9 Weeks Out
Wow, I can't believe how fast time is flying by. I am 9 weeks out from my first bodybuilding contest of the season, and am now 20 weeks deep into prep. I am right on schedule, right where I wanna be with body composition and fat loss. Yet I have this "OMG" moment when I realize just how soon I'll be stepping on stage. 9 weeks feels like nothing. When it comes to wanting things to be perfect, there is never enough time, because, well, nothing will ever be perfect. I don't consider myself someone who seeks perfection, but I am someone who likes having plenty of time to prepare. What used to feel very far into the future is now feeling much, much closer.
Weight is hovering around 111 lbs. My macros held steady at 130P/30F/215C until last week. Fat loss finally stalled, and as of last week, I reduced my carbs by 15 grams. Now sitting at 130P/30F/200C, and this marks that first few nights that I've actually felt hungry. Nothing crazy (my intake is still decent), just that feeling at night of, "I've eaten everything I can for today, so I guess I'll just go to bed." Haha. Not sure if it was actually the 15 gram carb reduction, or simply the fact that I've been actively dieting for 20 weeks. As always, lots of goodies in my diet, balanced with plenty of nutrient dense foods. A few of my latest favorites are kettle corn, Chobani Flips (I like the caramel one and the key lime one), Hershey's Kisses (my favorites are caramel filled and dark chocolate truffle), and fat-free whipped cream on just about anything (on bananas, on rice cakes, on pancakes, and in my coffee, just to name a few).
I'm getting lots of comments on looking leaner. My face isn't so round, and my eyes are starting to look bigger as a result. LOL. Clothes are getting bigger, all of my jeans fit with some room to spare, and even my sports bras are significantly less full. :)
Cardio hasn't changed much. I'm still doing 20 minutes of HIIT every 4th day (after legs), although I've been mixing it up from the elliptical sprints. I've done a few sessions of light weights and plyos. Last weekend I ran sprints at the park with my dogs, and holy smokes, my legs were so sore. Felt my hamstrings and calves late into the following week. My dogs loved it tho, and I'll definitely be doing it more often as the rainy weather allows. I forgot how amazing it feels to be flying through the air, full speed, with your legs pumping so hard that you can barely feel them anymore and it sort of starts to feel like you're floating. :) :) :) Don't tell me you don't get that crazy feeling, LOL. ;) Steady state cardio is still the same, although I've switched from tracking total time to tracking a calorie burn. This helps to keep me accountable and ensures that I'm not just going through the motions without expending as much energy. Steady state is at 500 cals/week. (Although I do HIIT for time, I still track my calorie burn. 180-200 cals per session, depending on the modality, in case anyone was wondering.)
I know these posts seem very prep-focused, but it really doesn't consume my life. I still work, I still live, I still visit people and places and just do life. My time spent lifting is very much my "me time" and my favorite part of my day. I've just been focusing on doing what I love and loving what I do. :)
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| Picture from last week at 10 weeks out |
Weight is hovering around 111 lbs. My macros held steady at 130P/30F/215C until last week. Fat loss finally stalled, and as of last week, I reduced my carbs by 15 grams. Now sitting at 130P/30F/200C, and this marks that first few nights that I've actually felt hungry. Nothing crazy (my intake is still decent), just that feeling at night of, "I've eaten everything I can for today, so I guess I'll just go to bed." Haha. Not sure if it was actually the 15 gram carb reduction, or simply the fact that I've been actively dieting for 20 weeks. As always, lots of goodies in my diet, balanced with plenty of nutrient dense foods. A few of my latest favorites are kettle corn, Chobani Flips (I like the caramel one and the key lime one), Hershey's Kisses (my favorites are caramel filled and dark chocolate truffle), and fat-free whipped cream on just about anything (on bananas, on rice cakes, on pancakes, and in my coffee, just to name a few).
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| Try these if you haven't yet! |
I'm getting lots of comments on looking leaner. My face isn't so round, and my eyes are starting to look bigger as a result. LOL. Clothes are getting bigger, all of my jeans fit with some room to spare, and even my sports bras are significantly less full. :)
Cardio hasn't changed much. I'm still doing 20 minutes of HIIT every 4th day (after legs), although I've been mixing it up from the elliptical sprints. I've done a few sessions of light weights and plyos. Last weekend I ran sprints at the park with my dogs, and holy smokes, my legs were so sore. Felt my hamstrings and calves late into the following week. My dogs loved it tho, and I'll definitely be doing it more often as the rainy weather allows. I forgot how amazing it feels to be flying through the air, full speed, with your legs pumping so hard that you can barely feel them anymore and it sort of starts to feel like you're floating. :) :) :) Don't tell me you don't get that crazy feeling, LOL. ;) Steady state cardio is still the same, although I've switched from tracking total time to tracking a calorie burn. This helps to keep me accountable and ensures that I'm not just going through the motions without expending as much energy. Steady state is at 500 cals/week. (Although I do HIIT for time, I still track my calorie burn. 180-200 cals per session, depending on the modality, in case anyone was wondering.)
I know these posts seem very prep-focused, but it really doesn't consume my life. I still work, I still live, I still visit people and places and just do life. My time spent lifting is very much my "me time" and my favorite part of my day. I've just been focusing on doing what I love and loving what I do. :)
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