So close now!

3 Weeks! Dang! Well, I am stepping up the cardio now. I had started out this comp prep doing cardio about 5 or 6 days a week...with occasional tabata on my Saturday session w/John...then I backed off to about 4 days a week because I was getting super burned out; well-since my body fat is not quite as low as it needs to be-I've been advised that I really should up my cardio these next few weeks-so that's what I'm doing; I'm gong to be a cardio queen! LOL...a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do-right?!
Have a fantabulous weekend!

Starting to get nervous....

Being less than 4 weeks to the first comp and 5 weeks to the second...I'm really starting to feel the nerves; will I be lean enough, will I hit the poses; will my peak week plan work; will my tan and outfit turn out ok??? Time will tell-and there ain't much time left!

Not much change....

April 25
April 25-
April 4
April 4
So, did pics & measures this weekend. My pictures are almost identical to last time; my thighs are a tad leaner, and I do like how my triceps are looking. (top 2 are from this weekend, bottom 2 are from 3 weeks ago.) I'm down 4 mil in skin folds and 1 k in weight from 3 weeks ago. I'm hitting the poses a bit better...though in these pics I'd already been posing for a while & was a bit tired by the time John took the pics-so I'm not bending at the knee enough for sure. Plus it was day 3 of no carbs...so I was flat...and I'm still carrying fat around the middle and I'd eaten a couple of small meals which really seemed to make my tummy huge. Basically I really need to make use of the next 4 weeks and stay tight on my food; maybe even reduce the calories a tad more. Dang...only 4 weeks!
Have a great week!

Getting Closer!

4 Weeks...
5 Weeks...

Another spark of motivation!

Isn't that just a fantastic shot of Michelle Nazaroff's back? She has back muscles in spots I didn't even know had muscle! LOL

Need a shot of motivation....

Yep..we all have our ups and downs and occasionally need something to get us back up to speed in order to reach our goal or just stay on track. For me, pics of fit chicks gets me motivated, so I've been going through my file of motivational photos; it definitely works for me when I've been-um less than perfect.

Over the weekend, at 5 weeks out, I got a bit complacent...ate too many carbs on carb day, and had too much peanut butter on my peanut butter days. OOOPS! But that's ok...I think the occasional break from the super strict just revs the motivation and metabolism...as nicely pointed out by TARA in a recent POST. So, now I'm back on track...and have to be for the next 4 weeks. I'm cutting the peanut butter out as of today. Was going to wait till the weekend-but I've had enough to last me the rest of comp prep...LOL!

The thing is, nobody is perfect-the key is to catch yourself before you go too far off the course.
What gets you back on track?

Spanner thrown in the works...

Well, it’s not really that dramatic, but that’s what it felt like Wednesday afternoon.

You see, the plan I was originally going to go with for my final week of comp prep involved salt loading, and then flushing…supplemented with potassium tabs. This is what I had done for my original comp prep-however, now, here in Australia, they’ve gone and regulated the potassium so you need a prescription for them. That’s one thing that does bug me about the Australian pharmacy industry-way to over-regulated…but that’s a whole other blog…LOL!

So, now what?! I’d done a bit of research on this issue before-but it all gets very confusing with soooo many different opinions and theories. I’ve now done a heap of research...
and what it sort of comes down to is what I feel comfortable with, what the general consensus is, and what my body looks like that last week before the comp. That’s the hard part, being a control freak virgo-I like to have everything planned ahead of time; but no-can-do...just got to wait and see! ;-0

I have a basic plan…I’m gong to do a very mild salt load then flush (thanks for the input RAE) with a bit of a carb load (which I hadn't done at all last time, but have read so much about it-want to give it a go)…and of course water deplete. Just have to see what I look like that week and weekend to figure how much carbs. I’m really paying attention to my body right now to see how it reacts day to day with what I’m eating. I don’t think I’ve ever paid THIS much attention to my body-but a girls gotta do, what a girls gotta do, right? Plus I have DI on board to help out with what to do on the day of the comp.

The good thing is, I have the Townsville show as sort of a practice run. If whatever I do doesn’t work-will have to try something else for the Asia Pacific!

It all comes down to trial and error at this stage…hopefully without much error…LOL!

In other news; I'm down from 52k (114) 2 weeks ago, to 51.2k (112) today. I think I'll do measures this weekend. ;-0

Have a great weekend everyone!

The Best Bread Maker Gluten Free Bread!

