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The "D" Word

You were probably thinking something dirty, huh? That's fine. "Diet" is definitely a filthy 4 letter word in my head because I think diets should be lifestyle changes as opposed to temporary fixes that provide quick weight loss results...and then weight gain once you eat something that is not on whatever diet Dr. Oz is promoting this week. 

While I hate diets, it is really time for me to at least make a conscious effort to clean up the way I have been eating. This past weekend, I purchased pots, pans, dishes, a microwave and groceries which was such a huge step since pickles, onion relish, P28 White Chocolate Peanut Spread, a 12 pack of Pabst Blue Ribbon (I was way too excited when I found out that Whole Foods sells liquor but then realized that pretty much every store in Arizona sells liquor...), and red velvet cupcakes have been the only things in my refrigerator since I moved into my apartment. Excuse my profanity but I have eaten like shit the past 3 weeks and, honestly, I have enjoyed it. It has been fun but expensive, unnecessary, and borderline gross. One night last week, I ate a vat of spinach artichoke dip, about 17 ounces of a ribeye, a baked potato (I don't even remember the last time I had a regular potato prior to this) with sour cream, cheese, and butter, and then ice cream. 

No bueno. El grosso. Yuckiddy yuck.

I haven't had furniture in my apartment so I have been validating my poor eating choices with the lame excuse that I am on vacation. Seriously. I started working on 7/15 and got my first paycheck on 7/26. Normal people do not get make money on vacation and they shouldn't eat a month's worth of calories in 1 meal if they are. I am starting my diet on Monday, 8/5/13 aka just eating the way I did before I moved so I don't go into a food coma from eating a case of red velvet cupcakes in bed while watching a movie about supernatural teenage love. 

That may or may not have happened already...

Below is my meal plan. It is pretty much the same way I was eating prior to moving.

Meal 1

Post-lift

I lift on an empty stomach. I absolutely do not recommend doing this but I lift at 5:30am because I hate crowded gyms.

1 scoop of Dymatize Chocolate Fudge Elite 100% Whey immediately after I work out

1/2 cup of oats once I get home

Meal 2

P28 Bagel

14 grams of almond butter

1/2 sliced cucumber

Meal 3

4 ounces of chicken

4 ounce of sweet potato

1 cup of veggies- typically asparagus of kale

Meal 4

Celery

Quest bar

Or

Protein Pancake made with 8 ounces of egg whites, 1/4 cup of oats, 14 grams of almond butter, and 1/4 cup of fruit

Meal 5

1 can of tuna

1/2 sliced cucumber

Meal 6

4 ounces of ground turkey

Big ol' salad 

Olive oil

My Diet

This is an example of what my "diet" looks like Monday through Friday.  It works for me and my schedule.  I drink about 2 gallons of water a day and use stevia to sweeten my tea and coffee.

5:30 am (Pre-Lifting)

1 scoop of Apple Jacked Rage by Animal
or
2 scoops of Fruit Fusion AmiNO Energy

6:30 am (Post-Lifting)

1 scoop of Chocolate Fudge Dymatize Elite Whey

1/2 cup of Oats

9:30 am 

P28 bagel 

Almond Butter

1 Orange
1 Cucumber

12:30 pm

4 ounces of Chicken

4 ounces of Mashed Sweet Potatoes

1 cup of Green Beans

1/2 cup of Blueberries

3:30 pm

Vanilla Almond Crunch Quest Bar
Celery

5:30 pm (Post-Cardio)

1 scoop of  Chocolate Fudge Dymatize Elite Whey

8 pm

4 ounces of Ground Turkey

Mixed Salad

Shameless Plugs

Here's a list of my favorite things.  

My birthday is June 19th.  

Hint.  Hint.  Wink.  Wink.

Cavegirl Confections 

Claudette makes the best almond butter I have ever tasted! If you know me in real life, you know that I am an almond butter connoisseur and can eat an entire jar in one sitting.

P28 

High protein bread, wraps, bagels, and nut butters.  I just received my Power Stack this week!

Steel Clothing 

The most comfortable and cutest razorback tanks ever.  Steel hand prints their apparel in Cleveland, Ohio.  I own the entire women's line.

Hylete 

Thanks to Josh Courage I have all of the women's hoodies.  Use the promo code courage25 to get 25% off of your purchase.  They just added tanks to their line.

Animal Rage 

Slaughter Melon is my favorite flavor.  Rage provides a nice pump without any jitters or stomach aches.

Optimum Nutrition

Hands downs ON is my favorite supplement line.  I love their Fruit Fusion Essential Amino Energy, Double Rich Chocolate 100% Whey Gold Standard, and Diet Turbo Tea.

Quest Bars

My favorite flavor is Vanilla Almond Crunch.  I really want to try Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough.

Egg Whites International
100% pure liquid, not raw, egg whites.  EWI provides a cost efficient way to purchase egg whites in bulk.  They pasteurize and homogenize their egg whites so they end up being smooth like milk. 

