Grey Rock MEADOWS Trail Hike, Fort Collins CO (Day 2)

As I said in my last post, we ran out of time to summit The Rock on Wednesday, so we vowed to come back Thursday and tackle it.  After reading up on both trails, we decided to test out the Meadows trail - it's longer, but was supposedly a more gradual incline to we figured we could make better time if we tried it this time around...

We started a little earlier and were on the trail by 2 PM. However, we didn't end up reaching the first summit until 5 PM!  This trail was killer, the first mile was MUCH steeper and since the trail isn't frequented quite as often it was very overgrown in parts.  Not to mention the trail was basically lined in Poison Ivy, not cool.  We ran into a few people along the way and they all said this was the easier trail, but we were beginning to doubt their sanity.  After 2 hours we reached what we thought was the first summit, only to find out we still had to go around ANOTHER mountain.. We sucked it up and continued on - at this point we were running extremely low on water and on moral, but we assumed we were close so we kept going, we couldn't have been more wrong.  About 45 minutes later we finally reached the Meadow, which was breathtaking, but at that point we were very nervous about our water situation so we didn't stop long.

After the Meadow we still had to get to the first summit (our second or third of the trip by then) - we ended up doing a lot of bouldering, which none of the trail reviews mentioned.. When we got to the end of the boulder field we realized our error - at some point (we have no idea when) we actually got off the Meadows Trail and ended up on a third trail that we had no idea existed - adding roughly 2 miles and the additional summits to our trip.  I haven't seen anything on any trail websites about this third trail, but when we reconnected with the Meadows trail it was obvious what had happened...  I wish I could tell you where we got mixed up so you could avoid it, but I honestly don't have the slightest idea..

By the time we got to the base of The Rock, it was already 5 PM - even LATER than the previous day.  Due to the time constraints, and the fact that we were now dangerously low on water, we unfortunately were unable to summit it, yet again.  I swear we will do it soon - everyone said the top it absolutely amazing.

We took Grey Rock Trail down, and made the descent in an hour an 7 minutes - we were on a mission to get back to the Jeep and get some water in us ASAP.

We will probably not attempt The Meadows again just based on that experience, and if you do please be careful and watch the trail so you don't make the same mistake we did - unless you want to, it honestly was a beautiful hike and the first summit we hit had incredible views - just make sure you are prepared!

Lesson learned for sure - watch your trail, bring MORE water than you think you'll need, and just prepare for the worst in general - God forbid something had happened up there, especially when we were off the trail - things can go south pretty quick!  Day 2 took us 4 hours, and we were really moving - start earlier than we did if you can, especially to avoid that afternoon heat - it was crazy hot out Thursday!

How to Balance Health and Fitness with Real Life (Part 1)

If you follow me on IG (or Facebook) you may have already seen the photo I posted last night with the caption below:

If you close one eye, and squint the other, I kinda have abs..

I haven't tracked a single macro in a month, the batteries in my food scale have been dead for over a week, and I've only been in the gym a handful of times in the 2 weeks since I got to CO. I've had some beers, more frozen custard and fast food burgers than I care to admit, and some KILLER mac and cheese. I've been on top of mountains, in canyons, and on rivers. I have been living LIFE and enjoying every second. And to me, life > abs. So there's that... Now, back to life :)

I wanted to touch on this a little more today, because lately this has become a topic very near and dear to my heart: balancing health and fitness goals with having a real life.

When I first started working out, I was pretty good at balancing everything - I'd work out a few days a week and eat pretty clean, but I also allowed myself to live my life at the same time.  I started competing, and still kept a fairly healthy balance between the gym and real life - but somewhere around my 3rd or 4th show I lost all concept of balance.  Both pre-contest and 'offseason' I was basically letting my physique run my life - counting every single macro I ate, weighing ALL of my food, killing myself 7 days a week in the gym, and not really allowing myself much freedom from that routine...  Don't get me wrong, I still had some fun here and there and let myself stray a little, but everytime I did I was so overwhelmed with guilt that it was almost crippling.  I truly let my abs (and the rest of my physical appearance) run my life - I can look back now and realize how crazy it was, but at the time it was normal.

Don't get me wrong, if you are actively competing or doing something else that requires your body to be in 'peak' condition a majority of the time I get it, it's important, but please don't make yourself miserable doing it.