I'm not really doing TASTY Tuesdays right now, during the final phase of comp prep, but I had a request for this recipe, so thought I would share. It's the best gluten free bread I've made yet-I made it for John, as I'm off bread now until after the comp.

The original recipe was actually in my bread maker manual-but I tweaked it a bit. I gave the recipe to a friend who has a really old bread maker that doesn't even have the same settings like :gluten free", "1Kg" ect...hers just has basic and whole meal-but it still worked in hers. You just need to know whether your maker requires liquid ingredients first or dry. Mine is wet first, so that's how I'll list them.

GLUTEN FREE GRAIN BREAD

500mls warm water

3x 60g eggs

1/2 cup oil

2 tsp vinegar

1/2 cup brown rice flour (buckwheat works too)

1/2 cup potato flour

2 cups white rice flour

1 cup arrowroot

4 T grain (I used ground flax seed-you can use sesame, poppy, sunflower, pumpkin etc)

1 T Xanthan gum

2 T sugar (I use organic rapadura sugar...as it still has the nutritional qualities of sugar-no refinement)

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp yeast



Place ingredeints into pan in order

Bread pan into maker-close lid

Menu to GLUTEN FREE/YEAST FREE

DARK CRUST

SELECT 1KG loaf size

Now, if you don't have these types of settings, at least use whatever setting is for around 2 & 1/2 hours.
Enjoy!

First day down...

First of all, congrats to all the gals that competed over the weekend! Good work!
Gets me even more psyched up for my own comps!

So, yesterday was the first day of my stricter diet. Went really well...but I'm feeling some hunger right now as I write this...LOL.

Also, practiced posing...that went really well also as John is getting a little more into it this time around. He even went online to research posing tips, and I printed out pictures of various poses and he really scrutinized & worked with me. All good! Just need to find a good photo of an "abs & thighs" shot as well as a good "relaxed" pose.

I got my hair cut Friday, but I'm not liking how it looks on me at all. Glad I got it done early so it can grow out a tad and do something else for the comp. I had a feeling it wasn't going to look right on me...but wanted to give it a go.

41 days to go! Woohoo!

If I think it, they will come!

Abs and Shoulders, Abs and Shoulders, Abs and Shoulders....a girl can dream right?!
Have a great weekend and GOOD LUCK TO THOSE COMPETING THIS WEEKEND!

My Expanding Competition Check List

First off...note to self; be sure to warm up before practicing THAT move for the comp routine! Oh my aching back! I forget sometimes that I am 42...LOL!

OK-so here is my updated check list...have ticked off a few more things and added my comp bag list as well. 6 weeks this weekend! Starting to feel that nervous belly feeling-will I be lean enough? do I have enough muscle? do I have everything I need for the weekend? will we be able to get my tan and outfit on properly? will my hair turn out ok? YIKES!!

Order comp kini from JO- DONE & RECEIVED
Order shoes-(I just need a smaller pair than that first set)- DONE & RECEIVED
Book photographer for Asia Pacific- DONE
ANB membership-(doing today) DONE
Register for Townsville Coral Coast-(doing today) DONE
Register for Asia Pacific-DONE
Book hotel for Townsville- DONE
Book flight to Gold Coast for A/P- DONE
Book hotel for A/P- DONE
Organise transport from Gold Coast airport to hotel- (still may be able to get a ride from KRISTIN)
Organise transport from hotel to GC airport Sunday after show- DONE (thank you LAUREN!)
Order Dream Tan & bikini bite also from Jo-DONE
Dig out comp bag- DONE and organise-
Make hair appointment-
Make nail appointment- DONE
Make wax appointment- DONE
Make tanning appointment- DONE
Buy dark stage makeup - DONE
Comp music- DONE
Comp routine - Just about DONE -I still need to practice it in it's entirety
Book DI for final week prep and the week in between comps - DONE

I have dug out my comp bag and other stuff for the comp weekends...and purchased a few items for it...may as well start that list too!

Dark base face makeup-TO PACK

dream tan-TO PACK

dark eye shadow-TO PACK

false eyelashes- TO BUY

extra strength hair spray- TO BUY

curling iron-TO PACK

heels-TO PACK

kini-TO PACK

2 copies of music- TO PACK

weights -for Townsville-for pump up-TO PACK

resistance bands (Gold Coast)-TO PACK

scissors- TO PACK

safety pins TO BUY

nail file-TO PACK

baby wipes-TO BUY

bikini bite-TO PACK

jewellery-TO PACK

food-TO PREP & PACK
back stage food-TO BUY

thongs-TO BUY

show itinerary-TO GET FROM TOWNSVILLE FOLKS?

loose clothing to wear over tan and in between shows-TO PACK
maybe a robe for in between rounds-TO BUY

camera still and video-TO PACK

ibuprofen-TO PACK

tooth brush and paste-TO PACK

regular makeup-TO PACK

shower stuff-TO PACK

sheets (to protect hotel sheets) -TO PACK

extra towels-TO PACK

hotel confirmations- TO PACK

air tickets for gold Coast-TO PACK

microwave & toaster, dishes (for Townsville-our hotel doesn't have this stuff) TO PACK

What am I forgetting?

