30-Day Experiment Update

Well, I was on a roll for a good 14 days and then I'm not sure what happened. I know what happened -- Halloween. The allure of chocolate and miniature candy bars was just too much for me. LOL!

I need to take a step back and start focusing on my macros and diet. I'm the heaviest I've been in two years, yet it doesn't feel like it. I'm definitely gaining muscle...but also feeling a little mushy.

Some old injuries have also been acting up, which have been making my workouts a struggle. The calcifying tendonitis in my left shoulder and bursitis in my ankles definitely keep things interesting. I head back to the dr. this week for both, so we'll see if they have any remedies. I've been getting cortisone shots in my shoulder for years, but I should really get arthroscopic surgery to permanently cure the pain. Who's got time for that?? LOL!

Here's an update in terms of my diet and workouts:

Weight: 142.4 (I usually like to stay closer to 137-138)
Bodyfat: I'm guessing 18-20% but haven't had it measured with calipers for well over a year

Macros
Carbs: 160g
Fat: 40g
Protein: 140g
Calories: 1,600 (My trainer doesn't give me a calorie allotment, but I'm imposing this on myself. I need parameters to help prevent me from over-eating.

Workouts
Currently 5 times per week, one bodypart per day. I do legs and shoulders twice per week, one day heavy and one day light. I also focus on quads one day and butt another. I consider those areas my weak points, so I try to hit them harder and more frequently

Supplements
I just started taking Bium-D (adipose thermagenic) this week. I'm actually trying to wean off the ridiculous number of vitamins and supplements I'm currently taking, which include:
- Pre-workout (usually Jackd, Assault or Champion Performance Amino Shooters)
- Multivitamin (Optimum Nutrition or a store brand)
- Vitamin C, D
- CLA, ECGC, Fish Oil
- Aspirin (to help prevent blood clots)
- Glucosamin Chondrotin (for joints...I don't really feel any difference on this)
- Bium-D BCAAs

Needless to say, swallowing 10+ horse pills each morning is not my idea of fun. So I'm going to finish what I have and stick with a multivitamin and aspirin. It would definitely save me some money to say the least!

I was going to try some more 30-day experiments. But with the holidays right around the corner, I don't want to set myself up for failure. The goal is to stick with my macros, get stronger, gain muscle and hopefully kick ass when I compete in May 2015. :)

Any tips for sticking with your diet during the holidays?

The 30-Day Experiment: Day 5...Adding Another Twist

So I've gone sugar-free for seven days now. While I had some near misses, it's not as hard as I thought it would be be. But it does take some thoughtfulness and planning.

For example, after pouring syrup on my kids' pancakes, I never think anything of wiping the small drop of syrup that oozes down the bottle with my finger and taking a quick taste. Well, last time I checked maple syrup is 100% sugar.

At work, I throw Splenda into my coffee without even thinking. I've loaded my purse with packets of Stevia in the Raw. Interestingly enough, I notice that I don't get the mild headaches that I used to when I was using Splenda.

When I pack my lunch, I usually throw a can of diet soda into my bag. I've switched to flavored seltzer and drink as much water as I can throughout the day.

Let's up the ante and add another dimension to this experiment. Beginning on Oct. 13, I'm also going to eliminate meat from my diet. How will I get my precious protein?? I'll still be eating fish, eggs, tofu, protein powder, beans and any other non-meat protein sources I can find.

I was contemplating going full vegetarian, but I think that could send me into a sugar frenzy!

To recap, I'll be sugar-free through Nov. 4 (ouch, Halloween is in there!) and meat-free through Nov. 11 (my son's birthday...hope he doesn't pick meat for his birthday meal!)

Want to join me on this journey? Leave a comment and let me know!

I'm Back...Why It Took Me Five Months

Okay, mea culpa...I know I haven't written since May. I never even posted how I finished in my competition! Ugh! Well, I'll let you in on a little secret. I'm pretty sure I've avoided posting because I was less than thrilled with how I placed. In other words, I didn't place. It was incredibly frustrating to train for a competition and know I wasn't delivering the best package I could.

Compared to my two prior shows, I was way too soft to be on stage. That said, it was good practice to go through the dieting down, tanning, posing, etc. Although, it always sucks to eat humble pie. The competition was fierce. The other girls were in amazing shape! But I learned a valuable lesson: compete when you're ready and your trainer tells you you're ready. Do not prep for a date, thinking you're somehow going to miraculously lose 10 pounds in eight weeks.

This was how I learned to train for the past two years. Cut calories + increase cardio = bodyfat in the single digits while simultaneously destroying your metabolism. 

Here you can see the difference over my past shows:

June 2012

April 2013

June 2014

Since January 2014, I have been working with a new trainer (Team Franco). I'm following a new, healthier diet plan. It's commonly known as If It Fits Your Macros (IIFYM) or flexible dieting. Google it and you'll find loads of information. Essentially, I'm given a certain number of grams of carbohydrates, fats and protein. As long as I meet my numbers or macros, I can eat what I want. Obviously, the healthier and cleaner the food, the more I can eat. For example, one cup of steamed broccoli has approx. 30 calories, 2g carbs, 0g fat, 3 g protein. If I need 30g of protein during a meal, I can get it from 10 cups of broccoli or 1oz. of potato chips, which also had added fat. You get the idea.

So I competed, I sucked, now what? It's currently off-season time, otherwise known as time to build muscle. I've increased my calories (approx. 1,600) and macros (carbs 170g, fat 40g, protein 140g) and eliminated cardio. My cardio was just introduced (after at least 8 weeks of being off) to see what happens. Surprisingly I gained weight. I didn't realize reintroducing cardio could cause water retention. I'm trying really hard to not become obsessed with the scale, especially since I'm trying to gain muscle.