I have taken it pretty easy lately - my workouts are no longer 2+ hours, I take days off and don't beat myself up over it, I get outside and do active things like hiking, whitewater rafting, walking the dogs, running (who am I)..  I eat mostly clean, but am far more likely to partake in a burger, ice cream, even a beer (or 3) when the opportunity presents itself.  I stopped counting my macros, quit weighing out all my food, and am finally learning to go with the flow every once in a while.  I am extremely 'Type A' so this can be tough at times, but I am learning to accept that sometimes you just have to run with it.

I am still in the gym 3-5 days a week, and I still lift heavy weights.  I don't ever plan to quit because I truly LOVE working out, but I think I am finally learning to balance the gym with real life, and it's pretty damn cool.

So please, don't beat yourself up if you stray from the plan a little (unless you're one of my clients in which case I WILL FIND YOU lol).. Enjoy your life while you can and stop being so hard on yourself.  Someday you'll look back and can either be proud of your six pack abs or you can look back on all the awesome memories you made outside the gym, because trust me, it's a lot more fun out there :-) 

Bi-Weekly Check-in (5/20)

Since I announced last week that I am not going to compete this summer, I have really been back to focusing on gaining muscle mass and have upped my calories (mostly through carbs) this week.  I know it’s only been a week since the diet change, which is typically not long enough to see much difference, but I am actually down another ½ pound from my previous check-in…  That is very disappointing.

The thing with diet/training changes is you really have to be patient and trust the process – as long as you are not on a time constraint (like an upcoming competition), I typically have my clients follow a plan for 4 week before making any revisions.  The clients that are pressed for time, however, get changes every other week – and even every week depending on how far away their goal date is.

My diet changes have been minimal, adding too many calories to your diet at once can cause excess fat gain, which no one particularly wants… By slowly adding calories in over longer periods of time (similar to reverse dieting) you are able to ensure that most of the weight gain in lean body mass.

My training hasn’t changed, and most likely won’t.  I can achieve most of my goals by simply changing my diet and continuing to lift heavy weight for low to moderate reps.  I always have and probably always will train like a bodybuilder, although over the past 2 years my training has become more functional.  I want to look good, but I also want to be able to perform well.  When I was competing it was all about aesthetics, now it is more about balance.

I do plan to cut back on my cardio a bit – I currently only do 8 minutes 5-6 times a week but I will be dropping that back to 3 days a week.  Because I have a very high metabolism and am an avid lifter, I have to be very leery of the amount of cardio I do when trying to gain weight.  I am a true hard gainer, which is really nice at times, but incredibly frustrating when your goal is to increase muscle mass.

Most of my measurements this time around stayed the same, I did lose ½ an inch around my hips but otherwise I haven’t lost anymore size, which makes me happy!  Hopefully by my next check-in I am stable, at least, if not up a little – I have been consistently losing weight since February and enough is enough!

This week’s measurements:

Calf: 14.5 inches
Quad: 22 inches
Hips: 35 inches
Waist: 26 inches
Forearm: 11 inches
Bicep: 13 inches
Weight: 126.2

Last check-in (5/5):

Fabletics Review

Since I basically live in workout clothes, I am always on the hunt for new places to get cute, affordable, reliable stuff – and I really found a winner with Fabletics! 

In case you are unfamiliar with them, here is some info pulled straight from their website (and for the record, no one asked me to post this, nor was I compensated – I just love their products and wanted to share them with you!):

HOW THE VIP MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM WORKS

VIP MEMBER PERKS

·   Up to 40% OFF retail prices

·   FREE SHIPPING on orders over $49.95

·   Earn VIP REWARDS POINTS!

GET STARTED

SHOP

Browse your personalized picks ready on the 1st of the month. Complete outfits start at just $49.95

SKIP BY THE 5TH

Make a purchase or log into your account to "Skip the Month" by the 5th and you will not be charged. If you do not shop or skip by the 5th, your credit card will be charged $49.95 (1 membership credit) on the 6th until you cancel. Skip as many months as you'd like – you may still shop after skipping the month. Each credit can be redeemed toward 1 outfit - use it to shop anytime.•

CANCEL ANYTIME

You may cancel your membership at any time. To cancel, call our Member Services team at 1-844-Fabletics (1-844-322-5384)

* New members who join the VIP Membership program this month do not have to shop or skip until the following month.