  

Lent Challenge

I am not a religious person but every year I give up something for Lent.  This year, I am doing something different.  During Lent, I am going to give up creatine and will run the same amount of miles as the week it is in Lent. 

Here is my running schedule.  

2/15-2/16 1 mile
2/17-2/23 2 miles
2/24-3/2 3 miles
3/3-3/9 4 miles
3/10-3/16 5 miles
3/17-3/23 6 miles
3/24-3/30 7 miles

2012 Highlights, 2013 The Year of Me, Some HIIT, & My Jam of 2013

I had a lot of life changes in 2012. Some of them sucked but as cheesy as it sounds, I am grateful for all of my shitty life experiences. 

If I have ever made you laugh, you should be too because my bad choices have created a plethora of comedic material. 

Why 2012 Was A-THE-EFF-MAZ-ING

(In no particular order)

• I moved from Minnesota to Pennsylvania pretty much by myself.
• I started lifting weights and have pretty much become a badass.
• I worked the Egg Whites International booth at the 2012 Arnold Sports Expo.
• I finally graduated from the University of Minnesota.
• I adopted a cat who taught me how to be a little more responsible, a little less self-centered, and love unconditionally. (Future boyfriends, you're welcome.) She passed away in April but I really do think that we improved each other's lives.
• I started this blog which has been one of the most cathartic experiences of my life.
• My family and I watched all of the Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Harry Potter movies.
• I came to terms with the fact that my shitty decisions created the majority of my (...and my family's) stress and am moving on.

Why 2013 is the Year of Me

1. This time last year, I was resolving the shit out of my life. My goals had goals! Guess how many of my goals I achieved... None! Not a single one because they were not realistic. 2012 was definitely not a failure because I didn't attain my unattainable goals.  I had an amazing year and probably would have regardless of what was on my vision board.

2. Looking back, the goals I made last year weren't even things I wanted to do. They were things other people expected me to do. So, in 2013 I plan on doing nothing other people want me to do and everything I want to do. Yep, I am being selfish as hell in 2013 because I have missed too many opportunities being worried about what other people were going to think and I am over it. 

3. This year, I would like to do the Spartan Trifecta, a GO RUCK Challenge, compete in figure in the NPC Atlantic States, take MMA lessons, and start an MSW/MPH program.  But, if those things don't happen, it's not a big deal. There might be other opportunities that trump those.

My only goal is to become a smarter, stronger, and healthier me.

HIIT at Home

Here is a workout for all you who are resolving to get fit in 2013 but will be too hungover tomorrow to actually make it to the gym. 

10 Burpees, Pushups, and Squats

8 Burpees, Pushups, and Squats

6 Burpess, Pushups, and Squats

4 Burpess, Pushups, and Squats

2 Burpees, Pushups, and Squats

Nap. 

Happy New Year!

Peak Week!

I am competing in 5 days & am so excited! Here is what I will be eating and exercising during my peak week.

Diet

This week I am depleting my carbohydrates and then loading up on them.  The purpose of this is to get rid excess water weight in my system and force my body to use fat for energy.  The body prefers to use glycogen for fuel so when I am not consuming carbohydrates, it will start to use fat.  I will start to introduce carbohydrates back into my diet to fill my muscles up.

Monday (2 gallons water) – Wednesday (1 gallon green tea)

~120 grams of protein 

0 Carbs

Meals 1-6: 3-4 oz protein & ½ c of veggies

Thursday

½ gallon green tea

100 grams of Protein

100 Carbs

Meals 1-4: 3 oz of chicken, ½ c carbs, & 1/2 c veggies

Meal 5: 2 oz of chicken & ½ c veggies

Meal 6: 1 oz chicken & ½ c veggies

 Friday & Saturday

1 liter green tea before noon.  Sips after.

75 grams of Protein

125 Grams

Meal 1: 3 oz chicken, ½ c carbs, & ½ c veggies

Meals 2-4: 2 oz chicken, ½ c carbs, & ½ c veggies

Meals 5 & 6: 1 oz chicken, ½ c carbs, & ½ c veggies

Workouts

The goal this week is to sweat, sweat, and sweat some more so that is why I am doing hot yoga sculpt at Core Power Yoga three times this week.  

Monday

 Shoulders, Yoga Sculpt, & Cardio

Tuesday

Cardio, HIIT Sprint & Yoga Sculpt

Wednesday (Last day of workouts...until Monday!)

 Legs, Cardio, & Yoga Sculpt

The 2012 Arnold!

I spent this past weekend in Columbus, Ohio and had a blast!

I worked the Egg Whites International booth at The Arnold Sports expo!

I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to represent a company with quality products and meet people with similar interests and goals.

Below are pictures from the event.

Marc Megna

Arnold Sports Media Team

Brian Jakubson aka MeatheadMilitia

Sienna Bahlmann & Rachel Mac

Sienna Bahlmann

Rob Bailey of Flag Nor Fail

Women's Physique Pro Dana Linn Bailey

Egg Whites

Stephanie Keenan