Expectations

Oh expectations, how you like to ruin me.  Remember when I said I was going to blog several times per week?  I even did it for a week or two.  I also was all gung-ho on keto.  I did that for a little over a week before tweaking my diet (still clean) to keep me sane.  When signing up for the Phil Heath, I said I wanted to do several shows this season.  As of now, I don't have any shows on the horizon.  At the start of each week, I have lofty aspirations of having an immaculate house by the end of the week...we all know that that has probably NEVER happened.  See a pattern here?  I set these expectations in the disguise of a goal quite often.  I would venture to say I'm not alone in this process.  To what degree you set these "goals" for yourself, I'm not sure.  I know that I shouldn't feel bad when things don't pan out the way I planned, but isn't that human nature?  Maybe it's the control freak in me...

I'm transitioning out of comp-mode with my eating and workouts, still.  I'd brainwashed myself that if I don't do/eat XYZ, then I'm not successful that day.  Lies, they're all lies.  Slowly, I'm changing that mode of thinking.  I've become a big fan of the "if it fits your macros" or as some half-jokingly call it - "if it fits your mouth".  IIFYM or flexible dieting is all about finding that sweet spot of balance.  There's nothing you can't have.  I am a HUGE fan of My Fitness Pal and use their app on my phone all day long.  It's the only way I can make sure I'm staying in my calorie range and percentages.  I've customized it for myself and play around with my percentages based on not only my goals, but how I'm feeling that day.  Am I run down because I stayed up past midnight on Pinterest?  I'll allow myself more carbs that day.  Am I feeling bloated because I ate chips and salsa the other night?  Bye bye carbs.  I typically stay in the range of 30-40% carbs, and split the remainder between protein and fat.  No need to count sugar for me as it all translates back to carbs.  I've also pretty much cut out all my fake sugars.  They weren't being very nice to my body anyway.

Ok, so now that summer is quickly approaching, and for me that means kiddos are out of school...I needed to start planning what my summer routine will look like.  *I had a friend joke about her making a 30/60/90 day plan for her family...but I guess that's kinda what I'm doing, isn't it?!*  In a perfect world, I would be lounging by the pool while the girls played and I wouldn't have to worry about them drowning or the pile of laundry waiting at home.  A girl can dream, right?  Instead, I know they will require me getting in the water with them.  This will be the perfect time to use them as little water weights and do some laps around the pool.  The park will also be a great place to get some plyos and HIIT in.  I'm planning on (without huge expectations put upon myself) doing this 12 minute AMRAP - as many rounds as possible - this evening from Kama Fitness :  

Whatever your goals are, set mini goals along the way.  No one is going to fault you for things not happening on an exact timeline.  Treat each day like a new day.  God willing, you get to wake up each morning and start over.  Maybe you had a kick-ass day the day prior, that doesn't necessarily mean today will be the same...it could be even more amazing or a complete let-down.  Pick your battles with yourself and above all else, just keep going.  Set your intentions and move forward!!  

Are YOU hungry for a change?

Sugar is bad, mkay?  If you know a smoker or have ever been a smoker, you know how bad breaking that addiction can be.  Sugar is the same way and you know what...it's in EVERYTHING!  Well, it's in everything that's in a box or can on a shelf.  I'm sure there are a few things here and there that don't contain it, no need to call me out, I'm just making a point. ;)  It's the food industry's way of keeping us coming back for more like crazy sugar zombies.  

Watching Hungry for a Change today was pretty enlightening.  I've always been a proponent for clean and healthy eating, but there were plenty of science based statements that I know I'll carry with me forever.  Bye bye diet sodas, bye bye crazy (albeit sometimes delicious) sugary foods.  I don't need your crazy chemicals.  I truly believe that I can change not just how I look, but how I feel and how my body ages.  I want to feel and look young for-ev-er.  (catch that Sandlot reference?)

