Beating myself up over Super Bowl Sunday, but still made progress! + Show info...mark your calendars!

So, yeah I splurged on Super Bowl Sunday.  I used it as an excuse and told myself "You have 10 weeks left, last chance ...enjoy...you have time!"  Well, I did enjoy that jar (and part of a 2nd) of Apple Pie Moonshine!  But with alcohol comes bad decisions... luckily there wasn't a whole kitchen full of bad foods, but I did manage to eat a little bag of M&M's and a little bag of cookies that Kaleb had in his room from Christmas, some Ritz crackers with PB, and graham crackers w/Nutella. Yeah, I've done a lot worse, but still, I am committed and just the fact that I allowed myself to give in to temptation, and then go overboard.  Just was (am still) disappointed ... and then getting back on the scale the next day and seeing that 150 again, after finally hitting 145, which was a milestone.  Yes, most of it was water (I didn't "gain" 5 lbs in one evening, I know this). Yes, I'll work it off... but I just felt like I undid a whole week's worth of progress.  And I've been working so hard.... Maybe it was the alcohol. Maybe I was craving carbs (or calories in general). More than likely it was my addictive, compulsive over-eating brain just being stupid.  BUT... it's over.And I did learn from it too... NO MORE CHEATING!  I learned my lesson.

New day. New week.  Consider it a refeed. Moving on.

I AM glad to be able to say, however, that I still managed to drop a percentage of body fat (0.99% actually)! I'll take it.  I had my goal for this week set for 14.5%, and I am at 14.68, so with the Sunday Setback, I'm happy with that.  And I lost another inch from my waist, so total of 3 inches off my waist since Jan 1, and down 5.31% body fat!  It still seems crazy to me that I can say that I lost 16 pounds last month!
 
As my (possibly soon-to-be) new online coach will remind me, it's not all about the numbers.  Body fat, no matter how it's measured, is never exact (even the Bod Pod), and it's more important how I look, feel, etc ... I know that no one is going to come out on stage and measure my body fat. And that it's not necessarily the person with the lowest body fat that wins.  And on that note, I don't even need to win... I just want to do it, look good doing it, and be proud of my accomplishment, and not have people think "why is she up there?"  So yeah, my weekly body fat and measurements are more of an accountability tool and just help me gauge things so I know how to adjust.  But still, it's definitely more about the accountability.

Between the refeeds I've had (@ 2100-2300 calories, except Sunday was more than that!) I did actually manage to gain some lean body mass and still decrease fat!  (Who says recomposition is difficult/impossible? Maybe moonshine is the trick!)  I'm making my decision about who to use as my nutrition/training coach by this Friday... the one guy is in NC, but I really like his philosophies and that he wants to design a program that is suited to work for me and my lifestyle, and the amount of time he invests in each client and high level of availability/communication ... and he seems very knowledgeable, and has already given me some advice, although he didn't have to.  He told me that he thought 1500-1600 seemed low for me, to still be 10 weeks out, and apparently he was right, seeing as how I raided my son's room for M&M's & cookies!  

My other options are either 1) a local trainer that I know is a successful trainer and bodybuilder himself, I know some people that have used him/are using him, but I have mixed feelings about some of the advice he's given them...  or 2) Point Blank Nutrition has coaching available as well, but I don't know much about them yet until I have my free consultation this week.  I know NC guy is most expensive, but if Point Blank is going to put my numbers, etc into a computer program and have it spit out a diet and training program, and check in weekly or biweekly ... I'm looking for a little more personalization than that. 

The reason I'm turning to a coach now is because I'm coming up on my 8-week mark...CRUNCH TIME!  Even though I'm still making progress, I am a newbie and I don't know exactly where I should be each week, what my calories/macros should be, I don't know all the "tricks" to do towards the end, etc.  Not to mention my weird third shift job and crazy schedule with the kids, 4 jobs, and teaching classes, and really only having 3 days a week to devote to my lifting.  I'm going to have to get creative, and honestly I would rather pay someone that knows what they're doing to figure it out for me and tell me exactly what to do.  My brain hurts, and I don't have the time to do it anymore.  Unless Point Blank has some seriously educated/experienced trainers that can take my schedule, etc and personalize a program that fits me and only me, than NC guy it is.  Oh wait...I do have an option 3) too... girl that used to do shows and now is a trainer and I just remembered that I have her number.... ok I have some homework to do this week...... I'll decide by Friday! 

Until Coach sets my new calories/macros for me, I'm going to be between 1500-1700 cals/day, with one refeed this week.  Each day is different for me depending on work/lifting/classes/kids/sleep, so that's why there's a range there. Some days might even hit 1800.  I eat every 2-3 hours when I am hungry. I'm only eating lean protein (chicken/egg whites/lean steak/powder), fibrous veggies (spinach/asparagus/broccoli/carrots/bell peppers), occasional starchy carbs (oatmeal/sweet potatoes) around training, and healthy fats (avocados/almonds) and I do still have a Quest bar as pre-workout if needed.  The only fruits or dairy I have is my cottage cheese and pineapple, and very occasionally a banana @ a workout if I need the carbs.  My macros have consistently been in range (40-50% protein/25-30% carbs / 25-30% fat). But I listen to my body... Yesterday I did cardio, lifted heavy, and taught Combat & CX.  I needed more carbs...I could just tell. My calories were actually under goal, but carbs were higher. Because that's what I needed.  And I need a coach that understands that, so we'll see what happens!


Not a huge drop from last week to this week, but progress nonetheless.  Here are 9-week out progress pics.  I threw in a pic from May (my birthday party on Cinco de Mayo) and I guess since I have been taking so many recent pics so often, I didn't realize the dramatic difference from then until now until I look at some older pics!

 

I can't seem to get a good shoulder pic... oh well.  Next week I will have pics of me actually doing my poses (and hopefully a lot better than the first ones!)  Starting to get my routine put together too!  Woo hoo!

Alright folks...wish me luck this week and Monday especially.  I work 7p-7a Sunday-Monday, take kids to school at 8, teach BodyPump at 9:30a, lunch with girls at 11, posing practice at 12:30 ... I'll be awake for roughly 24-hours, but I've done it before I suppose.  

Also, I want to thank all the people that have complimented/commented/thanked me for this blog, and just voiced their appreciation for what I'm doing.  I feel stupid every time I click the "Publish" button thinking all kinds of things that people may be thinking about why I'm doing what I'm doing... but then I get  very welcoming feedback and appreciation from y'all that makes me so glad that I'm sharing this experience with you, and that you are inspired and motivated from my willingness to put myself out there.  So thank you!


Last thing....anyone interested in attending the show, here's the info!  

Saturday April 12th
Beech Grove High School ~ 5330 Hornet Ave ~ Beech Grove, IN 46107
Finals will take place at 5pm (doors open 30 minutes prior)
Tickets $20 each, cash-only at the door (advance tickets call 317-538-9662)
(Pre-judging is at 10am for $10 also)

We WILL be partying afterwards!