You can also earn points towards free stuff!  You get points simply by placing an order, but also by reviewing your products.  And, you can refer friends to get a $10 credit on your account (which I will get if anyone uses my referral link, so thank you for that!).

This is a great service, they have tons of super cute choices and everything is incredibly reasonably priced – I ordered 3 separate pieces (not an pre-designed outfit), and absolutely loved all 3 items!  I purchased the Aruba  Wrap Top II, Dili Shorts, and Vaasa Sports Bra, as shown below:

First of all the Dili shorts are great – they have a think waistband so they don’t cut in to your sides, although I do roll mine down in the front (it’s a habit I have).  They stay put on your legs and are super comfortable – I love the side cinch that you can use to shorten them a little – and the color is fantastic!

 The Vaasa Sports Bra is without a doubt my new favorite bra – it is also incredibly comfortable and the bask design is awesome!  I am a sucker for strappy back on sports bras and shirts, so as soon as I saw this on their website I knew I needed it.  It offers just the right amount of support for my training, without making me feel claustrophobic like some sports bras do..

And the Aruba Wrap Top II, OMG!  I am obsessed.  I have worn this thing constantly since I got it and it is becoming my new favorite top for just about any occasion.  I wore it to the NPC Eastern Seaboard last weekend which was the first time I wore it and I got so many compliments!

I remember eyeing this shirt the first time it came up for sale, but I waited too long and it sold out – as soon as I saw it was back I knew I had to jump on the opportunity ASAP.  The fabric is super soft and comfortable, and the fit is amazing.  I haven’t worked out in it yet, but I have basically lived in it everywhere else and love it!

I highly recommend Fabletics as a great source for workout clothes that are so much more – coming from the girl who lives in gym clothes, it’s nice to have cute options that work both in and outside the gym.  If you’re in the mood to do some shopping, be sure to check them out!

You Can't Wait Until You Think You're Ready..

“How do you know you're ready? Let me tell you something... You don't. 

As I'm lying here in the dark, alone in the gym and thinking about the next 18 weeks, I know this... You won't find answers anywhere. It's not written in any book. There's no guide. Nobody's gonna tell you it's time. Only one person will know... You. You just got to want it bad enough. Maybe one day you'll wake up and you'll know today's the day and you start your own journey. Just remember this... Making the decision to venture into the unknown, into uncharted territory—that's the hard part. You get over that, and your future will open up. Destiny will be within your grasp. That doesn't mean things will get any easier. Fuck no, they won't. But just getting to the edge, being able to look over–that's why I'm here.

Listen, you can't wait until you think you're ready. I got news for you—you'll never be ready. You'll never be big enough. You'll never be lean enough. Your lagging parts will never catch up quick enough. So if you waited for that time when you thought you might be ready, you'd never step up. And if you don't step up, you're not in the game. I'm in the game. I'm gonna look and see what's on the other side...”

–Wrath.

I love that quote – from Animal’s 'The Journey'.  It’s a good read for any competitor, but more than that it’s a good read for anyone at all.  It’s about hard work, dedication, motivation – about knowing what your priorities are and sticking to them.  About chasing your dreams and not letting anything stand in your way.

I used to read this over and over when I was competing – I had print-outs hanging on my wall, my fridge, basically everywhere.  But after my last show it fell to the back of my mind and I kind of forgot about it.  I’m not sure what reminded me today, but I’m glad it did.  I am not competing in July, due to a lot of really exciting and at the same time kind of scary life changes that are coming this summer – I’m not really at liberty to say much right now, but I will when I can.

That doesn’t matter though, I’m glad I read this as a non-competitor.  It made me think about a lot, made me remember my passion and my drive.  Life is too short not to chase your dreams – and I urge you all to do the same.

Competitor or not, if you have some free time (it’s not long, I promise) check out The Journey.  Let me know what you think.  What are your biggest, scariest dreams? And are you doing everything in your power to make them come true?

Bi-Weekly Check-in (5/5) and Posing Practice!

I was really eager to do my bi-weekly check in this week, in hopes of finally gaining some weight back after our recent trip to the coast, but alas I am down 3 more pounds...  It's really making me think I should definitely get on stage in July - I am leaning out so effortlessly that I think I could get through a prep without too much stress.