Once you understand that sugar is a drug, just like cocaine/weed/alcohol/meth, the better off you'll be.  It's addictive!  We're all probably addicted, if you're not, congrats!!  I am the first to admit that I have a sugar problem.  My sweet tooth is HUGE.  I'm not saying I will never ever put sugar in my mouth again.  Will it be a daily thing?  Hell to the no.  Weekly, maybe.  I'd like it to be even less often than that.  I've done it before, I can do it again.  There's plenty of ways to have a treat without compromising my health.  Seen those recipes on Pinterest for Avocado Chocolate Pudding or Sweet Potato Brownies? Yah.  Delish. 

Bread, pasta, soda, candy, chips, and ANYTHING processed has sugar in it.  Do yourself a favor and start eating real, whole foods.  Real food is delicious.  Very few Americans are eating real foods, we're eating food-like substances.  Don't just eat to look good, eat to feel good.  The looking good part will follow.  Eat to live.  Eat to nourish your body and soul.  Cheetos, though yummy, do not nourish your soul.  Mac & cheese used to be my drug comfort food.  Right now, I get that "ahhh" feeling from my brown rice and lean meat.  Tonight, I got that same feeling from my trusty baked chicken, asparagus, and sweet potato with a sprinkle of cinnamon.  

What's the easiest way to avoid sugar?  Don't buy it.  Shop the perimeter of a grocery store.  Fresh veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, lean meats.  Better yet, find a co-op, grow a garden, shop local.  Two of my favorite quotes from Hungry for a Change was the tip of not thinking "I CAN'T EAT THAT" but "I can, but I DON'T WANT TO" and "People are overfed and undernourished".   Watch the first part of the movie here.

A scary fact was that a lot of the chemicals we're exposed to in our food are lipophilic (fat loving).  So here we are, sweating and trying to burn fat.  Unfortunately, we're not riding our toxins that have built up.  What can help?  Chlorophyll, think parsley and cilantro.  Both are great cleansers.  Cilantro detoxes heavy metals (think mercury) and parsley not only freshens breath, but cleanses your entire blood supply.  Make some homemade salsa and BAM you're cleansing!  Just don't dig into said salsa with chips...use it as your dressing on salad or in your morning eggs!  I also love drinking hot lemon water in the morning.  I LOVE coffee, but definitely feel better when I drink my hot lemon water.  I even just use a drop of my Young Living Lemon Oil!  Chia seeds and other gelatinous fibers will bind to those fat loving toxins and sweep them out of your system.  Chia seeds don't just have to grow on your terra cotta head/dog/other strange form from 1980.  You CAN eat them and even drink them!  Weight will come off when you cleanse.  It's more than that though, cleansing your body is like giving your car a tune up, it just runs better.

Try this chia seed recipe:   

Skinny Banana Bread with Chia Seeds

I'll be making a version using almond milk and a gluten free flour. :)  Enjoy!!

OKC Grand Prix - 9 weeks and counting!

When I met with Jeff last, we discussed future shows. I knew at the time that I wasn't ready to be done for the season. He mentioned me trying to get ready for Texas State in October and possibly Oklahoma City Grand Prix at the end of October. He said, "let's shoot for Texas State, see how you are, and make a decision then." That sounded good to me. I even asked him to give me a new menu to hold me over until he had my new plan ready. Let's just say I haven't quite gotten back into a routine yet. My intentions were there...are still there...but my mind just wasn't ready.

Why do we self-sabotage? I know that I don't feel well when I eat crap, so why do I do it? I know that cheeseburgers aren't going to give me more muscle and donuts aren't going to help me burn fat...so why does my mind want them...constantly?! After letting myself gain almost 15lbs back from contest weight, I decided not only was it time to get real, but it was time to get real real quick. I have to hold myself accountable. That's the only downside to not working with a trainer in the gym. What helps me stay accountable is writing. Even if no one reads this, me taking the time to write down my feelings and intentions keeps my mind right. The other biggie is getting back into a routine. I had written about my routines or habits at one point. I need to get back into the groove with them. Cooking larger quantities, grocery shopping on my specific day that I used to, hitting up the gym around the same time...etc etc etc.

