I have been quite restricted with my diet the last 11 weeks. For the most part Ive had VERY minimal carbs. I don't measure my food in grams or anything but basically it has boiled down to an apple after my workout and I sneak in a quest bar. Now that I am coachless I feel comfortable admitting that I cheat all the time when it comes to my "diet." I had cake on my sons birthday..and on my friends birthday. I also taste tested a cookie. Aaron has made his yummy mint chocolate chip cookie numerous times and I have indulged. I stay right around 1500 calories though. Usually less. I am missing out on pasta, I haven't had pasta in months. Im also missing out on my mashed potatoes and such but in a few weeks Ill be adding them back in! Just in moderation this time. I plan on bringing my calorie intake up more when Im not in the final prep stage for a show. Since we are moving to Italy next I am still going to compete! Ive heard there are a lot of shows there so hopefully I can get myself on a team of some sort.
**8 days out breakfast
So this last week my diet consists of chicken, fish, and green veggies, and grits in the AM. Fun? NO! I went on a very carb restricted diet for about a month. I was so tired. All the time. I just wanted to come home and sleep. I had 26% body fat and I needed to lower it. I was at about 18% body fat last summer and then I went home to visit/stay and gained so much unhealthy weight. Lots of cardio and like zero carbs is how my coach wanted to "fix" me. It worked! Since adding carbs back into my diet the last few days Ive been happier and not tired at all! Its amazing! I was basically relying on my pre workout for my energy source and that was sucky. Not to mention Aaron and I would be at each others throats because Im exhausted and he wants me to be super mom. We were warned at the beginning that competitions can be very hard on couples because of how incredibly exhausted and moody you get from the "diet" you have to go on the last few weeks.
Its important to understand that this may seem drastic and silly to everyone who doesn't understand but for me I am really enjoying this prep! I am so enjoying watching my body transform into what looks like a body off of a fitness magazine. I enjoy people looking at me and saying "damn what are you doing for that bod" "what is your leg day like, your legs are killer" "wow youre arms are bigger than mine" I am SO PROUD of my muscles and strength. Sometimes Ill be looking for my shoulder press weight, or my incline bench weight and some guy will have it doing his shoulder presses so I have to go to the next size up to do mine. It makes me giggle. The other day I was working out and this guy was like "hey are you still using those 25's" and I was like "well you can have them if you go and get me the the 30's" The guy next to me thought it was the funniest thing. I made his day he says lol
I like that now I am taken seriously in the gym. When I first started "bodybuilding" on my own, the guys would come in and take my weights or move on a machine that I was working. All it takes now is my look of death stare at them and they put the weight down and walk away. One guy has actually warned his buddy to stay away from me and my stuff haha I totally miss Crossfit but I am definitely loving this bodybuilding lifestyle.
I will be so honest when I say that I used to think that females with that much muscle were gross. The thing is, you don't walk around flexing your muscles like that all day. When I am not flexing or I don't have a gym pump I just look like an ordinary fit chick. Pulling your muscles out, I have learned is not an easy task. It takes a lot of practice to learn how to open your shoulder blades, pull out your lats, stand just right to make your leg look long and lean yet muscular. These things do not come naturally! Girls don't walk around with their bat wings out..if they did they would look like a gorilla going for its mate. For real! That silly tan that's worn on stage serves a purpose as well. If I brought my super white booty on stage the stage lights would completely wash out the look of all my muscles. The tan helps show muscle definition. The tiny suit? Well you work out day in and day out, work on bringing your body fat down, and building muscle. Obviously you want to be able to show as much of your hard work off as possible. If the thing to wear was normal gym shorts, well you wouldn't see the hard work I put into my glutes and my upper quad. Make sense? The suit isn't to look like a hooker and sell your bod. Also the shoes. Oh those awful dreaded stripper heels. They are clear and for us short girls high to elongate the leg. You want your leg to look long and muscular. Ive got the muscular part down, I will never have long legs lol that's why I wear heels! Not to look like a stripper.
This is me learning how to pull my lats out with my arms to the side. Not doing it well here I might add. Its hard!!!
My awesome stripper heels. I love them.
You only live once. If you want to look and be the best version of yourself then do whatever the heck you want. If that looks like a 30 minute walk every day to you or an hour of running then do that! If you want to take steroids and build your body into a massive killing machine then do that. If you want to lift weights and get strong, eat clean and get healthy then do that. Everybody has a different idea of what beauty is.
I am all about helping people. I don't have the best form, Im still learning. Every day I try something new or learn something new in the gym. Its what hopefully makes me a great trainer and mentor. I thank all the ladies and guys that have put their trust in me and have let me join them on their fitness journey.
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