10 weeks out. New Plan.

So I talked to a trainer last week. I've talked to her before, but this time she reached out to me. She started texting me and asked me if I still wanted to compete. I said "Of course!" We got to talking and I explained how I just couldn't afford to work with her. She was WAY out of my price range. It's because she is one of the Best!

She said that she could tell that I was determined to succeed and that she wanted to help me out. So, she made a deal with me. I can't go into the details of the deal because I've been sworn to secrecy. lol. But she made it affordable for me. OH MY GOSH! I was jumping for joy and nearly in tears!

But now I fear that I may have made a deal with the devil. She is definitely not a devil. She is a Saint! But bikini competition training is the Devil! It is so hard, and so demanding, and so LONG!

Technically, I just started today. But over the past couple of days I tried to control my eating and stick to clean foods. I talked to her on Wednesday and she was supposed to send me my plan on Thursday. But my daughter became gravely ill Wednesday night. I ended up spending Thursday and Friday running back and forth between doctors and the hospital. It was insane and terrifying. She is 15 months old and can't tell me what's wrong and so it's just a guessing game. It took everything I had to console and comfort her, and most importantly keep her temperature below 106! Poor thing. But all my time was spent, and I didn't get any sleep for 2 nights. So, I really didn't have any time to check my email. I didn't find it until Saturday, and I still had to take care of my sick baby girl. So, I printed it off and tried to eat healthy. I spent all Sunday preparing my meals for the week. And when I say all day I mean ALL day! And I still didn't have time or the ingredients to prepare my breakfasts for the week. Oh and I ended up getting sick with strept throat I think on Friday. Josh got sick Sunday afternoon with body aches and a fever. It's just been super crazy around here.

But I'm claiming Sunday as my rest day because according to the Bible it is supposed to be. But I had to make one exception. Even on my rest day I still have to do 30 minutes of cardio after I have my last meal. And oh my word! I am so out of cardio shape! I went for a run and it was brutal. I did 4 miles at a 9:10 pace. Total time was 36:03. Not too bad for guessing what I should do to meet the 30min requirement. She said I absolutely cannot afford to miss a minute of my cardio. Which sucks because I already missed 4 days of my program. Ouch. Which really sucks in the big picture because I'm weeks and months behind the other competitors.

But she thinks that I can still get ready enough in time for the show to look great! To me that sounds like not good enough to win, but good enough that I won't look like a joke on the stage. And that sucks, but it's my own fault. It's good enough for me though. I just want to compete. I want to see if I can do it. I want to be on that stage. I want to accomplish something so big and so hard that I'll never regret it. Something so that I can hold my head high.

But I am so far behind schedule that I am going to have to kill it to do this. And by it I've learned in one day that that means myself. I am dying!!!

I've talked to dozens of girls that have competed and they have all told me the same thing. No matter what you do you are going to be exhausted. Functioning will be difficult. All of your time will be spent training and cooking. And any money that you have to your name will disappear. Which is scary because I was broke before I started this.

This morning I had an hour of cardio I had to complete on an empty stomach. I woke up late and so the sun was already up. I couldn't decide if I should drag my daughter (who will still be recovering for the next 10 days) out into the heat. Mostly, I didn't want to do cardio in the heat. But I finally convinced myself to just do it. I ended up rollerblading while pushing the jogging stroller. It has been years since I did any rollerblading outside. Owww! My glutes were killing from the moment I started. It was hot, but not too bad. With the breeze it made it pretty nice actually. And I had my girl covered head to toe in sunscreen and hidden in the canopy. So I think we both enjoyed ourselves. Glad I did it!

But today I am craving carbs! I just want to eat some of my daughter's goldfish crackers, or a slice of toast, or a roll, or a poptart even! I just want something to munch on. Right now I find myself staring at the clock waiting until my next opportunity to eat. And you don't know this and hopefully you can't tell, but my brain is even struggling! I have had to backspace and delete a million times while writing this. Usually I don't struggle so much, but I sure am today. And I can only think of one thing to blame - Lack of sugar. And I am hypoglycemic so I am Really feeling it.

But I did my weekly photos and measurements today. And here they are...

(Keep in mind that these are all pre-coach training results. So, they are not fabulous.)

and I had just gotten out of the shower after my run.