Ugh. That reminds me, my workouts have gotten a lot harder. It's like my last group of exercises was the minors and now I've stepped up to the bigs. The first leg program was killer. So much so, that today is the first day since Thursday that I'm not sore. I even had to split it up the day I did it. I only got through the 125 jump squats and 1 set of 50 lunges before my body wanted to stop. At that point, I hopped on the elliptical and chatted with a gym buddy for 30 minutes. Later that night, I was back up there...I even had Shane time me when I did my sprints. I'm not sure exactly what got me, but I had some serious soreness. Needless to say, that sidelined me for the rest of the week. I got my yoga in, but didn't lift again.

I have gone to bed every night for the last 4 days saying, "ok, back on track tomorrow." and have yet to stay on track. I think it's the "I'll start my diet tomorrow" syndrome. I know way too many people that do that...and now, myself included. Well, tomorrow IS when I will be back on track. I have my day planned out in my mind and have even prepped food for tomorrow. Part of what will make it easier is Shane is starting his meal plan that Jeff wrote for him tomorrow. I took a look at it, and it's legit. I'm a little jealous of his 2 allotted cheat meals, but then again, he's not trying to get on stage in 9 weeks.

I can do this. I know I can, and maybe that's why I've been slacking. Well, no more slacking. Tomorrow starts Tricia's road to a first place victory!! I think I can, I think I can, I know I can, I know I can!

Food Bender

Lunch today marked the end of my weekend...almost week long...bender. I knew things were getting bad when after feeling like crap all day from food the day before, I decided to eat Wendy's for dinner. It really didn't even taste good, but I kept eating it. What was wrong with me?! When Zoe made her sign for "want" and pointed to my french fries (yah, I got a combo) I quickly hid them. Why was it ok for me to eat it, but not her? Everything I had eaten for months prior, I was happy to share...except for the end when I needed and wanted every little ounce of food that was on my plate.

I met with my coach, Jeff, today to talk and plan my next show. Despite how hard it seemed sometimes, I really enjoyed the whole process. I want to do more. I want to compete in at least one national show. Just to see where it could go. Most national shows are out of state and it would be a fun reason to jet off for the weekend. Jeff asked me some different questions about how I was feeling and what I thought of the show. I shrugged at how I was feeling. "I'm ready to be back on a plan. I didn't know what to do when I didn't have to follow a certain routine." He laughed at me saying that I didn't know what to eat for breakfast on Monday morning. Shane had told me, "whatever you want babe." I just knew I didn't want egg whites.

Jeff said the hardest part for competitors is the post-show time. Transition is hard for just about everyone, no matter what they're transitioning to or from. Add food to that, and you're setting yourself up for one crazy ride. I'm still recovering from my bender. Stomachache, headache, lack of energy...the list goes on. I just can't help but think, "did I always feel like this?" I don't think I did, but I definitely didn't feel as good as I did when I was eating clean. I'm ready to get back into the gym (haven't set foot in it since Thursday) and get back into my food groove. I have some muscle to put on in the next two months and am ready to kick some butt!!

My next comp is going to be either Texas State or a show in Oklahoma...or both! I will know that for this next one, A candy bar or A cookie will suffice for my post-show "binge". No need for entire packages...my stomach and body will thank me. :) Now it's time for lunch: mixed greens salad with water packed tuna and basalmic dressing. Yum!

It's tiiiiime!!

Well, here I am, 5 days out from my FIRST EVER NPC bikini competition!!!

I had been waiting on pins and needles all day today for my email from Jef
f detailing what this week would look like. Every time my phone would go off, I'd excitedly check to see if it was him.Finally, when the email did come, I quickly opened it to read, read, and reread it. I couldn't be more excited about the next 5 days.

I'll make my last official run to the grocery store to grab a few things that are on my menu for the week...PEANUT BUTTER!!! My workouts are going to be fun for me, I'll be hitting up upper body, lower body, then total body. Cardio

every morning when I wake up and then *BAM!* it will be Friday!!!

I can still recall what I felt when I first mentally committed to this show...then how it felt to vocalize it. Now, I'm days away. It's crazy how fast time goes. I know it will be such a good feeling to step on that stage for the very first time. My stomach will be doing flips, just like it did when I practiced my walk on Saturday for Jeff and Greg. I'm really good at picturing things in my mind. This time is a little different because I'm doing something entirely new. I try to picture it bigger than I think it will be, scarier than I expect it to be, and of course me kicking butt.