That being said, I started posing again.  No decisions have been made just yet but since competing has been such a constant thought lately I figured I should go with it for now and just see what happens.. No promises, no commitments, just kinda-sorta prepping but not really? Does that even make sense?

This is my third posing session - I spared everyone the first (it was rough), and I posted a brief clip of the second on Instagram, but the third time was definitely the charm!  Please excuse the awful music choice - it was first time making a video and apparently this is the only song I had to choose from - I will fix that before the next one though I promise!

Ok, now that that's out of the way on to my bi-weekly..

As I said, I am down 3 pounds and lost a little bit of size around my calves, quads, and biceps.  Losing size around my quads is really upsetting to me, since I work so hard to try to gain size there.  I guess I really need to start looking at my training and figure out what I can change to hopefully see some results - but then again if I do decide to get on stage I guess the gains will have to wait!  Decisions, decisions...

This week's measurements:
Calf: 14.5 inches
Quad: 22 inches
Hips: 35.5 inches
Waist: 26 inches
Forearm: 11 inches
Bicep: 13 inches
Weight: 126.8

Last check-in (4/20):

What I ate... (Sunday 5/3)

I'm back for another round of WIAW!  Thanks, as always, for hosting, Jenn Laura!

Yesterday (Sunday) was a random day of eating for me, everything started off pretty normal with my usual egg white pizza and some peanut butter oatmeal...

Recycled picture, but you get the idea..

I've had a lot of people ask me what I do with my yolks since I only buy whole eggs - they go to the dogs!  Egg yolks are full of nutrients and are great for their coats - plus they are a cheap way to bump up the calorie count of their dry food, and they absolutely love them!  Lily is still on a diet so she only gets 2, but Miss Bella desperately needs to gain some weight so she gets the rest!

 I spent the next few hours doing my weekly meal prep and doing some chores around the house (my usual Sunday routine - super exciting!).  My next meal is where things got weird - in preparation for an epic leg day, I had some Ben & Jerry's PB Half Baked and 2 scoops of Cellucor whey protein. And by 'some' Ben & Jerry's I mean the whole pint, obviously...  This is a limited edition flavor and is my current favorite - I hope they keep it around!

Pre-workout meal of champions!

I drank some C4 about an hour after my pre-workout feast and headed to the gym for a 2 hour leg day!  I guess between the C4, ice cream, and it having been well over a week since I had a quality leg lift I was just ready to go in there and kill it!

I followed my lift with 2 more scoops of Cellucor Whey (unpictured) to try to keep my muscles fed and provide them with the protein necessary to recover properly.  I love Cellucor's products - they have been a favorite of mine for years! If you want to try some for yourself, you can use code NBLYFIT at checkout (only through Cellucor's website) for 25% off your entire order!  The code never expires, so feel free to use it as often as you'd like!  Plus, if you give them your email address you will also get free shipping - that's tough to beat!

I went home and had some work to do on the computer, and enjoyed an Isopure drink while I hammered out some inventories - these are pretty expensive so I don't drink them often, but after all that ice cream earlier my appetite wasn't quite back yet, and I knew I needed some more protein so this worked out perfectly!  This has no fat or carbs - and no weird stuff in it - just protein!  The flavor is really good too and it doesn't weigh you down like some protein shakes can.

A couple hours later I finally got hungry again - I made a dinner consisting of brown rice, peas, chicken, and goat cheese, eaten tupperware style.

Hi, Lil!

And thats it - thanks to proper planning and utilizing IIFYM, my daily total was only 3014 calories (98 fat, 241 carbs, 274 protein) - not too shabby considering almost 1200 of those calories came from ice cream!  Hopefully it will help me gain some weight (spoiler alert - it didn't).  Check back tomorrow for a bi-weekly update and a sneak peak of my most recent posing practice (it's been almost 2 years since I've had posing practice - it was... interesting.).

Bi-Weekly Check-in (4/21/15) and Thoughts on The Pill (hormonal birth control and fitness).

If you remember from my last check in, I made some diet/training changes in hopes of stopping this trend of dropping weight that I seem to have found myself on... The verdict is in, and I am down another pound.  Not what I was hoping to see, to be honest, BUT when I took my measurements I was pleasantly surprised.

