Update: More Food, No Weight Gain...? I'll Take it!!

So I have stuck with the practically contest prep eating now for a while. I am on week 3. Still feeling tighter, better, and my energy levels are up. I am doing small amounts (no more than 20 minutes) of HIIT cardio 2-3 times per day. Now I know this sounds like a lot of extra time, but I work in 2 different gyms, so popping on the treadmill for 15 minutes is quite easy.

My Workout Schedule:
0430: 15-20 mins cardio (usually HIIT) on treadmill or arc
0900-1000: 60 mins of heavy weight lifting (gotta grow my shoulders and back!) followed by 10 mins of light cardio cooldown
1500-1545: Gym with the hubs. This is more me training him, but usually I get some abs, bis, tris and/or light cardio or HIIT done at this point
2000-2030: 20 mins cardio at worlds (3 days per week)

My diet has been pretty restriced. 1400-1500 calories and my weight has been maintaining at 146-148. But again, I feel tighter and leaner....so Eff that scale! I usually only weight myself once a week anyway.
BUT this week I ate more food! I started some new supps on Monday, and increased my weight training intensity, and my hunger skyrocketed! Its been a while since I have been HUNGRY and not just bored or snacky. I am NOT in contest prep, so I fed myself a bit more. I totally expected to gain weight, especially since I have been eating more at night. I upped my protein and fats, but try to keep carbs lower right now (I get refeeds and high carb days). My calories for the last 3 days have probably been around 1800-1900, and a few months ago I would have ballooned up at that. But, I weighed myself this morning and I was 147.5 (which would be a previous of 143.5, pre-boobs, HEY IT COUNTS!). So no weight gain at all! This excites me!! I feel like I might actually be getting my metabolism back! YAY!!

This weekend I worked with Sexy-Strong: Premier Nutrition for Female Athletes at the Muscle Contest Pro Physique Show in Culver City. It has been a little bit since I worked, so it was fun to see and hang out with the girls again :) Here are some pics from the show. If you are interested in Sexy-Strong's Whey Isolate, Fat Burner, or Preworkout, just let me know! We can ship anywhere :)

 

 

Phil Heath decieded to stop off and say hi!

(IFBB Pro Francine Sablan, Mr. Olympia Phil Health (Duh), IFBB Pro Narmis Assria, Me and Courtney Jo ;)

 

 

Updates! 10/15 - Stop obsessing over the scale

So operation 1000% back on off-season diet is on its second week. Last week I tightenend up considerably! But when I stepped on the scale this morning - BAM...148.0...WTF? I mean, I LOOK better? Right?!?!

 

 

Possible Explanations:
1. Well, on the weekends (this one being a 3-day weekend) I am less active. During the week, I work on my feet all day, plus train clients, plus workout out twice (once for cardio, once for weights).  On the weekends, I DO work out, but I am not on my feet all day. Its my time to hang out with my family, which sometimes means cuddling on the couch under a blanket and watching The Nightmare Before Christmas and ParaNorman with my son.

2. I DID add 3-lbs worth of boobage, so if I am comparing me to myself, I am really only 145, but thats still 17 lbs over my estimated stage weight. So my goal is still a 7-lb weight loss.

3. On the weekends, I am more chill. My diet is (slightly) more relaxed. No much, but I am not as strict. My carbs are a little higher, which could result in some water retention

4. This was a 3-day weekend, so add an extra day to the aformentioned explanations.

Lessons Learned: Be more active on the weekend. That doenst mean I am going to double my gym sessions, that just means I am going to spend more time on my feet. I will weigh myself tomorrow morning and I am betting the scale will drop back down. Stick to the plan! And stop making excuses for my boobs being heavier!

My Plan of Attack this week!

KILL IT!!!

No seriously. I have a show to work this weekend with my sponsors at Sexy-Strong: Premier Nutrition for Women. The show is Titans Grand Prix in Culver city. Its a Pro Physique show so it should be super fun! So I am going to be extra strict this week. I have been trying to build up my muslces and for the last 4 weeks have been on a heavy lifting, higher protein and moderate fat and carb diet. This week I want to change it up. Lift a bit lighter but go for volume training, add a bit more cardio, take out the carbs and increase the protein. I think its good to shock the body with a new plan every now and then. Plus, that way I can still spend 75% of my time building muscle, but this "mini-cut" will help keep my body fat in check. Had a high carb day sunday, so will go on a 4-day low, and have a moderate carb day on friday.

I will weight in tomorrow and see if I drop some water from the weekend. Inactivity tends to make me gain, so hopefully that is a good explanation.

Today I am training legs, going to high-reps but always maxing out. Tonight I will do cardio, sprints and stairs intermixed. Until next week. Thanks for following along!

Personal Update: Getting it Back

I do not take a lot of time to do my own personal updates, so I thought I would give it a go. Back in August I had surgery (elective, no worries!! :) right after 7 months of dieting for shows. This means that I was doing intensive cardio and weight training sessions right up to surgery date, as well as dieting. Well, combine surgery with a complete lack of exercise, and I ballooned up. It was rather embarassing to me, since I had promised myself that I would alsways stay in control of myself, my weight and my diet, especially after being signed by Sexy-Strong: Nutrition for Women...Now I feel like I am anything but Sexy-Strong!!

Well, I am fully healed, lifting heavy again, and finally in the right mental place to take my body back! I am not weighing myself right now, becuase I KNOW me. I know I will let the number on the scale discourage me, and use it as an excuse to fall off. Nope, not this time.  After a week of being 100% compliant to my diet, then I will see what I weight. I can estimate through that in my heaviest I probably reached 148 (still 8 lbs less than my previous bulge though, and thats will three pounds of boobs added!).

 

So now, my mind is clear, my motivation is high, and my workouts are intense! I am steering clear of long slow cardio. I am trying to keep my metabolism up throught about 20-30 minutes of HITT training per day, and relynig on my weight training workouts for calorie burn. I am carb cycling (4 day low, one day high) but that may change. It is technically my off season, so dieting to lose massive weight is not my goal. My goal is to get back down to a healthy and maintainable off-season weight. Then, its muscle growing time!

I am going to see about my own personal 4 week transformation! Where can I be in 4 weeks without extreme dieting or cardio, but just getting back to eating 100% healthy (with maybe a cheat meal on the weekend) and maintaining my high-intensity workouts. Basically, compliance!

My goals for the future are to grow my shoulders, back, and hamstrings. so I will working out those 2 days/week. I hope to do more jounraling here on my blog, to help inspire others to live the Sexy-Strong life!