My last “cheat” day…lasted a little longer than planned

Another holiday weekend filled with 4th-of-July fun has come and gone. Suddenly, I find myself amidst the most crucial prep time in my journey to the NPC Brooklyn Grand Prix. I’ve now officially entered the 12-week mark from the competition on September 28. All the pros out there know this is the time when the physical and mental challenges hit a new level. I’m excited and nervous to see what’s in store for the rest of the summer.

I can tell you the holiday weekend was tougher than I expected. I planned on the holiday being my last real “cheat day” before the competition. However, on Friday and Saturday, I had some wine and even indulged in some chocolate chip cookies and more than a couple of servings of honey mustard pretzels. I realize these “slips” aren’t major, but I can tell you this: when you eat “clean” for weeks at a time, throwing a bunch of extra sugar and sodium into your diet can make you feel sluggish, fatigued and downright lousy. Aside from wanting to keep my weight in check, I simply don’t want to feel like that in the weeks ahead – especially when I need good fuel for my workout regimen.

The other slip in my schedule was not making time to practice posing. As I mentioned in my past posts, it’s the scariest part of the competition. I think many of us shy away from what we’re afraid of, but having a deadline to take action can also serve as the motivating factor needed to conquer that fear. As crunch time winds down, I’ll get back in my shoes and let the mirror be my guide to what I hope will be a more graceful presentation on stage. We’ve all heard that old saying about how we’re not defined by how many times we stumble or fall. It’s how we pick ourselves up move forward that makes all the difference.

Stairs: The New Enemy

As far as my workouts go, yesterday marked the start of week five on my coach’s program. Three things have changed in the past two weeks:

1. An increase in the number of sets for certain exercises: For example, during week one, I was doing three sets of hip thrusts at 15 reps. I’m now up to five sets.
2. An increase in what I’m lifting: As I continue to re-discover my groove with weight training, I’ve kept the increases between five to 10 pounds from week to week. One example: at my first attempt at dumbbell step ups during week one, I held five pound weights in each hand. Yesterday, I used 15-pound dumbbells.
3. Where I can’t add weight, I add speed. Since my legs and glutes continue to scream during and after every lower body workout, I have decreased my rest time between sets when upping the weight just isn’t an option. One final note about those dreaded leg days, the stairs at my gym are also becoming extra painful. (The “bonus:” there are two sets of stairs between the locker room and the check-in desk.)

Pre-Workout Meal: 4 oz 99% fat free turkey; 2 oz avocado; 1 cup broccoli; 1/2 cup brown rice

So on this Transformation Tuesday, I’d say my mental focus has undergone the biggest change within the past week. I look forward to using this sharper mindset to continue making my meals, hitting the gym and getting quality sleep. Thanks for all the support so far! It’s amazing how a little encouragement can go a long, long way when it comes to tackling our goals to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!