74 days to go!

K, this is going to be a very emotional post....

I keep flip-flopping on whether or not I actually want to do this.

I'll eat a clean breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But by 9:30pm I have talked myself out of it and I eat Skittles and Reeses with my hubby in front of the tv.

Or I'll do good for 3 days and then family wants to go out to eat and everything is blown.

Or I'll eat a clean breakfast and then my cravings hit and I chow down on candy.

What am I doing??!!!

This is the most frustrating thing in the world!

I did really good for 3 whole days. But then I started thinking about it and realized how EXPENSIVE this whole thing is, and how selfish I am being for using up money I should be saving. And I gave up.

Oh and not to mention, I ran into a girl that just competed in Nationals down in Vegas at the gym last week. She looked amazing! And of course, I thought to myself - YOU will NEVER look that good. Bad Me! She had just competed three days prior and so we got to talking. She made it sound impossible. Plus, she had a boob job three years ago. Just like all of the other girls that compete. And if you know me then you know that my boobs are long gone. A few months ago when I told my husband that I wanted to compete he even said to me "You can't compete until you fix your boobs." And that is coming from my husband. The one person that is supposed to support you through anything and everything. And he has seen me naked. So if he thinks I can't do it then maybe I shouldn't. ?????

But I want to so bad!!! I think I have gone a little bipolar on this topic.

But here is the estimated breakdown of costs for competing:

Nutrition Plan - $200

Exercise Plan - $200

Gym Membership - $30

Posing Sessions - $200

Bikini - $300-$600

Heels - $50-$100

Jewelry - $50

Hair - $50

Makeup - $50

Tan - $100

Spray Tan - $100

Wax - $50

Bikini Bite/Body Gloss - $50

Teeth Whitening - $50

Show Registration - $90

NPC card - $100

Supplements - $400

Groceries per month for just you - $200

Have you added that up yet? It's roughly $2,500.00! I don't have that kind of money! So, I tried to figure out what I could possibly do on my own - nutrition, exercise, hair (I still have to color and cut to make it look good (I usually go 6+months)), makeup (although I still have to buy different colors to match the tan, which means $$$), and tan (I can lay outside ( naked???)). It'll still be over $1,500! Ugh.

Not to mention, the aftermath of competing. Do you know what it does to your body??!! EeeeKkkk! Ummm... let's see: metabolic damage, extreme weight gain, body bloat, upset stomach, and binge-eating. I'm sorry, but I've been down that road before, and I don't want to do it again. I don't know if I can handle it. You will have the same consequences as an anorexic or bulemic. Not fun.

And my mother in-law informed me of how much she disapproves. Skimpy suits. No. Are you willing to sacrifice your morals? I am against pornography. But that's not why I am doing it. I don't want to do it for the attention. Or the pictures. Or the sex-appeal. I am doing it because I want to. I want to get in such amazing shape that I am so proud and confident that I can stand on a stage in front of hundreds of people and not be ashamed or embarrassed of my body. It's a big deal for me. And I want to do it so when I become a personal trainer I'll have experience and something to offer. If I want to help my clients do it then I better be able to do it. I can't expect anyone else to stick to something that I can't even stick to. Plus, it'll get my name in the fitness industry if that's where I want to go. Which it is. And it'll be a HUGE thing that I can add to my portfolio.

So, do I just go for it and spend the money and accomplish one of my biggest goals? Or do I save the money for getting us out of this crappy rental? and maybe start saving to try again next year? or set aside a special booby savings account to try when I am done having kids?

I don't know.

I am heart-broken and frustrated.....

Monday Measurements 8.5.13

I haven't been doing too well. But here they are anyways:

Neck: 13

Shoulders: 40

Chest: 34

Boobs: 33

Waist: 28.5

Belly Button: 32

Belly bulge: 33

Hips: 38.25

Thigh: 23

Calf: 13.5

Bicep: 10

Forearm: 9

Wrist: 5.5

And     here        are      the      pictures   .......

(I really don't want these on the internet.)

12 weeks out!

Well, technically yesterday was 12 weeks out, but I am starting today. Everyone else started weeks ago. But I am jumping on the late train. That means all those other girls will have a long lean leg up. But as long as I'm willing to put in the work I think I can catch up!