Calf: 15 inches

Quad: 22.25 inches

Hips: 35.5 inches

Waist: 26 inches

Forearm: 11 inches

Bicep: 13.5 inches

Weight: 129.8

4/20

Previous check in (4/7):

4/7

Unfortunately, I lost another quarter inch around my quad.  BUT I was actually able to put a quarter inch on my bicep and half an inch on my calves!  The growth in my calves is huge for me - I have been battling sesamoiditis in my left foot for over 6 months, and have not been able to do any typical "calf-isolating" exercises.  Luckily, this is just proof that you don't necessarily have to isolate calves in order to see improvement - my heavy squats seem to be taking care of that for me!  Now, some people (especially if your calves are a lagging bodypart) will find that isolating them specifically during training will be a huge help, luckily my calves have always been a genetic strength of mine, so I can get by without isolating them.

I also lost half an inch around my waist, which you will not hear me complain about!  This is the smallest my waist has been in 2 years (since my last show) - and I have to say I'm shocked.  Overall this is the leanest I have ever been without being in active show prep - and to be honest I haven't really been trying very hard.  I watch what I eat (for the most part), do minimal cardio, and lift heavy...  

Really, the only thing I can credit this to, besides 6 years of training, is finally getting off "the Pill".  Since I got off the Pill in January of last year, I have noticed incredible changes not only to my body, but to my hair (I had previously been losing a LOT of hair on a daily basis, which some people attribute to the hormones in birth control), and my mental health (the excess estrogen from the Pill was literally making me bat shit crazy).  I am not a doctor (obviously), but I can tell you from personal experience that coming off hormonal birth control and switching to an IUD was the best decision I have ever made.  If you are having issues that can be attributed to the Pill, it may be worth having a talk with your doctor about other options.

I'm sure there are many women in the situation I was in last year when I made the switch - if this is something you'd be interested in, I could absolutely dedicate a post to my experiences, and the changes I have noticed since switching to an IUD.

Anyway, now that I have gone off on a tangent, back to the subject at hand...

I do not plan on making any changes to my diet just yet - we will be taking a long weekend trip to see John's parents this weekend so I'm sure I will make up for some of my weight loss while we're there - but after that I am going to really take a look at my meal plan and training schedule to narrow down where I need to make some changes to meet my goals.  

I have been tossing around the idea of competing in just under 12 weeks - so I need to make a decision on that as well, because if that's the case it will obviously effect what changes I make to my diet and training schedule.  I am seriously considering doing the NPC GA in July - it's been a very long 2 years since the last time I got on stage, and I am really itching to get back up there.

My leanest 'off-season' ever!

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What I ate... (Tuesday, 4/14)

Since my WIAW posts are usually WIAS(Saturday or Sunday), I figured I’d do one today showing my meals on a weekday instead – typically my weekday eats are the same all week – the only thing that will change is the post workout meal (depending if it is a day off or not) and my dinner.  I like keeping my weeks structured because it makes my life easier (less thought = easier in my world) and by keeping my meals a little “cleaner” during the week, I can afford to slide a little more on weekends without suffering too many consequences.

I wanted to make this kind of a “day in the life” post too – I love reading other about other people’s days so maybe someone out there wants to read about mine? Maybe? Well, here it is anyway:

5:30 AM wake-up call!  I actually set 2 alarms prior to this (5 and 5:15) but 5:30 is usually the winner – sometimes 5:45 if I’m feeling really risky.  I get up and get ready for my day – wash my face, get dressed, straighten my hair, grab my meals from the fridge (thank God for Sunday meal prep – I could never prep my meals everyday – kudos if you do though!), and wake the Princess up to go out before I leave for the day.

If she had a choice, she would not move from this bed for 23 hours out of the day...

 6:30 AM out the door.  It takes me about an hour to get to work, so I have to be out the door no later than 6:30…

7:30 AM arrive at work - turn on my computer, dread opening my emails, and get on with my day.

8:30 AM breakfast!  During the week I don’t eat breakfast first thing in the morning, I usually don’t have an appetite at 5:30 or the patience to make food – 8:30 is a good time for me, gives me a chance to fully wake up and actually get hungry before I force down a meal.  Breakfast during the week is not typical: tuna, brown rice, and peas – with Roasted Red Pepper Italian Dressing.