For now, I'm trying to eat as clean as I can and hit the weights hard and heavy.

The 30-Day Experiment

You'll see some interesting posts soon as I test different things for 30 days, such as no dairy, no sugar, no processed food, no meat, Paleo, Fighter Diet, meditating, yoga, etc. I want to see how my body responds...all while staying within those precious macros. I'll provide a weekly update. The first experiment is no sugar or artificial sweeteners for 30 days. This will not include supplements (protein powder, pre-workout, etc.) or natural sweeteners like Stevia. It means not eating or drinking anything that includes sugar as an ingredient.

Feel free to join along in this experiment and post your experience in the comments section below.

Countdown Part 2: 5 Weeks to Go

Not sure how 8 weeks got away from me! Clearly I've been horrible about providing regular updates. Unfortunately, I haven't been seeing frequent week-to-week changes like I used to during my last few contest preps. With my new diet plan, I'm focused on carb cycling, which is a slower, healthier and much less grueling process. I get to eat more and do less cardio, but the downside is very slow progress. But slow and steady wins the race, right?

To recap, I started my new plan in January and really felt like I was battling the same 1 to 2 pounds for the past 12 weeks. I still can't seem to break past 137 lbs. My metabolism doesn't want to cooperate since I basically destroyed it over the past two years by bringing my calories down too low and doing crazy amounts of daily cardio. You can see the progress I'm making in these pics:

April 2013

May 2014

Diet
Fast forward to today, I'm carb cycling 175g and 135g, three days low, four days high. It's nice to have some flexibility with my food choices. I don't feel deprived at all food-wise and I'm kicking ass in the gym.

Workouts
My weight training has also changed a bit. I used to work one bodypart a day, 6 days a week, 5-6 exercises per bodypart for 3 sets of 10. Now I either workout 3 days on, 1 day off or 5 days on, 2 days off. My workout days are: legs/calves, back/bi's and chest/delts/tri's, 2-3 exercises per bodypart, 5 sets -- two warm-up sets (12-15 reps) and three working sets (5-8 reps). Talk about a change in intensity!!! I leg pressed 250 pounds for 3 sets of 8 this morning!! Hmm, I think we might be onto something. In terms of cardio, I only have four days of cardio, two HIIT sessions of 20 min. and two steady-state cardio sessions of 30 min.

Goals
Originally I was working towards a May 10 show. Sadly, I'm not ready and won't be participating in that one. But my sites are now focused on June 7 in Elmwood Park, NJ. My goal is to compete at 130 lbs., which means I have 30 days (or 36 days) to lose 8 lbs. at a minimum. I was competing at 125 lbs., but I do think I packed on some muscle. I'm pretty sure I'd be okay at 128 to 130 lbs.

With all this change, I splurged and got a new posing bikini, shown in the photo to the right. What do you think?

Aside from some achilles tendonitis and my shoulder acting up, I'm feeling healthy and have actually been enjoying my contest prep. It's really been a physical and psychological journey. At the end of the day, it's all a giant science experiment!

Nine Weeks to Go!

I feel like time is flying by!! How did I go from 12 weeks to 9?? I feel like time is running out quickly and I need to get my butt in gear...literally!


I'm struggling with not having my body fat measured and relying solely on the scale and my measurements. I'm down to 137 pounds. I need to lose at least 12 pounds of fat. Eeek!

Workouts
It's funny how you never stop learning when it comes to working out. I joined Retro last year and never took advantage of the free personal training session. I finally had the chance last week. Here's what I learned:

• 1/2 reps -- I always thought full reps were the key, but maintaining muscle tension by only completing a rep halfway had me sore and really feeling the muscle I was working.
  
• Hold & squeeze at the end of each rep -- instead of flying through my reps, I had to consciously hold and squeeze the muscle at the end of each rep. Wow!
  
• Negative reps -- In all the years I've been working out, I've never really done negative reps. We did this using a preacher curl. I was forced to try to keep the weight from going down. My biceps were crying two days later.

Diet
My macros have been modified to 145 grams of carbs, 140 grams of protein and 35 grams of fat. In terms of cardio, I'm doing 20 minutes of intervals three times a week and steady state for 30 minutes two times a week.

To crank up the intensity, I'm working my abs in between sets. I'm also doing walking lunges, step-ups and deadlifts every day (except for rest days and leg day).

I also went from 5 days on/ 2 days off to 3 days on, one day off. Now I'm trying 6 days on, 1 day off. It's all about burning calories at this point!

Now I just need to get a new bikini, start practice posing and get my tan on. Stay tuned...

Where Did 2014 Come From?

Yikes! I didn't realize how long it's been since I posted. Lots to report as I prepare for my third figure competition on May 10, 2014.

I switched trainers. Long story short, it came down to needing a change and wanting more for paying more. That said, my new trainer is based in PA, which means all my coaching is online. Still adjusting to this since I was pretty much addicted -- and motivated -- to having my bodyfat measured religiously each week. Now I check in via email and send pictures every four weeks. As usual, the beginning is slow going. I definitely feel like I gained muscle during the off-season and my butt is perkier than usual (not complaining).

I'm tracking my macros (carbs, protein and fat) much more closely and have many more options in regards to what I eat. This is good and bad. I think I need more structure, so eating the same thing every day may soon be happening to keep myself sane.

I've been lifting heavier than I have in the past. I joined Retro Gym in April 2013 and still use my basement gym on snow days. If you live in the Northeast, you know we've had way too many snow days this winter.

Here are some pics of where I'm at right now. While I feel fat, I know this is
I'm where I'm supposed to be. Changes will come slowly but surely...