Personal Health Intiative Training

Posts tagged ‘bodybuilding’

Murphy’s Law

3rd day in and I’m hanging tough! I still have plenty of energy but cravings come every now and then. My strategies to combat the sugar cravings include drinking tea, chewing gum, and drinking water. After about 2 weeks, they get better and the body adjusts. The human body adapts very well to many environments and you can control much more than you think you can. I always get offered food when I can’t have it. Lol…it seems to be inevitable. I think the universe is testing me to make sure I am committed to my goal. Yesterday I came home to a sweet potato pie sitting on the stove, today I was offered a chocolate cupcake, and I even won Staff of the Month at work! Guess what the reward was? A free meal!!! Go figure! Just when I can’t have it, the goodies rear their ugly heads. Thankfully this is my 4th prep so I have A LOT of self-control.

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You know the old Murphy’s law rule. If anything can go wrong it will. Now I am not saying that anything is going wrong, but whenever you are faced with a challenge, you will have to withstand obstacles. These obstacles are not going to be ordinary. If you are reaching for an extraordinary goal, you will face extraordinary obstacles. I was asked today if I could just eat the frosting off of the cupcake…just a little! Of course I declined, and eating frosting is certainly such a simple thing to people who do not compete. However; for me, it makes a huge difference. Little things become big things and one taste of sweet can turn into a whole bunch of sweets! I will stick with my tea and gum for now. But I did request a whole cake to be made for me to eat on March 24th! And yes, I might eat the whole thing. 🙂

If being a natural bodybuilder was an easy task then I am sure more people would do it. But, it is not easy, it is a lifestyle that requires discipline and commitment for a specific amount of time. As with any goal, the good news is that if you just stick with it, fight through the obstacles and continue to find strategies to finish the task, you will be just fine. Being comfortable is not they way to live. You need to get uncomfortable sometimes if you ever want to accomplish great things!

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December 1st

Today is the start of a new month but for me, this day represents so much more. I have decided to compete again and today is the start of my prep. This time is different because I am creating my own plan and the thought of taking control is scary and exhilarating. I’ve had a lot of help since I started competing. My coaches have taught me the best ways to train and diet and I know what works for me and what does not. I would love to have a personal coach but finances will not allow it this time and I have the strongest confidence that I can do it. I’ve been down this road before and I created my own plan when I went from 175 lbs to 135 lbs before I started competing. I have also earned my personal training certification that enables me to understand the science behind what I am doing. I also have my friend CJ who will check in on me and hold me accountable. So here we go! My training and diet plan are done and I am ready. 16 weeks to go!

I have been doing a lot of reading and listening to motivational books…on the way home from visiting my family yesterday,I heard this poem from Napoolean Hill’s Law of Success. I am going to commit this poem to memory because I think it describes all of the emotions that a competitor goes through:

If you think you are beaten, you are
If you think you dare not, you don’t,
If you like to win, but you think you can’t
It is almost certain you won’t.

If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost
For out of the world we find,
Success begins with a fellow’s will
It’s all in the state of mind.

If you think you are outclassed, you are
You’ve got to think high to rise,
You’ve got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize.

Life’s battles don’t always go
To the stronger or faster man,
But soon or late the man who wins
Is the man WHO THINKS HE CAN!

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When You Can’t Stop Thinking About It….Just Do It.

It’s getting close to that time. When I say “that time” I mean competition prep time. It has taken me quite a while to commit to doing another show. I think about it everyday. I fantasize about the routine I will do, I literally see myself on stage in the condition that I want to be in and winning. I know I can do it but I know the dedication that is required to do my best. I have done it before…I have gone on stage in peak condition and I know the type of training and diet that works for me. I psych myself up mentally, get excited, and then I think about the process.

I think about the restriction, the time commitment, and the disappointment that I faced after the last show. But I am better than that. I can’t give up. I work too hard everyday not to give it another shot. When I look at other competitors, I know I can be just as good and even better than them. I have built a good base and I just need to chisel away. So I decided today that I am going to give it another go. Whatever it takes. I’m not going to think about the obstacles that may get in my way, I’m just going to find a way. This is not about winning a trophy, this about redemption.

If you have something you want to do and you can’t stop thinking about it, then that is a sign that you need to do it. The only thing holding you back is your own fear.

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Chocolate Protein Bread Recipe

Try this yummy high protein, gluten-free bread as a snack or for breakfast!

bread

What you need:

  • Dymatize Nutrition – Extended Release Elite Xt – Rich Chocolate, 4 scoops (33g)
  • 1 banana
  • Sweetpotato, 100 g
  • Eggs – Whole, raw, 1 large
  • Egg White – Raw, 3 large
  • Almond Butter Creamy Unsalted  (2tbsp=32g)
  • 100% Natural Milled Golden Flaxseed, 8 tbsp
  • Silk – Pure Almond – Almond Milk Unsweetened – Original, 0.5 cup (240mL)
  • Baking Powder Aluminum Free, 1/8 tsp

Mix the banana, sweet potato, eggs, and almond butter in a bowl.

In a seperate bowl combine all dry ingredients.

Combine all together.

Pour into a bread pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Don’t leave it in too long or it will be dry.

Slice into 6 pieces.

214 calories per serving. 16 grams of carbs 8 grams of fat and 21 grams of protein.

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The Value of Real Food

One benefit of tracking your calories online is seeing not only the calories and macronutrients (fat, carbs, protein) that you are eating, but also the amount of vitamins and other nutrients you are consuming on a daily basis. I took a look at my food log today which gives me a grade for the day. If I get close to the proper amount of vitamins and minerals and stay within my calorie range, I receive and “A.” If I am far off, the grade goes down. I did pretty good today but while I was looking at my log, I couldn’t help but notice that I was closer to the recommended amount of fiber as well as potassium (which is really high). I ate more vegetables today than I have and I ate REAL food. I did have one granola bar and saw that it basically had no nutrients in it whatsoever….even though it is marketed as a healthy snack. Yes, it is better than a bag of potato chips but it would be far better to make your own granola than to buy a processed bar.

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Even if you are not trying to lose weight, tracking your macros can help to ensure that you get all of the nutrients you need from food. You will be surprised at the difference small changes can make. To help transition to eating more whole foods here are some tips:

  • Cut up veggies and fruits in advance so they are easy to grab
  • Make your own “mix”…nuts and berries, dark chocolate, toasted oats and berries/nuts, anything you want to mix together
  • Make your own protein bars: Example 2 cups of instant oats, 1/4 cup of nut butter, 3-4 scoops of protein powder…mix together and place in a pan. Put the mix in the freezer and voila…you have homemade protein bars!

It is not hard to eat real food. It just requires a little preparation and creativity so you don’t get bored.

Forget restriction, deprivation, and forbidden…just eat a good variety of healthy foods and make it fun. This approach will ensure healthy eating for a lifetime…not just a temporary diet. Have your processed foods in moderation.

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