5 Weeks In
Quick improvement season update! It's been 5 weeks since I decided to wrap up my competition season and transition into an improvement season and 11 weeks post-show.
I've been focusing on accepting the changes in my body and regaining balance with my food and body image. This part is a struggle for me, but I'm always up for the challenge. A leaner me is not a better me. And while I'm constantly working on loving my body in all of its stages, I can say for certain that I love the way I feel. Ahhh the ENERGY! :) My energy is up, my strength is returning, my appetite is leveling out, and I'm sleeping better. I've had plenty of meals out, some tracked and some untracked, and am working on letting go of the perfectionist mindset of prep in exchange for letting good enough actually be good enough. :)
Currently eating in a slight surplus and working on finding that sweet spot for calories. In the spirit of flexibility, I have not designated specific targets for carbs or fats. I've been shooting for a calorie target of 2100-2300 with a minimum protein intake of 100g and any number of carbs and fats to fill in that calorie target. Zero formal cardio, although the dogs get nice, long walks 1-2x/day. I absolutely love walking! It's quickly becoming a new favorite part of my daily routine. Training 5-6 days a week, and have really been enjoying my training while experimenting with different exercises, splits, frequency, and other variables that make it feel new and exciting. Weight is around 108 lbs, and I'll be keeping the rate of gain to around 1 lb/month.
With the initial struggle of transitioning into an improvement season, I'm actually a bit surprised with how much I'm enjoying it. I most likely won't be doing any fall shows as I want to continue to build my physique, and I need time to do so. The WNBF requires new pros to make their pro debut within one year, so I will for sure be making my WNBF pro debut in April 2016 at the Washington State Natural. I am VERY excited about that! With no competition plans until spring, I plan on taking the remainder of the year to grow with a short cutting phase around September to keep fat gain to a minimum and to make my next prep easier. My goals for this off season are pretty general: continue to build my physique, strive for balance, and keep a healthy mindset.
Let's go! :)
I've been focusing on accepting the changes in my body and regaining balance with my food and body image. This part is a struggle for me, but I'm always up for the challenge. A leaner me is not a better me. And while I'm constantly working on loving my body in all of its stages, I can say for certain that I love the way I feel. Ahhh the ENERGY! :) My energy is up, my strength is returning, my appetite is leveling out, and I'm sleeping better. I've had plenty of meals out, some tracked and some untracked, and am working on letting go of the perfectionist mindset of prep in exchange for letting good enough actually be good enough. :)
Currently eating in a slight surplus and working on finding that sweet spot for calories. In the spirit of flexibility, I have not designated specific targets for carbs or fats. I've been shooting for a calorie target of 2100-2300 with a minimum protein intake of 100g and any number of carbs and fats to fill in that calorie target. Zero formal cardio, although the dogs get nice, long walks 1-2x/day. I absolutely love walking! It's quickly becoming a new favorite part of my daily routine. Training 5-6 days a week, and have really been enjoying my training while experimenting with different exercises, splits, frequency, and other variables that make it feel new and exciting. Weight is around 108 lbs, and I'll be keeping the rate of gain to around 1 lb/month.
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| 5 Weeks In |
With the initial struggle of transitioning into an improvement season, I'm actually a bit surprised with how much I'm enjoying it. I most likely won't be doing any fall shows as I want to continue to build my physique, and I need time to do so. The WNBF requires new pros to make their pro debut within one year, so I will for sure be making my WNBF pro debut in April 2016 at the Washington State Natural. I am VERY excited about that! With no competition plans until spring, I plan on taking the remainder of the year to grow with a short cutting phase around September to keep fat gain to a minimum and to make my next prep easier. My goals for this off season are pretty general: continue to build my physique, strive for balance, and keep a healthy mindset.
Let's go! :)
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