I HaTE posting before pics, but I know that I need to. So here goes nothing...

This is going to be a long hard journey. But every day it's all I can think about. Before I decide to have another kid I would like to achieve this. Because who knows what could happen between now and the next time I have this opportunity. It's now or never! Why should I keep putting off my dreams and goals??!! Especially when I regret it every night.
I hope you follow me along this journey and join me!

83 days left!

Egg whites and Oatmeal

This morning I made egg whites and oatmeal... for 5 days. My first batch I accidentally left the yolks in though. So I tried taking them out with a fork. Bad idea. I was able to remove most of the yellow, but accidentally took a lot of white. That and the fork spilled some yolk. So it ended up more like 3.75 egg whites and 1 egg yolk. oops. lol.

make sure you use something to make the eggs not stick!

In order to make sure I measured the eggs correctly for each morning I made five separate batches. Don't worry, it didn't take very long. I cooked up 4 egg whites with season salt and green pepper. When I ate it it still needed something because I'm used to LOTS of flavor. So I drizzled some mustard on top. Yummy! Mustard is acceptable because it is flavorful, but low calorie and pretty clean.

I also cooked up one batch of oatmeal. One cup of steel cut oats and one cup of old fashioned oats. Make sure you use the correct amount of water! Steel cut oats are quite different from regular oats. Don't worry about following normal cooking directions. Just follow the SCO directions.

Alright, so let me explain it better. Boil 4 cups of water. This is usually when I add in cinnamon and any other flavors or extracts. Add in 1 cup of steel cut oats and one cup of old fashioned oats (Not quick cooking oats). Turn off stove and stir every now and then until oats soak up all of the water. And whala! You're done. Today I added some blueberries, honey, and banana to sweeten. I know I shouldn't but I needed to!

This was my breakfast this morning before the banana  and mustard.

Split it over the course of five days. About one cup of oatmeal per day.

I love these containers!

Perfectly portioned!

Oh and here are the nutrition facts for the steel cut oat/old fashioned oat mix

Servings - 5

Calories - 196

Calories from fat - 31.6

Total fat - 3.4g

Saturated Fat - 0.4g

Cholesterol - 0

Sodium - 0

Carbohydrates - 34

Dietary Fiber - 5.6

Sugars - 0.4

Protein - 8

Day 29, 12 Week Challenge

Went to the gym tonight and had a pretty good workout. But my hair was done and my makeup was on so I had a lot of gawkers. Not cool. I was able to do two sets on the incline bench press, but then two boys jumped on it and they are machine hogs, so I just did my third on the flat bench press. Also, I have noticed that there is a huge difference in the weight amount on the different areas for rope pull-downs. The plates say they are the same weight, but on one I can do 50-60 while on another I can only do 20-30. I wonder if the one is broken??

But Jordan did stop me to talk about his girlfriend again tonight. He was excited because she agreed to come workout with him. YaY! But it was legs day and so he wanted to know which exercises he should do with her. Ya so my HR dropped and my watch kept running. Dangit. I do enjoy the socializing, but it does hinder the workout a little. But oh well. I am so happy she joined him and Sloan! That's awesome! Another girl to join me!

Push Day - Phase Two
Time: 1:07:41

Time In Zone: 1:07:41

Avg BPM: 144

Peak BPM: 182

Calories: 898

After I did my routine I jumped back on the machines and finished up what I wasn't able to yesterday. Which was super hard because I am so sore today. Ouch! Didn't use my watch though so I don't have any stats to share with you tonight. Sorry! 

OH YA! And earlier today I spontaneously called up my mom and asked her to go running with me. And she did! We didn't go for a very long run, but it sure was nice to get out and go for a jog. I miss it so much! And the inversion wasn't too bad today. It was actually kinda crazy because it was 32 degrees out but felt much warmer because of the sun. But it was kind of annoying because it made deciding on the amount of layers to wear very difficult! But we did it! We ran. There were only a few spots on the sidewalk that never got shoveled that were super treacherous to go through with the jogging stroller. But other than that it was great! Because our city actually plows the walking trail!! Awesome!

