November 2012 - Training

After coming back from the NPC Sac Show on the 3rd, I realized I was in one of my 'non-eating' phases. Basically I've always had a cycled eating pattern. I'll eat more for a few weeks, and then I'll basically have no cravings or desire to eat. So I decided to use that to my advantage. Even though I'm building right now, I just don't feel comfortable at this high of a weight. I was at my all time high of 144lbs. (My previous high was always 140). The stress and mess I had to deal with in the last few months took a toll on my eating and working out.

I decided to tighten up my diet and drop a few pounds. I didn't plot it out, I just modified what I was already eating by cutting my pre-workout PB&J in half, and replacing 2 of my meals for super clean ones: tilapia & asparagus, and salmon & asparagus. It ended up being high protein and low carb, about 105g carbs. I will also say I did have a few add-in items. Monday I had my friend's leftover bread pudding she had made from scratch for me. Tuesday night I had my 2 mini sliders leftover from Chili's. Small bites, made me happy. If i run out of food I throw in a Lean Cuisine at the end of the week. So, I'm down 3lbs. I would've liked another to be down to 140, but I'm pretty happy. I took my measurements and photos. I'm guessing I'm down about 1 lb of fat, and 2lbs of water. I feel better about how I look, though I definitely have a long way to go. But I'm happy to lose it slower and keep the muscle I am working SO hard to build. I most likely will bring the food back up this week to my 'maintenance' level and continue. I would like to do another drop week at the end of Nov/Beg December. I am guessing my competition weight will be around 125. We will see how much I can actually build and what that looks like when I lean out.

I am still using the M&F Trainer for my workouts and loving it! I lift 5 days/week. I don't do any 'cardio' per say, but I teach 2-Cycle classes and 5-Aqua classes per week, so it's there! ;)  Yesterday was legs & shoulders and my butt is definitely sore today! I really had to force myself through that workout last night. My basic diet for the last week, my drop week, is below. It's about 1400 cals. If I had sat down and figured it out the ratios would have been better, I just wanted to drop and didn't mind going strict, especially because I let myself keep my favorites.

 

Current stats: 141lbs, 22%BF (31lbs), 110lbs LBM.
 - I take this all with a grain of salt, because the BIA measurements fluctuate greatly, and unfortunately some fat caliper measurements you just can't take on your own. At the higher weight it read i was 112LBM, which I'm sad about because I was working to 115, but now looks like I'm back down to 110. We will see, I just HAVE to keep my lifts in, even though I am completely SLAMMED at work! 



 

Training for October, Weeks 1&2

I have really been debating which direction to take my training in for October. I definitely need some structure back. I have been getting in about 3x/wk splits. I've been getting sore, which is nice ;) I had a full work shop last weekend with my co-workers from various other clubs for kettlebell training on one day and 'suspension training' (think TRX) the next. Let me tell you I WAS SORE!! Sunday night, many things were uncomfortable to do, lol. It hurt to sneeze! Of course I'm pretty Bad ass, so I pick the most cocky guy there and try to take him on. ahhhh....I hold my own.

Anyhow, I'm still at a pretty heavy weight for me, but I really want to start lifting heavy and building some more muscle. I can see it starting to bounce back, but do I really want to up my calories and get...bigger? I was looking at my numbers for 'building' vs. 'leaning', and I've decided to create my meal plans in-between the two. I will be using the workouts from the M&F Workout Trainer which consist of 5 lifting days; lower body shoulders, upper body, lower body shoulders and full body, with abs each day. I am on Advanced Muscle Tone & Firm, based on the information I have provided to the program. I felt a huge difference and built muscle pretty quick when I started it before. I just have to MAKE the time each day.

I am starting at 144lbs, 22% BF. EEK! Yes, this is my absolute HIGHEST weight! I feel huge. Which is funny since the zone I target my regular clients for is 18-25% for health. (Of course, athletes and competitors are usually between 9% - 15% for females)

My food for the first 2 weeks is below. I am great during the week, but not so great on the weekends. 

    

   

I put myself on a 2,200 cal meal plan. At first, I was almost sick to my stomach because I was SO full! By the end of the week, I was hungry waiting for my next meal. Also, not only did I maintain my weight, but my scale would blink between my weight and the number below. I found out through my metabolic testing earlier this year that my body does much better at fat utilization at lower levels of HR or intervals such as lifting. 

   
I was VERY happy with my gains in these two weeks. All the definition is popping back. My weights are going up each week. Feeling pretty badass, not gonna lie! ;)


 
Here are some of the set-ups for the M&F Trainer workouts. LOVE 'em!

Now I will be working on my next food plan for the week and getting ready for the next lifts and takin' it up a notch!