4 Weeks Out
I say this with every post, but time is absolutely flying! Here are my progress pics from this weekend.
I missed my update last week as time just got away from me. I hadn't taken any progress pics for the last 2 weeks either as I've just been lazy and cold first thing in the morning when I usually take pics. LOL. It's more fun sometimes to lounge around in PJ's and stay snuggled up with the puppies on the weekends. ;)
While these may sound like pieces of my prep I've been neglecting, I actually view it as the opposite. My life is sort of automated at times, and I think it's important to get lost living from time to time instead of thinking about prep 24/7. I've said it before, but I don't think I can say it enough: bodybuilding is not my entire life. This blog is very bodybuilding focused, but there's more going on in my life.
I've been super busy lately working and studying for my CEU's for my personal training recertification. I took my exam Monday night (and passed!), and so that's a big weight lifted off of my shoulders. I've been pretty busy with clients, and I feel like I just blink and the day (or even the week) has passed.
Last week I got to test my squat and deadlift, and I'm very excited about the strength gains I've been able to make this prep. I've always lost strength during previous competition preps, so this is new for me, and a very welcome change. This is the strongest I've ever been at this body weight, and also the strongest I've ever been in general.
{deadlift 173.5 lbs for 3 reps at 103 lbs body weight here}
{squat 137.5 lbs for 2 reps at 103 lbs body weight here}
Last week I adjusted cardio, increasing it from 775 cals for the week to 1050 cals for the week. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday I'm doing incline walking on the treadmill for 200 cals. This usually takes me 35-40 mins, which I do after my lift. (Except for Friday, which is a rest day from lifting, so I just get my walking in whenever it's convenient.) Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday I'm doing circuits at the gym for 150 cals after my lift. This usually takes me around 25 minutes. So to put that 1050 weekly calorie burn in perspective, it's roughly 3.25 hours of cardio for the week. I'm happy with that. It's a manageable amount each day that I don't dread. I've got a good balance between more taxing exercise (like my circuits) and easy to recover from LISS sessions on the treadmill. I still haven't dug out my cardio kickboxing DVDs like I was thinking about. I was getting a little bored walking, but I've since been watching more YouTube videos and the time has been flying. :)
I'll be adjusting food for the first time this week. My 3 high calorie days will drop by 116 cals each, from 1853 cals to 1737 cals per day, for a total of 348 cals for the week. This is the first time I've adjusted these high days since starting prep! I've been sticking with the three 1853 high calorie days since mid December, so this change is a little bittersweet. I can be stubborn with my food because I love to eat. :) But competition prep is ultimately a timeline, and coaching is the art and science of knowing when to push and when to wait things out. This week is also a deload in my training program, meaning less volume and intensity in my weight lifting, so I'm ok with bringing food down a notch. I'd rather push now than fret later, although I'm still optimistic about increasing food either next week or the following week.
I've had a few things working against me for the past week or so, mostly stress (and a good chunk relieved after passing my exam), and my period, which should be starting any day now. I've also been dealing with some insomnia -- trouble falling asleep at night, as well as trouble sleeping long enough. I'm never a morning person, but I've been waking up at the crack of dawn lately even after struggling to fall asleep at night.
All in all though, I'm pleased with where I'm at on all fronts. Physique wise, I'm happy with how I'm looking. Energy wise, I'm feeling pretty good, and it's certainly not the worst I've ever felt during a prep. I may even venture to say, sleep issues aside, it's the best I've felt during a prep. Strength wise, I'm ecstatic about my progress, and this is the strongest I've ever been in my life. Mentally and emotionally speaking, I'm in a really good place. Preoccupation with food is low, and I've maintained a less-neurotic and more-flexible mindset with my prep planning.