Run with Mom and Jogging Stroller

Time: 39:54
Time In Zone: 39:54

Avg BPM: 136

Peak BPM: 171

Calories: 476

But I'm off to bed. See you tomorrow!

Day 28, 12 Week Challenge

Went to the gym at 8:45pm tonight. Just a tad earlier than I usually do. Because Josh had his basketball game at 9:50pm.
I tried to hit it hard and fast, but tonight was legs/abs. It was the first time I had done them at the gym. So hard. My legs were all wobbly and jello-like. HooRaY!
But I couldn't finish in time. I missed out on 4 minutes of cardio and 4 sets of exercises. Dangit.  I really need the machines in order to do them, so I may just make up for it tomorrow. If I'm not too sore. And next time I will be faster. Tonight I had to wait for the machines. again. And I ran into one of the girls I know. She is absolutely gorgeous. Every time she goes to the gym she looks like a model. Hair, makeup, clothing, the works. Which makes my sweaty, blah-faced, hair not done self look even worse than normal. haha. But in true girl fashion we were idolizing each other's physiques. lol. 
But here are my stats for what I was able to get done:

Legs/Abs - Phase Two

Time - 1:01:16
Time In Zone - 1:01:16

Avg BPM - 158

Peak BPM - 188

Calories - 955

Day 27, 12 Week Challenge

Pull Day - Phase Two

Timer: 1:11:47

Time In Zone: 1:11:47 

Avg BPM: 150

Peak BPM: 214

Calories: 1024

Tonight was Pull Day. But in PHASE TWO. There are a couple of exercises from Phase One, but mostly new ones. 
It is good to switch up your routine so that you continue to progress and not plateau.
But my arms are definitely sore.
I am loving my new workout! But at the same time I am not so thrilled because it uses more machines. That means I have to wait in line for machines. ugh.
Plus, people are getting to know me at the gym so more people are starting to talk to me. I love it! But it does slow down my workout a bit and my HR drops too low.
Jordan's gf is mad at him. Poor guy. They are having communication problems. sounds familiar. And she is having a hard time dealing with his past. sounds familiar as well. The broad guy who walked with me out to our cars wants to go somewhere warmer. My ex-arch nemesis and I made up. She's actually super nice now. And there were a few other random run-ins as well.    Maybe it's because I had makeup on and didn't look so scary tonight??? jkjk.

Day 26, 12 Week Challenge

Push Day - Phase Two

Time: 1:00:50

Time In Zone: 1:00:50

Avg BPM: 157

Peak BPM: 196

Calories: 938

Bikini Competition Posing Video - Missy Coles

Just for me...

http://videos.bodybuilding.com/video/35621/2009-NPC-Team-Universe-Missy-Coles-Bikini-Posing-Routine

check this out for cute Competition Bikini posing! Her name is Missy Coles and she won 2009 NPC Team Universe! Luv her sass!

E.G.G.S.

Egg Banana Pancakes:
- 1 Mashed Banana
- 2 Eggs

Blend and cook like pancakes! Add 1 Tablespoon of peanut or almond butter and up to 1 Tablespoon of ground cinnamon for more flavor. 

Cinnamon Egg:
- 1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
- 1 Beaten Egg

Blend and cook in pancake form. Can also add ground flax seed, psyllium husk or protein powder. Tastes reminiscent of french toast. 

Apple Eggs:
- 1 Apple, Sliced into Thin Wedges
- 3 Beaten Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

Beat eggs with cinnamon and vanilla. Arrange apple slices in hot skillet and pour the eggs over. Place a lid on the skillet and cook until the eggs are solid. If you're good with a spatula, flip it halfway through. If you break it, make a scramble! :P

Healthy Deviled Eggs:
- 4 Separated, Hard-Boiled/Steamed Eggs
- 1/4 C Plain Yogurt
- 1/8 C Mustard
- 1 teaspoon Cayenne
- 1 teaspoon Tabasco

If you like it spicy, but you can skip the tabasco and swap the cayenne for paprika if you’d like. Just cut hard-cooked eggs in half, remove the yolks and blend them with the yogurt, mustard and seasonings. Spoon the mixture into the egg whites and serve immediately. 