The email from Jeff included a list of "tips" for the show. It listed a few things I needed to make sure to pack like sheets, a pillowcase, and pedialyte. Three things I would not have thought to bring. I'm guessing the hotel I'll be staying at won't appreciate a body-size spray tan stain and the pedialyte will quickly rehydrate me once I step off that stage.

Time to eat my egg whites and hit the sheets. I have cardio to do when I wake up! Let's do this!!

Hello Mr. Foreman

Dear Foreman Grill,

I know it has been awhile since we last spoke. As I remember, you were non-stick, but tonight you seemed to want to keep half of my yummy fish dinner. I love you, but I think I'm going back to your cousin outside.

Sincerely,

Tricia

I busted out the Foreman tonight because our propane is out. Normally, I like to grill several meals at a time, it saves time and makes it easy to grab. I grilled up some chicken earlier this afternoon, but wanted my fish fresh. I can season things, just need to watch my salt. Tonight was tequila lime with a little bit of lemon pepper. Yummy! Despite it sticking, it was still delish.

As I type this, my eyes are heavy and I'm ready for bed. My mind is a little blank...and based on the above letter, I may or may not be delirious. I'm a little sad I won't get my oatmeal tomorrow morning because of my carb cycle, but I am looking forward to my almonds come lunchtime! :)

Time to eat my eggs and get some rest. Legs tomorrow!

No More Cheats

I got my revised meal plan tonight from Jeff. Not bad, doing another carb cycle again. Last time, it produced some amazing results combined with my increased cardio, so I'm looking forward to it.

At the bottom of the plan, where it normally says what "cheats" I'm allowed, it just said, "NO MORE CHEATS". Boo. I knew this day was looming. It's better that way anyway, it's not like my cheats were really cheats. I was allowed 1 cheat meal on the weekend when we first started. It could be anything I wanted. Anything. Then, it got cut back to 1 clean cheat meal on the weekend. A clean cheat meal consisted of fish or chicken made my someone else along with steamed or grilled veggies made by someone else. I could also have sugarfree/no sugar added froyo...which I savored.

Zoe and I went to Target tonight to pick up a few things for the week. I knew I needed to go tonight before I was too deep into my week. I know I need to stay focused and even told Shane tonight that he would probably need to be the grocery shopper for the next 18 days. It's not so much that I don't trust myself, it's more that I just don't want to see or think about the bad stuff. I do, however, have a running list of things I must have in my goodie bag for post-show pigout. Oreos, anything made by Little Debbie, BREAD...the list has the possibility of becoming endless.

I did receive a tip at this week's posing class: bring a bag of digestive enzymes, Tums/Rolaids, and anything else that might help my tummy from feeling like a bomb went off in it when I do decide to eat "unclean". Right now, I'm debating between a burger, fries, and milkshake from Twisted Root; a feast of salad, endless amount of breadsticks, and pasta from Olive Garden or Maggiano's; or a complete mexican fiesta from MiCo or Uncle Julio's. Maybe I'll hit up all of the above...just which one is first... ;)

Since it is now down to the nitty gritty, I'll warn you in advance that the tone of my blogs might change. You may notice a bit of grumpiness and this is to be expected. I'm starting to get hungry and have been tired for weeks...but this too shall pass! I have been able to handle much more than this, so I know I can do it. Gotta keep that end goal in mind!!!

Egg Whites, Egg Whites, and more Egg Whites...

I officially have 25 days to go until the BIG day. Europa. I have my countdown up on the fridge with my bikini fabric swatch next to it. The fridge isn't the demon that it once was. Before it was where I would find myself if I was bored. Now, it's where I keep my "fuel" and my goals.

I've been going through phases of loving my diet and loathing my diet. Loving it when I see results and feel great with lots of energy. Loathing it when it's someone's birthday and that mean cake taunts me. You know that commercial where the woman is at the supermarket and telling off the cake with the bear sheriff? That's me at a birthday party, baby shower, etc. Both times I've given in. Why? Because I know I can have just a taste...and also, at the time, wasn't 3 weeks from competition. Ha!

