfer jumps

6. Russian twists

Cardio Interval Set:

4 Rounds of 10 seconds (light work) 50 seconds (maximum effort)

1. High hops

2. High knees

Cardio Day: (cardio 2x/ week, resistance 4x/wk)

40 minutes moderate treadmill or other cardio

Boot Camp

*I meant to post this quite a while ago...so forgive some of the irrelevance:)

A lot has happened in the last few weeks, and it has prevented me from doing as much with this blog as I have wanted to, but I am mostly moved into the new place and I now have internet hooked up. Because of all the hustle and bustle that I have been caught up in, I have let myself slip out of my good eating and exercise habits a little bit. I am climbing back into the saddle though and I am ready to get back on track. I have been wanting to switch things up a bit and found that my awesome spin instructor has started some morning 'boot camp' classes. I went to my first one on Thursday of last week and it was really fun! My instructor asked for feedback following the workout and I told him that it was good...different and challenging, but I didn't feel like I had kicked my butt. Of course, after a response like that, he made the Saturday class tougher. My butt was sufficiently whomped. The workout was awesome. My whole body is aching still (a good 'my muscles worked hard' kinda ache). So....I thought I would share the workout:) It is possible to do this workout alone, but it is a lot more fun and the ab workout intensity can be increased by working with a buddy:)

Complete the whole circuit 3 times!!! As fast as you can!

1. Walking lunges with kick back 20 yards x3
2. Walking lunges with alternating trunk rotation 20 yards x3
3. Progressive Squat leaps 20 yards x3
4. Dips 30 x3
5. Buddy burners 30 (resist leg throw down with buddy, leg raises without buddy)
6. Dumbell burnout (High weight to low weight: through to failure with each set of dumbbells)
     a. Bicep curls
     b. Shoulders
     c. Triceps

A Few Of My Favorite Things

The holidays are approaching. The treats are abundant. Soon enough, New Year's will roll on in and there will most likely be a two month surge of traffic at the gym. Luckily, there are a few items that I love that I can use at home to get my workouts in during the annual gym 'rush hour' (because heavens knows that I will surely not be waking up early enough to avoid it). Want to avoid the rush too? Let me share a few of my favorite 'at home' fitness gear!

Gymboss

This thing is AMAZING. You will sweat like you never have before. My favorite thing about this tool. It takes away any excuses you might have for slacking on working out or intensity. Best little thing around. I've got my eye on getting a new orange one!!!

Ultimate Sandbag

If you don't have a full set of weights at home already (or even if you do), you will love the ultimate sandbag. You can add or remove weight for your individual level. You can literally pack it to go anywhere. And the added instability of the sand (or water...I am still wishing for the water inserts myself) as it shifts around during exercises, will give you a workout like you can't imagine. And as an added bonus: it is a fabulous tool to increase your gymboss intensity even further:)

Ugi

Love, love, love. Instability balls are nice. Medicine balls are nice. The ugi is double nice. I love this weighted, rubber ball that you can use for stability and strength exercises. It is probably my favorite tool for ab work. It actually makes it fun (and abs are probably my least favorite spot to work...so this is really awesome for me). AND it is cute:) There are lots of fun colors to choose from!

Ultimate Body Press Dip Stand

If you want to learn how to do pull-ups, this is an awesome way to start. Not to mention rows, push-ups, dips, leg lifts, and countless other exercises. I get my butt kicked every time I use this. It wears me out. But, like the items listed above, it allows you to push yourself at your own pace at home. It is also easy to pack. I took it to Texas and back with ease. 

Yoga Mat

I have a cheap one from Walmart for about ten dollars, and it was great for my beginners course at the college, and I still use it to soften the floor for abs. I also have a more expensive Manduka ProLite, which I have loved for my yoga classes during the week. It is sticky and durable (there is no way I will have to buy one in the next couple of years...3 classes/week...not bad). And it has a lifetime guarantee, so I can just send it in when it's had it's day (if that ever happens). About $85...totally worth it.

There are definitely more things that I love having for my home workouts, but these are a few favorites and my go-to items:) If you are ready to invest in a home gym, this is the way to go. If not, no pressure. Home workout equipment can be completely free!

In fact, here is a workout you can do right now! 

12 minutes:)  Free Interval Timer Online!

18 Rounds: 10 seconds rest, 30 seconds work

(You will complete each exercise 3 times)

1. Squat and side-kick

2. Low Jumping Jacks

3. Lunge and Twist

4. High Knees

5. Curtsey Lunge

6. Low Jumping Jacks