Tomato Eggs:
- 2 Beaten Eggs
- 1 Tomato

Cut the tomato in half, lengthwise, scoop out the innards and stir them into the eggs. Pour the eggs into the halved tomatoes and bake until solid. 
MEAN TIP!! Use an avocado instead! Cut it in half, remove the pit and pour beaten egg into either half. Bake until solid. 

Steamed:
No real recipe here – steam eggs for about 20 minutes instead of boiling. After they’ve cooled, they’re SUPER easy to peel. Eat steamed eggs with Tabasco. In addition, drop the steamed eggs in soups, eat them in salads, put them in wraps and basically eat them with any food you can!

Soups are an excellent opportunity to eat more eggs -- just crack an egg into boiling soup and stir! Also, fried eggs are delicious served over steak. 

ENJOY!

Black Bean Brownies Round 1

Look how wonderfully lovely they look with a little peanut butter and a drop of honey on top!
And they are super yummy this way too!

I have successfully made it 3 days eating clean. It's been hard. Having chocolate chip cookies, krispy kreme donuts and other goodies lying around has made it so difficult! The smells are intoxicating! I have pinned lots of so-called healthy desserts on pinterest, but when I viewed the recipes they didn't make the cut. They still included big No-No's. So, I decided to make my own recipe. I didn't plan it out. I just started throwing things together. Bad idea. Here's what happened...




I threw in one can of black beans into the blender because I knew they needed to be mashed to work... and then I added some homemade unsweetened applesauce for some sweetness and moisture... and then some old-fashioned oats in replace of the flour... chia seeds for fat... almond milk for liquid... water because I ran out of almond milk and all my husband had was whole milk... banana pineapple protein powder for protein and flour-like substance because it's the only flavor I have right now... eggs from my parents chickens to bind it all together... cocoa powder for flavor... and then I melted some all natural peanut butter to swirl in the top layer for taste, fat, protein, and beauty... I threw them in the oven preheated at 350 for 20 minutes. Not done. 5 more minutes. Not done. 5 more minutes. Not done. And then 20 minutes with the oven turned off. Good enough.
 I was too excited to try them to wait any longer. hmmm..... oh. uh. well. no. maybe. ugh. if. Hunny  please don't try these! I need to fix the recipe before you try them. At least they are pretty. Kinda mushy though...

Ingredients:
1 can black beans
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 tbsp chia seeds
1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 cup water
2 scoops protein powder 
2 eggs
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup peanut butter


It needs something though. Sugar. No. Not sugar. Here are some of my ideas to help flavor it for next time... apples, more applesauce, banana, avocado, honey, salt, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, yogurt, dates, or strawberries... I'll let you know what I decide to try and what ends up working. But this is definitely not something you should try yet. I don't want you to waste your time or money. But I must figure a way to make them cake-like like a brownie and sweeter...

The finished product!

They cut in half so easy and beautifully! Make it a sandwich!

p.s. after eating a bunch of them I have figured it out! They are super healthy bland fudge pieces! Not brownies. hahaha!

12 week challenge, Day 12

Today was a good day. I didn't follow my nutrition plan exactly though. But I did like 5x better than I have been these past few days. I really cheated way too much! But I promised myself I was going to do this and so I can't let a few days ruin all 12 weeks. I started eating way too late today so it really messed up my meals. Plus we are out of eggs, so here was my food today:

6oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, lemon pepper
1/2 cup baked sweet potato, butter spray, cinnamon
1 cup frozen, chopped broccoli and cauliflower mix, butter spray, season salt
Biotin, Protandim
6oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, lemon pepper
1/2 cup baked sweet potato, butter spray, cinnamon
1 cup frozen, chopped broccoli and cauliflower mix, butter spray, season salt
1 scoop protein powder
1 medium red delicious apple, 1 Tbsp almond butter
3 Oatmeal Dark Chocolate Cookies
1 scoop Dfine8
1 scoop protein powder, multivitamin

TOTALS

 

FOOD

Calories: 1,444

Carbohydrates: 152.68 

Fat: 40.69

Protein: 121.42

 

Calories: 103%

Carbohydrates: 49%

Fat: 13%

Protein: 39%

 

EXERCISE

Timer: 47.41

Time In Zone: 47.41

Avg BPM: 167

Peak BPM: 195

Calories: 814

 