Noon  lunch!  My second meal of the day is broccoli, more brown rice, chicken, and Roasted Red Pepper Italian Dressing (I love that stuff).

2 PM  we usually try to take a walk sometime around 2 – we walk for half an hour or so around the site – it is a great break after having been in the office for 6 ½ hours already, and from spending most of that time sitting in front of a computer.

3:30 PM my third meal of the day is my pre-workout meal, eaten about 2 hours before I will start lifting.  Chicken, sweet potatoes, parmesan cheese, topped with Sriracha sauce – this is my absolute favorite meal of the day.

4 PM leave work, head to the gym.  I have another hour drive ahead of me, so I won’t get to the gym until right about 5.  I drink my pre-workout on the way, usually around 4:45.

5 PM arrive at the gym – change into my workout clothes, and lift!  Yesterday was shoulders and some ab work – my workout lasted about an hour and a half and immediately after I was done I drank my post-workout shake: Cellucor Corperformance Whey & pure Dextrose Powder.

Dextrose (aka glucose) is a simple sugar that is easily and quickly absorbed by the body, making it a great post workout choice – it helps to replenish glucose lost during exercise so that your muscles can recover and GROW.

7 PM I am finally home!  I hang out with John and Lily for a few minutes before I run upstairs to shower – then I either spend the next couple hours doing chores, or lounging around with my man and the princess.  Last night in particular I spent most of my time making sure John was OK – he came down with the flu and it hit him pretty hard, poor guy :(

Around 9:30 PM I eat my final meal of the day – eggs!  I love having breakfast foods for dinner, and dinner foods for breakfast – is that weird?  My last meal of the day varies during the week and will usually be something I make for John and I, but anytime he isn’t hungry (like last night, since he was sick) or if he is working, I make myself eggs for dinner.  I love this meal so much!  6 egg whites, 2 whole eggs, cheddar cheese, sugar free ketchup, toast, spray butter, and jelly.

And that’s a “day in the life” and WIAW - for yesterday.  I really enjoy doing reading these from other people, and I think they’re fun to do myself, so look forward to seeing them a couple times a month!  Thanks again for hosting, Jenn!

Oh, and before I go (if you follow me on IG or Twitter you probably already saw this), this happened a few days ago... And MAY lead to more things happening, in 12ish weeks...

Bi-Weekly Check-in 4/8/15

Time for another bi-weekly check-in!

I have actually lost weight, again... My overall calories haven't changed in the past 2 weeks, which most likely means my metabolism is still speeding up (something I have been actively working on for a few years now).  That is GREAT news, but also means that I need to adjust and compensate if I want to continue to add size.  I lost 1/4 inch on my quads, and 1/2 an inch around my ass - not cool. Those are 2 areas I have been working REALLY hard to gain some size on.

My strategy for the next 2 weeks is going to be more food - I am adding straight dextrose (a form of sugar) to my post workout shake - and I'm going to try to add more carbs in to other meals as well.  My protein and fat intake is already high, so I don't think I really need to add anything there.  But carbs are muscles best friends!  Carbs will keep them full and growing!

Also, I am going to cut back on cardio (again).. I don't do much as it is, only 8 minutes a few days a week, but I do tend to lift at a fairly quick pace which keeps my heart rate elevated and leads to burning more calories than lifting at a generally slower pace.  So, I need to start taking a little more rest between sets and possibly cutting back the supersets a little.

With those changes, we'll see where I'm at in 2 weeks and go from there.  This is why I think check-ins are so important, no matter what your goal is, they give you a chance to see how you are progressing and change your approach if necessary.  I think 2 weeks is a fair amount of time to use as a check point - weighing and measuring yourself more often than that can be counter productive (depending on your goals - once a week is good for those in contest prep or those looking to drop significant amounts of fat).  I have to note that I DO weigh myself, but I don't really use that number to determine my progress - I use the pictures and the measurements for that because weight only tells part of the story.

4-7

Measurements from yesterday (4-7):
Calf:  14.5 inches
Quad: 22.5 inches
Hips: 35.5 inches
Waist: 26.5 inches
Forearm:  11 inches
Bicep: 13.25 inches
Weight: 131

Previous check-in:

3-24