This morning while I was trying to choke down my 4 egg whites, I decided to find a way to enjoy them. Before deciding to compete, I would read other girls' blogs about their diet and how boring it was or how sick they were of the food. Well, the only thing I wouldn't care if I ever ate again is egg whites. I have 4 with breakfast and 3 or 4 before bed. Everyday. I'm a little tired of them and so is my mouth. At least at night, I have them hard-boiled with a little bit of mustard added. If I close my eyes, I can convince myself that it's deviled eggs. Breakfast, however, is totally different.

I remembered reading about "protein pancakes" in my Oxygen mag and decided to research to see what exactly was in them. Guess what? Almost exactly what I'm supposed to eat for breakfast! So, my happy little butt went to Central Market today and got some sugar-free maple syrup (which is surprisingly good, even Shane liked it!) and will be experimenting with my own version of protein pancakes in the morning. Fingers crossed that they are as good as I'm picturing them to be. Heck, anything will be better than what I'm trying to eat right now!

Now, I need to go eat my fish and salad. That I actually look forward to! :)

The princess and the "pea"nut butter

28 days and counting!

I know that my diet is getting more and more strict, but my dream last night still makes me laugh. It was very vivid, I had just posed for Jeff and was meeting him in his office to discuss the upcoming weeks. He told me that I needed to start eating a lot of peanut butter because I really needed to start putting on muscle.

When I woke up in the morning, I smiled and thought, "man, I wish that had been real". It was my first food dream, first of many, I'm sure! It's not like all I can think about is food, I actually do enjoy what I get to eat. Plus, I really like the way it makes me feel...and look! Tonight's dinner was yummy blackened grilled tilapia on top of a salad. It was delish. :)

The only things I do miss are the occasional cheeseburger and of course, cupcakes. However, I don't think I'll go back to eating the "bad stuff" as often as I once did. It seems that once you let yourself slip back, it's a very slippery slope that often leads to lots of indulging rather than the occasional treat.

I weighed in this morning and was surprised to see I had lost another couple pounds. I'm not sure how low my weight will go, I just know I need to get down to about 12% bodyfat. I know that sounds crazy, but it's just for a short period of time. We'll see what happens in the next few weeks!

Hopefully tonight's dreams won't be filled with cupcakes, burgers, or peanut butter...

I need a 26 hour day...

I got home from the gym at 10:15pm. Yup, that's right. I'm at an hour of cardio 6 days/week plus my 4 lift days. Tonight all I had time to squeeze in was cardio. That means upper body tomorrow, yay! :)

Before I hit up the elliptical, I headed to the yoga room to practice my posing. My 5" lucite heels have a new home in my gym bag so I can practice anytime, anywhere! I'm feeling more and more confident strutting my stuff as I see my body transform. It's all in the hips! I keep Jeff's words in my head..."you gotta make it look like you have booty from all directions, it's all about the booty". It's funny to me that so many women work to make their butt smaller and here I am busting mine to make it grow! I have J-Lo envy at the moment. Brook tanned me up earlier today, so my legs looked awesome! Thanks Brook!!!

I had planned on walking Arbor Hills with Zoe earlier today, but when I saw that the temperature was 101, I changed my mind. So, ipod in hand, I trekked it up to the gym. Thankfully, the elliptical has not only a TV on it, but sits in front of 4 big screens. I tend to get bored on the elliptical to I did half there then hopped over to the spin bike. The slightly insane Brian Wilson managed to keep me distracted with his ESPY penguin get-up...that man is an odd duck.

So, now, it's egg-white time washed down with some glutamine and then off to dreamland! Sleep well my friends, tomorrow is another day to achieve your dreams!

I thought eating was the hard part!

As you can see, I haven't been on here in a week. It's stayed on my mind, life has just gotten in the way! I'm about to finish week 2 of my Paleo Diet!! It's been surprisingly easy; the hard part is making time to write about it!

I'm really liking it, the cravings are getting a little bad here and there... I have to just remind myself that this is something I want to follow for years to come, so one or two non-paleo things during the week isn't bad. I've been aiming for 90-95% of my meals to be Paleo. This means out of the 35 "meals" per week that I eat, I can allow myself 2 or 3 meals of decadence. For me that may mean a potato with my steak or chicken...or dessert...or both!

