Weekly Recap
This week I really buckled down and got serious!
I confessed my Torchy’s taco and Girl Scout cookie to my trainer. He was disappointed but laughed that I only ate ONE cookie and not the entire sleeve. He reminded me that this is the point in prep that cravings will arise and that mental strength is important.
I thought those indulgences would hinder my progress, but he said I did indeed look better this week than I did the week before. He also said he’s excited about my future progress if I can maintain self-discipline and determination.
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My friend that offered to loan me her bikini dropped it off at the gym after my training session. I went into the bathroom to try it on, took it out of the bag, and thought, “Whoa! My 3-year old’s underwear has more fabric on it!” I felt a little silly trying it on with sneakers, but pretty sure it will be more flattering in heels! The suit is so tiny and I’m still very self-conscious in it, but my coach said he’s confident I’ll look great in it on stage.
On Saturday, I went to a posing clinic with my posing coach and 5 other ladies. I did my workout nice and early then went to Drybar for a blowout. It was fun to get dressed up in my bikini with pretty hair just like I’ll do on show day (haha the only thing missing was a tan!). It was a little intimidating at first to see how great all the other ladies look, but we were all beginners so it was fun to get to know them, find out their story and why they decided to compete and hear the struggles of other competitors too. Another girl will even be in the same show I’m competing in! She’s the first person I’ve met that will also be competing there so I’m excited I’ll know at least one other person.
I got my plan for next week and the cut starts next week. I’ve been slowly buidling up my calorie and carbohydrate intake but now that will start to decrease. My average caloric intake has been around 2050-2100 calories but next week that will drop to about 1900.
Because my baby will be 1 in April (and we’re going on a 2 week kid-free vacation in May!), I’m starting the breastfeeding weaning process and have cut out one pumping session a day at work. Part of me is sad to wean, but I know it has to happen at some point. But another part of me is so excited to be done with washing all those pump pieces after work, storing and thawing milk each day, and not having to wake up extra early to pump before working out in the morning.
A few weeks ago, I saw Fit Crunch bars at Costco and bought a box. I kept seeing them all over Instagram so when I finally saw them at Costco (and on sale!) I knew I needed to try them. They are AMAZING!… SO good! It’s a protein bar but tastes more like a candy bar with 6 layers crunchy cookie, smooth peanut butter, and chocolate-y goodness! They were on sale for $5 dollars off through today so I went back and stocked up! I think I’m set for the next few months😂😂 These have been my go-to bedtime snack for the last week and totally satisfy my sweets cravings while still being macro-friendly! 190 calories, 16g protein, 14g carbs, and 8g fat
Progress
Bikini Training Program
- Strength x 6 (ugh! Mostly 4 sets per exercise)
- Cardio x 5 (35 minutes steady state)
Strength Training
Monday: Quads/Hamstrings with trainer (late morning)
Tuesday: Back/Rear Delts (late morning)
Wednesday: AM Legs
Thursday: AM Arms/Ab
Friday: PM Back/Glutes/Abs
Saturday: AM Chest/Anterior Delts
Sunday: Rest
Cardio
Monday: AM 28 minutes outdoor run Aaptiv In The Name of the Run
Tuesday: AM 12-minute run to/from Stroller Barre, Aaptiv XOXO, Intervals + runs during class
Wednesday: 35 minutes incline treadmill walk Aaptiv Faster than Yesterday
Thursday: 35 minutes elliptical Aaptiv Power Female Push
Friday: 35 minutes treadmill run Aaptiv Pop 2K Push (one of my favorites!!)
Saturday: 2 Aaptiv outdoor runs 16 minutes Oops…I Sprinted Again and 20 minutes Beat Drop, Won’t Stop
Sunday: Rest
Never heard of Aaptiv? It’s an AMAZING app and pretty much the only way I can do this much cardio! They advertise it as “on-demand audio fitness that combines the guidance of a trainer with the perfect playlist to give you a fresh way to work out.” They have hundreds of workouts for outdoor running or walking, treadmill, elliptical, stairclimber, cycling, race training, yoga, strength training, and meditation. I used to hate cardio, but this app is so motivating with a trainer in your ear telling you exactly what to do and encouraging you along the way!
Want to try Aaptiv FREE for 30 days? Try it HERE!
Meal Plan
No big changes this week, but the cut starts next week. My daily intake will drop about 200 calories.
Here’s what a typical day of eating looks like for me (please keep in mind that this meal plan customized for MY specific dietary needs for my height, weight, workout intensity, AND my caloric needs for breastfeeding). This may not be appropriate for you.
Pre-Workout 4:30 am
1 slice Ezekiel bread French toast with almond butter
Post-Workout 6:15 am
Milk Drunk Salted Caramel blended with iced coffee/unsweetened almond milk
AM Snack 8:00 am
5 Egg whites, spinach, red onion (baked into a casserole) + half avocado
1/4 cup (dry) oatmeal + ½ cup blueberries + ½ oz chopped walnuts
Lunch 11:30 am
Green salad
4 oz. grilled chicken
4 oz. sweet potato
PM Snack 3:00 pm
Greek yogurt, chopped apple, cinnamon, 1 Tbs peanut butter, and 1 Tbs chopped walnuts
Dinner 6:00 pm
4.5 oz. salmon or sirloin
3/4 cup brown rice
1 cup asparagus
Bedtime Snack 8:15
Fit Crunch protein bar (these are amazing! I look forward to it every night!)
Journey to the Stage: Bikini Competition Series
If you missed any of my Journey to the Stage bikini competition prep posts, you can get all caught up here:
So impressive. I dont have the will power to even lose a few pounds let alone stick to such a rigid regime.
Thanks Nadine! Luckily the rigidity is time-limited, I’d never be able to keep this up as a lifestyle. While I’ve enjoyed this journey, I’m definitely looking forward to transitioning back to a more balanced healthy lifestyle (with the occasional cookie and glass of wine!). Thanks for stopping by!
So awesome to read about your journey! You look incredible. I love seeing your training schedule and eating plan — I think so many people focus on cutting things OUT to lose weight, but it’s nice to see such a healthy, balanced meal plan. I definitely want to look into the Aaptiv app! Best of luck over your next few weeks!
Thank you Rose! I was also surprised to see how much I could eat and still slim down. You should try Aaptiv! Warning: I tried their free trial 2 years ago with every intention to take advantage of the free month and cancel before I had to pay… well I enjoyed the variety of workouts so much and found the trainers really motivating so I ended up purchasing the annual membership! Now I tell EVERYONE about it!