Ok, so I have to gloat again tonight. Remember that boy that I was telling you about before. Well, his wife showed up tonight. While I was over doing abs and back on the floor she came over. She said that I looked very familiar, and I agreed. Then she asked where I went to school. Same school. I asked when she graduated. Same year. We exchanged maiden and current names. Sounded familiar, but just couldn't place it. So while I was working out and doing my cool-down and stretching I racked my brain. I could not place this girl. She looked so familiar. And then it HIT me! I DO know her! She is one of the girls that made 9th grade a living **** for me. She was a few words I will not name on here. And guess what?! She was fat. Hahahaha! Yep. She had let herself go. Hahahaha! Karma. So, while I drove home tonight I had to do my little victory dance. lol. So for all you girls out there dealing with whatever issues you might have and thinking life is horrible in Jr. High or High School guess what?! It can and WiLL get sooo... much better! Just enjoy it the best you can while you have it. Because one day none of it will matter.

 

Today was my PULL DAY. And after I did my workout I did a little extra and my cool-down and stretching. That is not part of the total up there. It's just a little extra something something for me. :]

Yams, Sweet Potatoes, and Thanksgiving

My sister in-law made some absolutely delicious yams for Thanksgiving last year! Me and the lady sitting across the table ended up eating seconds and thirds instead of eating pie. lol. Yes, they were THAT GOOD!

Here's the recipe:
Bake sweet potatoes or yams in oven until tender and skin basically falls off. (350 degrees for and hour ish depending on the size of the yam.)
 Whip with beater until silky smooth. (that is the key). 
At this point I like them as is, but you can mix in a teeny amount of melted butter, salt, brown sugar in the whipped goodness.
 If making the casserole, add an egg or 2 or 3 depending on how much you make (1 egg for 8x8,2-3 eggs for 9x13), a dash of milk (around 1/3 cup- 3/4 cup. It just helps with creaminess but I often leave it out.) 
and top with coconut and pecans to bake for 20-30 minutes or until not jiggly. 
And there you have it. Fresh and full of wonderful goodness and vibrant color.

12 week challenge, Day 10

Today I started off well with my nutrition, but then I got lax and then I caved...

2 cups oatmeal, 1/4 cup blueberries, 1 tsp agave, cinnamon
4 egg whites, spicy brown mustard
6 oz chicken, 1 Tbsp bbq sauce
1/2 cup brown rice, butter spray, soy sauce, season salt
1 cup cucumbers, salt

6 oz chicken, 1 Tbsp bbq sauce
1/2 cup brown rice, butter spray, soy sauce, season salt
and then...
1 piece of coconut cream pie
6 white cheddar rice cakes
and I know there was more I just can't remember what it was....
but then I tried correcting my night snack cravings by eating a red grapefruit and a cup of Green Tea because I really wanted another piece of pie...


I did not wake up early enough to make it to the gym like I wanted to, so after eating the pie and everything I decided to do a home workout video because Hallie was sleeping. Shocking huh?!? I didn't know what to do with myself. So, I cleaned up a bit and then realized I had better workout before she wakes up because who knows how long she'll sleep. So, I walked over to my collection and chose one of my hardest workouts because I knew I needed it after all my cheating...

Jillian Michael's Banish Fat Boost Metabolism

Timer: 3:20

Time in Zone: 3:20

Avg BPM: 111

Peak BPM:  139

Calories: 26

I made it halfway through the warm-up when I heard the little cries of my non-sleeping angel. crap. I stopped my watch, paused the video, got her up and changed her and fed her. And then I went through my inner debate of do I dare try and exercise with her awake or do I throw in the towel for the day??? I decided to kick my butt...

Jillian Michael's Banish Fat Boost Metabolism

Timer: 50:56

Time In Zone: 50:56

Avg BPM: 160

Peak BPM: 198

Calories: 810

Of course Hallie was trying to climb all over me during the workout. She couldn't figure out why I was hopping all over the room and not picking her up. She climbed on my stomach during the crunch things and on my back during the Superman exercise and all over my legs and arms during the others. lol. She kept it very interesting. Just more resistance right?! jkjk.