Shane and I had a cheat lunch this past weekend. We went to Uncle Julio's to celebrate my finishing my Master Trainer Level 3 exam...I'm pretty confident that I passed it. We went all out, kind of. The meal started with ceviche royale with fish, scallops, and shrimp. Then we moved onto 4 pork tamales and combo fajitas with flour tortillas, beans, and rice.

After the yummy meal, we were basking in our glutton and like clockwork, hit a wall about 20 minutes later. Man does gluten and dairy slow us down!!

Today I decided to have part of a candy bar that I was craving. I knew that if I just ate a piece of it, I would be satisfied. Otherwise, my mind would have kept me thinking about it all night. Well, I don't know which would have been the better choice because I am now dealing with a bit of a headache. Oh well.

Hopefully I can manage my time better and aim for blogging a bit every other day. Thanks for joining me on this food journey!

All hail Hail Merry!

As if The Movement Co-op wasn't already exciting, Hail Merry was there handing out samples!! Have you heard of Hail Merry yet? It's a new line of AMAZING raw goodies. My favorite is...well...all of it!

I sampled the blonde and chocolate macaroons, the crazy good chocolate tart, and I've been snacking on the grawnola all afternoon. Hail Merry was started by Susan, a Dallas-based Raw Food Chef (and all-around fun chick!). She wanted to spread the word about the benefits of healthy fats. What better way than through yummy delicious food! Hail Merry products are organic, raw, vegan, gluten free, full of omegas, contain no trans fats or processed anything. Could it get any better?!

The Movement Dallas is among one of the newest places to carry Hail Merry products. You can also find her stuff at Roy's, Whole Foods, Central Market, Green Spot, South Paw Organic Cafe, and Exhale Spa. Since the stuff is raw, it can be found in the refrigerated section.

I could probably sustain on the grawnola alone, I can't praise it enough! You are what you eat, so choose wisely. Remember, not all fat is bad fat!

Check out the website at http://www.hailmerry.com/

Have you tried Hail Merry? Tell me what you think!

Clean Eating

I get the question, "what does it mean to eat clean" a lot. Before I get into it, I warn you, there will be lots of metaphors... : )

Think of your body like your car. It gets you around from place to place, you want to put the best fuel you can in it, you keep it clean, all so it will last as long as possible. You don't want to junk up your car, why would you want to junk up your body?

To eat clean is to eat as little processed food as possible, plain and simple. If you look at your food label and it's full of preservatives and sugars (real or not), it's not a "clean" food. Our bodies thrive on whole foods. Nothing that has a number or color in it's name.

What do you drink everyday? Do you start your day with a soda or a sugary latte? If the answer is yes, think about this...would you water your plants with it? Our brains are like plants, look at how a droopy plant responds to water. Our brain does the same thing. Feeling droopy? Try drinking a big glass of water!

I think my favorite thing about eating clean is just exactly how much you can eat! Fruits, veggies (raw, steamed, or grilled), lean meats, nuts, natural cheeses, eggs, whole grains...the list is endless!! FYI, the salad I ate for lunch today had all of those things, minus eggs. We ARE what we eat. If you spend you day munching on cookies, chips, and soda...you will be round and puffy just like those things!

Need some ideas on where to start?

-Switch to herbal tea in the morning. My favorite is Enfusia!! No caffeine withdrawals with this stuff. www.nutriharmony.com/triciawallace
-For breakfast (and you need to eat breakfast) have fruit and whole grain toast with peanut butter or fruit and eggs.
-Before lunch, pack some carrot sticks and hummus or other veggies. They're packed with water so they will fill you up without all the extra calories
-Lunchtime have a low-sodium broth based soup and a salad with fruit and nuts...and maybe some feta on top!
-If you need a snack on the way home from work, grab an apple. It can help curb your sweet tooth.
-Dinner is always a good time to try to eat lighter. Lean meat (chicken, turkey, fish) with veggies is my favorite. If I feel like I really need a grain, I choose brown rice or quinoa.

A good book to dig a little deeper into the "why's" of clean eating is "The Eat Clean Diet" by Tosca Reno. Also, feel free to drop me questions anytime! Happy eating!