Chisel Season

9/10/15 Food Log

Morning Meal: 
1 Scoop Casein Powder
8 oz almond milk
Protein Larabar
Afternoon Meal:
1 piece whiting fish
1 cup spinach
handful of black berries and strawberries
Snack:
Post Work out Protein Shake mixed with orange juice
Almonds
Evening Snack:
3 oz Chicken breast
1 Tortilla
1 Tbsp Guacamole
Handful black berries and strawberries
Evening Meal:
Steak
Cucumbers


9/10/15

Okay, so I'm technically 6 weeks out from my 1st figure competition and nutrition has been the most challenging, by far!  I say technically because I have slacked so much with my food intake that I would not be bringing the best package to the stage.  While I know that my workouts are strong and consistent, I have been constantly struggling to see what works best for me nutritionally and stick to it.  The most frustrating has been the lack of "ab-age" LOL.  My quads are sweeping, shoulders are popping but the abs...where for art thou abs?!  LOL.

Here's what I eat on a typical day:

Breakfast: Oats or Ezekial Bread and Eggs

Lunch: Chicken Breast and usually Brown Rice

Snack: Fruit, Almonds

Post Workout: Whey Protein Shake

Snack: Pb&J or Pancakes

Dinner: Steak or Roast and Veggies

Snack: Fruit

Okay, so looking at that breakdown, I know that I am still not getting enough protein to foster my muscle growth.  My husband always gets on me about not having my evening casein shake when I want to snack instead...and speaking of snacking, I am also starting to learn that carbs in the evening, outside of post-workout is not ideal for me and sometimes I'll have my pb&j/pancakes too late in the day.  In addition, I want to regulate the fruit I'm consuming, as some fruits are high on the glycemic index and cause me to bloat.  Lastly, while the goal is 1 gallon of water a day, I am hitting more like 72 ounces.  

Overall, I don't think this is a bad log, however, for someone with goals that are still kind of far off, I need to be tighter.  Not to mention the weekend!  My husband and I usually eat out at least 2-3 times on the weekend, and we're not hitting up 7 Greens, if you know what I'm sayin'.  I enjoy food, but even as I write this, I am embarrassed to say I have a goal but still haven't got it right in the kitchen.   

Although I am postponing my show debut, my focus for the next few weeks is getting robotic with my food and starting to track my macros again; to keep the workout intensity high while giving my body adequate time to recover (I've had a few aches here and there).  Discipline and consistency are my partners thru this journey and if I keep at it, I know I'll see the results that I want...even when those thoughts of failure come into my mind, I know that those are not my thoughts and cast them down.  The only reason I haven't seen MY best physique is because I haven't done everything I know to do, period.  With that said, here are 5 things I haven't been doing but I will do consistently for the next few weeks:

1. Track my macros each day and adjust where needed

2. Cut carbohydrate consumption after 6 pm during the week

3. Drink 1 Gallon of water per day

4. Consistently take my supplements

5. Remember why I'm doing this...I have a personal desire to look like a complete package athlete.  I'm not doing this for my husband, not to walk across a stage or to flaunt my body on social media.  I'm doing this for me.

-his millennial housewife

  

1 Year Anniversary Cake
We definitely shared most of this with the family! 

Meal Prep: Chicken and Zucchini Squash with Onions

Meal Prep: Brown Rice, Onion and Mushroom Medley with Chicken Breast

Breakfast: Oats and 2 Over Medium Eggs

Dinner: Stuffed Peppers with Ground Turkey, Onions and of course...CHEEEEESE!

8/18/15
Today I hit a PR

I benched 95#, 12 times!!  So you say "what's the big deal?"  Only that I have been desperately trying to rep 95# for almost 6 months...maybe longer.  Yep, 85 was where I resided for what seemed like an eternity.  I wouldn't look forward to chest day partly because I knew bench press would be first.  Some days I would get up to 95 but it wouldn't last, I may have a good day but the next chest day would be like I never upped the weight.  I struggled mentally with every chest day, as it seemed that I was never making any lasting progress.

Thankfully, my husband kept pushing me to stick with it.  I would say

"is chest all that important in figure competitions?" 

He would answer with a yes-it's-all-about-symmetry-and-balance, answer

"OK well if it's important, it's not as important as legs and back, right?"

"Remember when you work chest, you're also incorporating other muscles that will show in competition, like shoulders and triceps"

  I always wanted to reason my way out of working chest but truth be told, I don't enjoy it because it's HARD and it's tough to see noticeable changes from it.  But then again, I didn't enjoy working legs for a long while, for the same reason and I am now a proud owner of rump, with some quads on the side!  :)

What am I saying?  Don't allow yourself to give up on something that's beneficial just because your feelings tell you that you're uncomfortable; or worse, because you don't SEE the results.  What's our motto?!  We walk by faith and not by sight.  Whip your body into shape...1 Corinthians 9:27 talks about disciplining your body and making it your slave.  If you can do that, day after day, workout after workout, you'll find yourself stronger and better.  You may notice changes in some places quicker than others but remember, who do you have to compare yourself to, but yourself?

Therefore, embrace the process and keep moving forward.  If we are doing what we know to do, walking in the light that we have; don't you think God is going to put some super on our natural?  Or in the very least, correct us in the areas that we need to adjust?  Of course He will!  But remember, gas never did any good in a parked car.

Selah

Remember, Lift On!
-HisMillenialHousewife

Philippians 3:12