what's your real goal??

Hey guys! It's been awhile but I'm back! I have finally fully started and committed to my new meal plan and I've seen some quick results. Needless to say, I think that one bottle of Knob Creek may metabolize into 10lbs of belly jelly and it shrivels when you assault it with chicken and broccoli for a few days... anyways, on to the point.
Holding onto a social life when your "social life" has involved food and booze for as long as you can (or can't) remember.
I have had the best time in the past week! The past weekend I was lucky enough to be invited to share in a family celebration in one of our casino high roller apartments! This family is amazing. Warm, inviting, quick, smart and caring. It was great to be around really good people and it was comforting receiving support when I explained why I wasn't partaking in the champagne, wine and pizza that was decorating the room! I left feeling pretty good and not singled out or judged as a teetotaler, which sometimes happens when you don't follow the crowd at an event.
The next thing I did was take myself to a concert. I love Florence and the Machine. I didn't have tickets and they had been sold out since June! I went by myself to NYC and had an adventure....
I had been contemplating contacting my diet coach and asking for a meal plan or leeway because, well basically, it would have been easier to not bring my food and I would have liked food at Colicchio & Sons more but, I reminded myself of what I want and how much money I'm spending on the coaching! I then went to the supermarket and got to work. Pans of chicken and steak, tupperware, lids! Food was done and packed and I'm out the door. On the train I have the my food and my muscle mags and I'm excited to see Florence although I have to remind myself that I have no ticket. Then the train breaks down, we have to switch trains and a very cool tattoo artist and I have an amazing conversation the rest of the way in. In Grand Central I decide to swing by MAC and I got done up. A little Lady Danger lip colour and some fab lashes I am off to the venue to find tix. Outside the venue a guy from the previous band gives me a VIP all access pass for free!OMG! I went in and had the absolute most amazing time and saw one of the best concerts in 10 years! I was able to take in and fully experience a moment! I didn't miss not having a drink or going to dinner. I was happy that I stayed on my plan. Meeting my competition goals and having a positive experience out further proves to me this lifestyle is worth it to me. I didn't take a cheat day and you know when I did my stats it was positive and I got to see one of my most favorite artists with a clear head. So happy and I was actually social for a change! Real communication with people. It's good to get back to that. It's all about balance! See you next time! Thanks for letting me ramble!

Fair Frenzy

OK... So, hey everyone or anyone reading this. :) I'm eating a bison burger with cheese and a bag of snap peas and recounting how last week went. I'm in an off-season but I know that when one is trying to get ahead there is no true off-season. It's just me giving in to fn cravings and following the whimsy of fall. So, I went to the Big E and proceeded to eat crap that I'd never be drawn too. Upon entering we bee-lined for the London Broil sandwich and a char broiled chicken sandwich. Threw some banana peppers and that orange gloop they call "cheese." Oh, and a 24oz Bud Light. Then we went looking for the hot sauce man from Texas and oogled some chotzkis. $40 worth of hot sauce and 3/4 of that Bud Light later, we were on a hunt for a broccoli and cheese soup in a bread bowl for my friend and a glazed donut bacon cheeseburger for myself. The grill was broken so I shot over to the fried oreo hut. Fan-freaking-tastic. The rest of the night kind of went in that direction- pumpkin ravioli in sage butter sauce, chicharrones, arrepas, peanut butter and bacon pizza, svedka and a dessert of rumpleminze and jalapeno poppers just to round it out.
I hardly ever eat like that but, I used to and it was nice to experience it again. I always automatically associate socializing with food and booze. One thing that my training has taught me and I'm thankful for is that it forces me to adjust my social interactions. It's really supposed to be about spending time with people and getting to know them a bit better. Needless to say, I finalized my decision and picked a dietitian/nutritionist that next day. So, now I'll be on the path to getting the results I want which means that it's time to hone my focus. Anyways, thanks for taking time to read my ramblings.
Fleur