Time to DIG DEEP...

This weekend makes 6 weeks out...this is the make or break time. Food gets a bit more boring, training starts to get a bit harder, and we start to feel very tired, cranky and hungry. This is where the cravings really hit hard-and we know we cannot give in. This is where the true challenge comes in; where the fun really starts! This is why we do it!
Game on!

Just a little mid week motivation...

TASTY TUESDAY!

These were like having dessert as a side dish...so yummy! I first saw the original recipe on a gluten free blog. The recipe was for butternut squash pancakes-fried in a pan. I tried with a lot less oil and they just didn't turn out...then I tried adding rice crumbs and baking-BINGO! God these were good!

I call them butternut squash patties:

2 cups of shredded butternut squash
2 egg whites (I think the original recipe called for 1 whole egg...but we always have some yolk w/our breakfast so don't need any more)
3/4 cup of rice crumbs
2 tsp red palm canola oil....or grape seed ( you probably don't even need the oil-it's pretty moist as is...I've just been experimenting w/various oils for more omegas)

Mix all ingredients and place in patties on prepared bake tray. Bake at 180 C for 1/2 hour reduce to 150 for 20 minutes. Makes about 6 large patties.

Next is a just a link to a super yummy chicken recipe that turned out AWESOME! The name of the site is ELANA'S PANTRY and once you are there, you will not want to leave for hours! She has some wonderful recipes...I've tried several now, and all have turned out really well-and tasty-but this was a 2 thumbs up from John-Mustard Lime Chicken. I got onto the site whilst perusing gluten-free blogs; it's a winner no matter if you are gluten free or not! Lots of tasty things...and of course heaps of super yummy looking desserts and baked goods. Have a look-you won't be sorry!

7 wks out..

No real changes from 2 weeks ago...and I pretty much look the same as I did for the comp in 2008 at 7 wks (orange kini last pic-abs & thighs)-maybe a tad leaner..though my abs were showing more in the 2008 pic-I ate too many carbs this weekend, so I my pics are a bit smoother than I would have liked...LOL. A bit disappointing as I was really thinking I'd put on more muscle this time. Will see the real deal in the next couple of weeks when I bring in the stricter diet I suppose.

John & I have already decided straight after these 2 comps we are going to start working out together fully again and change our training style specifically with muscle growth as the goal. John's been doing heaps of research as he's contemplating doing a comp next year! It'll be his first in about 30 years! So, anyway, we've had to really be honest with ourselves and realise that except for a few small changes here and there, our training style has pretty much remained the same over the last 20-30 years. We are both strong..I'm definitely stronger than 20 years ago. But I'm not seeing any real changes in my physique. Obviously this year it's too late for me...just gotta hope that when I lean out (and hopefully my ass will lean out better this year!) I'll have enough muscle to at least be competitive. 7 weeks and we'll know the story!

WOOHOO 52!

Kilos that is... (114lbs for you stubborn yankees...LOL!) My goal for 6 weeks out was a solid 52k...I'm at at 7 weeks out this weekend and already there. I'm quite stoked-don't need to lose anything in the next week-so will maintain my eating plan for now and keep concentrating on shoulders, bis and abs. Will be interesting to see the measures this weekend..Pics too!

I'm feeling pretty fit right now; went shopping for clothes this week and scored big time! I was so happy as last time we went for a shopping spree..around Christmas time-I found maybe 3 items to fit...this time I found like 20...including a bikini-which I will model for progress pics this weekend! ;-0

So, I'm pleased, feeling right on track...not terribly hungry; I was exhausted last weekend-I think I was over training just a tad...so I cut back one of my afternoon cardio sessions-felt heaps better all week so that must have been the right move. I am not killing myself for these comps...I want to go in healthy and come out healthy on the other end. I'm losing weight at a nice steady pace-and I do feel like I've put on a bit of muscle from last comp.

Have a great weekend everyone! Don't eat too much chocolate...but have an egg or 2 for me...LOL!