Pretty good workout! I just wish I had stuck to my nutrition this week. I feel really lousy. There's part of me that just wants to give up. But there's part of me that knows I'll never forgive myself if I do. I have to stick with it! Tomorrow I'm going to cook up my meals for the week and buy more veggies. And I'm not going to buy any more treats because when I give myself an inch I take a mile and a half. No more. I have to do this. I am going to do this. Just because I lost the battle doesn't mean I can't win the war. See you tomorrow.

p.s. I did not track my calories again....

12 week challenge, Day 8

12 weeks X 7 days/week = 84 days

84 days - 8 days = 76 days until the challenge is over!

Here's what I ate for my CHEAT DAY today:

probiotics + water

old fashioned oats + blueberries + agave +cinnamon

rice cakes + kashi cookie

chicken breast + bbq sauce + brown rice + butter spray + soy sauce + season salt + spinach + fat free dressing

kashi cookies

Mongolian Grill - chicken breast, celery, broccoli, water chestnuts, carrots, purple cabbage, canned pineapple, bokchoy, another really fibrous vegetable, mushrooms, tofu, sprouts, zucchini, nuts, lemon sauce, pineapple sauce, house sauce, and terriyaki sauce. oh ya and a fortune cookie for dessert.

Cadbury Mini Eggs

Protein Drink

That was one of my plates at Mongolian Grill. Looks tasty huh?!

Sorry, but I don't have any TOTALS for my food today because I have no idea what I consumed at Mongolian Grill. I just know for sure that I cheated on my nutrition!

I didn't wake up knowing that today would be my cheat day, but it soon became one. lol. Dang hormones screwing me all up. lol. Being a girl is no fun at all. And plus, I'm on Paragard so it's really no fun! 

But my parents called and asked if I wanted to go out to eat with them because they are leaving town tomorrow. I couldn't say no. So I said yes, and I decided to join them in the feast because they were going to my favorite restaurant. The Mongolian Grill. The one in Layton not Ogden. Huge Difference. It's kind of like a buffet, but slightly different. You grab a bowl and go through and throw whatever you want on your plate. The first time I did it I added noodles because it was like my subconscious thought it was mandatory since I was eating chinese food. But it's Not mandatory here. So, after my lovely Mother pointed that out to me because noodles fill you up way too fast I decided to skip them. Now I just fill .. well OVERfill my bowl with proteins and veggies. And then you add whatever oils or sauces you would like. And then you walk up to the counter and the guy throws it on this massive flat grill and tosses it around until it's done and then scoops it up and tosses it onto a plate and sends it back to you. It's so much fun! You get to make any creation you please and you can make it as healthy or unhealthy as you would like!  I lOVE it! So, my cheat meal wasn't actually all that bad. It had tons of veggies and protein. YaY! 

And tonight I made it to the gym! I still hurt from the burn, but now it's tolerable. And everyone was talking to me tonight. A lady who I had no idea who she was walked up to me and was like "You're Caraline right? I know your mother in-law. She says you're doing a competition. I just wanted to let you know that your arms are looking amazing!" How awesome huh?! And then a few other minor occurrences. But the main one that stood out tonight was this boy. He went to school with me from 5th grade - 12th grade. Did he talk to me? No. Did he date my best friend? Yes. Did I have a crush on him? Yes. Well, guess who walked up to me tonight and started talking to me?! Yep. Him! And he kept coming over and making little convos. He even came over and did some ab work on a ball while I was stretching out. And I kept catching him in the mirror staring at my tush. Hahaha. Yes, I was quite flattered. And the whole time my inner diva was dancing around, laughing, and chanting "Bet you wish you had me now!" Best part is, he's not as cute as he was back then. I am so much hotter than him! YES! In your face sucka! Ok, ok I'll be nice now. But I just had to gloat. This diet/workout is definitely paying off! Motivation for tomorrow attained!

TOTALS

TIME: 50:50

TIME IN ZONE: 50:50

AVG BPM: 169

PEAK BPM: 199

CALORIES: 884

Oh and did I mention that today I actually took the time to stretch out after my workout? That is one of my goals: To start stretching after EVERY workout. I want lean sexy muscles. And my flexibility back. And I did a few extra small workouts too since I missed so many this week. But not a whole lot. Just a few.