Nom, Nom, Nom

I thought that I'd share my expenses with everyone just to give an example of how much this Lifestyle, because being a figure competitor is much more than a sport, can cost. Now, this is just what I do. I'll tell you right now, I love food. I make my money as a mixologist/bartender and I work in two high end restaurants and I loooove food. So before I get yelled at for having certain tastes just know up front that I have certain tastes. Besides there is no reason for competition food not to be delicious if it meets your requirements. :)

Anyways, here we go:

3 Large Avocados $5.00
(Savings card saved me $1.26 so total $3.74
Crumbled Feta $5.99
2 Calise Bakery 100% Whole Wheat Deli Slims @ $3.39 $6.78
3 1lb Bison ground meat @ $7.99 $23.97
3lb Fresh Salmon Filet $30.52
Skim milk $1.89
Natty PB $3.59
10 bags of frozen broccoli @1.50ea $15.00
Sharp Cheddar $3.00
Colby Jack $3.00

Total $101.17

This is about a weeks worth of food for me at this "off-season" stage. :)

Trying this Again

Hey there!
I've finally fixed my computer (yay!) and now I can get back to blogging. I have finished my 2010 figure season and it went OK. I am focused now on my shows for next year. I am deciding between the Fitness Atlantic in April or Jr. Nationals in June as my first show of 2011. I have work to do on my lower body and I also want to make sure that I keep a level head and a balanced life. I can become very myopic when focusing on a goal and boy, does it burn me out. It seems as though I have a solid plan in place and I should be able to reach the goals that I have set to satisfy myself because in the long run that is what matters the most. Anyways I hope to stay on top of this. :)

I'm an impatient chick.

So, I'm bulking right now. Why? Because I was too skinny at Nationals. I thought I looked alright but when I saw the other women competing, wooo! I was puny. It's OK though. I know what I have to do so I'm doing it. I am trying to add muscle but that is coming slowly along with the consequence of a higher body fat. Which is turning into the challenge of adjusting my self image to a more positive one because when I am standing up I look fine (I mean, my bum may be a bit juicier than it was in my profile pic but that's good! Well, not for the stage but I have a nice off-season ass), but when I sit down I've got some interference. Anyways, yeah, so I'm doing hypertrophy and working with my amazing trainer who I just have to listen to. She knows what she's doing and I don't. That's what this whole process is teaching me though. How to be more patient and how to listen. I have to be patient because it will take a while for my muscles to grow and I have to listen so that I can learn how to do that. I also know that come stage time I'm going to look right proper and even if I don't place I'm going to be estatic with myself. I just have to slow down and focus on that long term goal. Interference be damned.

Saturday Mornings

Saturday mornings are a letdown. I remember being a kid and Saturday mornings were this great source of relief and relaxation. I'd wake up to the P-Funk playing from the 8-track over those smelly speakers that my Dad was holding on to since the 1970's and pancakes. Then we'd watch wrestling together and while he was washing dishes I'd round it out with the Cartoon Express. Then I'd go read for a bit. I'm a nerd. I took books everywhere.
However, when I wake up on Saturdays lately, my body aches. My toes feel cramped and the ball of my left foot echoes sharpness. That's before I realize what day it is. "Oh, it's Saturday." This is where the reasoning comes into play, "Well, it's Saturday. I have to work. That's like cardio. Maybe..." I know damn well that I need to get up and go to the gym. I'll feel better once I get there. I also know that as soon as I wake up I need to eat and cook a ridiculous amount of food but I don't want to move because I'm in the most perfect cocoon of sheets and blankets with achey feet.
So, I stall. Which leads me to right now. I'm typing instead of cooking and listening to Lady Antebellum. Yeah. That's right. I'm listening to one song by a country band. It's good. Stop giving me the side eye. I'm going to make breakfast now:
1/2 cup of oatmeal
2 tbs of pb
2 tbs of slivered almonds
1 cup skim milk
1.5 scoops vanilla whey protein
1/4 cup organic vanilla pourable yogurt.
enjoy

Then I'm doing back. Also, I'm listening to this. It's kind of like 90's ish. I like:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12dbfQjyDPY

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