This week is off to a good start. I hit a new prep low yesterday of 102.2 lbs, and I think I'm finally moving through this last stall. As of today, I'm 23 days out from my 1st show of the season, and 37 days out from my WNBF pro debut. VERY excited! I have some small details to tie up, finalize my suit, restock some stage makeup... But I'm feeling a little more ready each day. :)
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| 3.6.2016 // 4 weeks out |
I missed my update last week as time just got away from me. I hadn't taken any progress pics for the last 2 weeks either as I've just been lazy and cold first thing in the morning when I usually take pics. LOL. It's more fun sometimes to lounge around in PJ's and stay snuggled up with the puppies on the weekends. ;)
While these may sound like pieces of my prep I've been neglecting, I actually view it as the opposite. My life is sort of automated at times, and I think it's important to get lost living from time to time instead of thinking about prep 24/7. I've said it before, but I don't think I can say it enough: bodybuilding is not my entire life. This blog is very bodybuilding focused, but there's more going on in my life.
I've been super busy lately working and studying for my CEU's for my personal training recertification. I took my exam Monday night (and passed!), and so that's a big weight lifted off of my shoulders. I've been pretty busy with clients, and I feel like I just blink and the day (or even the week) has passed.
Last week I got to test my squat and deadlift, and I'm very excited about the strength gains I've been able to make this prep. I've always lost strength during previous competition preps, so this is new for me, and a very welcome change. This is the strongest I've ever been at this body weight, and also the strongest I've ever been in general.
{deadlift 173.5 lbs for 3 reps at 103 lbs body weight here}
{squat 137.5 lbs for 2 reps at 103 lbs body weight here}
Last week I adjusted cardio, increasing it from 775 cals for the week to 1050 cals for the week. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday I'm doing incline walking on the treadmill for 200 cals. This usually takes me 35-40 mins, which I do after my lift. (Except for Friday, which is a rest day from lifting, so I just get my walking in whenever it's convenient.) Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday I'm doing circuits at the gym for 150 cals after my lift. This usually takes me around 25 minutes. So to put that 1050 weekly calorie burn in perspective, it's roughly 3.25 hours of cardio for the week. I'm happy with that. It's a manageable amount each day that I don't dread. I've got a good balance between more taxing exercise (like my circuits) and easy to recover from LISS sessions on the treadmill. I still haven't dug out my cardio kickboxing DVDs like I was thinking about. I was getting a little bored walking, but I've since been watching more YouTube videos and the time has been flying. :)
I'll be adjusting food for the first time this week. My 3 high calorie days will drop by 116 cals each, from 1853 cals to 1737 cals per day, for a total of 348 cals for the week. This is the first time I've adjusted these high days since starting prep! I've been sticking with the three 1853 high calorie days since mid December, so this change is a little bittersweet. I can be stubborn with my food because I love to eat. :) But competition prep is ultimately a timeline, and coaching is the art and science of knowing when to push and when to wait things out. This week is also a deload in my training program, meaning less volume and intensity in my weight lifting, so I'm ok with bringing food down a notch. I'd rather push now than fret later, although I'm still optimistic about increasing food either next week or the following week.
I've had a few things working against me for the past week or so, mostly stress (and a good chunk relieved after passing my exam), and my period, which should be starting any day now. I've also been dealing with some insomnia -- trouble falling asleep at night, as well as trouble sleeping long enough. I'm never a morning person, but I've been waking up at the crack of dawn lately even after struggling to fall asleep at night.
All in all though, I'm pleased with where I'm at on all fronts. Physique wise, I'm happy with how I'm looking. Energy wise, I'm feeling pretty good, and it's certainly not the worst I've ever felt during a prep. I may even venture to say, sleep issues aside, it's the best I've felt during a prep. Strength wise, I'm ecstatic about my progress, and this is the strongest I've ever been in my life. Mentally and emotionally speaking, I'm in a really good place. Preoccupation with food is low, and I've maintained a less-neurotic and more-flexible mindset with my prep planning.
This week is off to a good start. I hit a new prep low yesterday of 102.2 lbs, and I think I'm finally moving through this last stall. As of today, I'm 23 days out from my 1st show of the season, and 37 days out from my WNBF pro debut. VERY excited! I have some small details to tie up, finalize my suit, restock some stage makeup... But I'm feeling a little more ready each day. :)
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