Relax Already!

Wow- it's been awhile since I have even sat at my computer desk longer than 5 minutes, let alone post a blog. Basically, I'm in competition mode. I train, eat, sleep and work - that's about it. Which brings me to my topic today - recovery.

It's important to factor in rest and recovery to not only your workouts and training, but also with your everyday life. Life is stressful! Life is hard! And if you're not careful, Life can be the Death of  you! haha (bueller....bueller...)
I joke, but only slightly. Increased stress has been shown to elevate risks for various diseases and well as simply take a mental and physical toll on the body.

In terms of training, recovery is just as important as what you do in the gym to make significant progress and reach your goals. Your muscles repair when you sleep, various hormones/chemicals in the body are shutting down or booting up to get to work. Much like a manufacturing plant, your body has a day shift and a night crew that comes in. If you don't let that night crew come and relieve the day, you overwork your body and get calls from the union, in the form of aches/pains, headaches, upset stomach (and more), and gradually performance decreases as well - all spiralling further and further into overtraining, giving up, or even physical shut down of one or more processes.

Now, I'm not one to talk about getting enough sleep, because honestly, I don't sleep well. I know the importance and value of sleep and therefore try to at least 'rest', but as for actual hours of shut eye - I'm way behind. For me it is 'Restless Mind Syndrome'. Not unique in anyway, I know many that have trouble shutting off the part of the brain that keeps telling you what you need to do, what you can't forget, how much pressure you are under, deadlines, who last pissed you off, etc. And I've tried many ways to stop that little hamster up there and make him get off the wheel of issues, but very few things seem to work, and all it takes is one little spark of something for a whole blaze of mental noise to start. But I at least make an effort :)

If it is something that I want to make sure I don't forget that is spinning up there, I get up and write it down. I have pens and paper, whiteboards, post it notes everywhere - so when an idea comes up or I need to remember something I can write it down, put it someplace visible and move on.

If something is bothering me or I'm worried about something I repeat to myself something that my friend Seth (aka coach) said to me. "Why are you worrying?", "Can you do anything about it?", "Can you do anything about it right this instant?" Usually the answer to that last one is 'no', and if it's not, well then you do what you can do right then and move on.

As for when someone/something has pissed you off and you can't stop stewing about it, the only thing I have found so far to help with that is to spout off some obscenities (in private....mostly), say how stupid the person is or how lame the situation was, and then find something funny to laugh at and.....move on. Granted I'm running out of funny material with today's political and economical atmosphere and have resorted to a deep sigh and shaking of the head whenever I happen to have the news on.

Basically, it is important to find ways to relax and let go, even if just for a moment. You can always pick up where you left off if you feel the need, but take a minute to breath deep, and as the starfish said in Finding Nemo - "Find a Happy Place"

I've got a Bug...the Competition Bug that is!

sometimes when I think about the upcoming season of competitions I get so excited about what I'm working towards. I look forward to that feel the night before - the possibility of the upcoming placement, the smell of the tanner, the shiny bikini laying out waiting to be worn and shown off!

The diet is restricted and there are many hours spent in the gym and many more hours spent "zoning out" - anyone who has gone through it knows what I mean by this, that time spent where you barely know what planet you are on. Sometimes you don't know how you did whatever it was you just did- how did I drive here? (yup...seriously), how did I just go through my day? When people ask you how your weekend was - it stops you in your tracks because for the life of you, you can't remember there even being a weekend.

But it is all worth it. So incredibly worth it.

To step out on that stage, under the lights, and show off all that hard work, to strut your stuff and for a few brief minutes be one helluva diva!

I love it - I can't help it! The offseason is fun - indulging in foods that you only get for that brief time period, lifting weights heavier than last season - being stronger than ever before and feeling powerful in your movement, but there is fun in season too. As the competitions get closer you feel little by little weaker, the amount of work you can do in the gym varies more and you find yourself dragging yourself , well, everywhere. But you still do it, you still put that time in on the cardio machines, you still do all those reps and never settle for second best. You do what you possibly can do, leave nothing to chance - because in the end it's a judged sport. You can't control your competitor, you can't control the judging, but you sure as hell can give it your best shot!

I sit here just under 11 weeks out from my next competition. I constantly battle with myself that I'm where I should be. I want to be leaner already, but coach keeps me grounded and sane. It's all part of the game - everyone sees what we put on stage but the true sport is what you do daily. Everyday you push yourself to the limits of what your body can handle. Everyday you say no to indulgence, no to normal, and yes to rallying up the energy and motivation to exceed your expectations.

I have to admit, part of me loves that tired feeling. It feels like such an accomplishment, when I lay down in bed at night and feel every muscle in my entire body relax because it simply has to is a wonderful feeling. It may hurt at times, aches and pains come and go, but you forget all about them when your name is called to step out into the lights.

And, boy how I love those lights. I got told once, that I need to show more life on stage. I'm too comfortable up there. Truth is, I'm just having fun in that moment, I'm at home on stage. It's funny that this shy little girl grew up to love being in the spotlight.

Baked Egg Whites

I know this is already out there on the internet, but I also know I was frustrated in trying to find out the tips and tricks to making them.  So here is a run down on the basic idea - I'm still fine tuning my recipe :)

Baked Egg Whites (aka Egg White Puffs)

 Base Ingredients: (for the amount shown in the pic)

1/2 c Egg Whites (I used from a carton)

about 1/2 c or a little less of Stevia (experiment with this because the amount greatly depends on the type            of stevia you use - I use Stevia in the Raw which is very fluffy and light)

1-2 tsp of vanilla (again I eyed it instead of measured)

Optional Ingredients: Try these additions for a little change up, I divide up the whipped egg whites and make different flavors from the same batch

 1 tsp Unsweetened Cocoa

or

1-2 tsp Cinnamon

Other ingredients you could try (but I haven't yet) are different spices - think like what you would put in a cake or pie, ie Apple Pie Spice, Pumpkin Spice, etc

Mixing:

I used my whip attachment on my Kitchen Aid Mixer and whipped the egg whites til they formed stiff peaks. Then I fold in the rest of the base ingredients. Then separated out about a third and folded in some extras!

Baking:

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees
Scoop onto a cookie sheet spritzed with Pam in tablespoon portions
Bake for 14 min or so depending on  your oven (look for the peaks to turn golden) - the cocoa ones take a bit longer

You can eat them warm but I like them cooled

Enjoy!

Sorry - Does My Concentration Bother You?

such fragile egos at the gym.......

Does it really bother you that I wear my hat low and have headphones on? My true friends at the gym understand what I'm doing, what I'm training for, why I train the way I do and don't take offense if I don't run up and greet them like an excited little puppy. I'm not there to socialize, I'm not there to date, I'm there to work - to lift, to do my job and to do it well. I take the occasional minute at the beginning or end of my workout to 'meet and greet' but once the set starts - it's all business. What is wrong with that? Technically, the gym is my office. And although you may like distraction at your office - they aren't allowed at mine.

I've come to the point where I just look down at the stopwatch. Keep my focus always on what I'm doing, why I'm doing it and what I'm trying to achieve. I don't ask that you work the same way I do but I do ask that you respect my work ethic. Don't be offended that I don't acknowledge you, chances are I don't even know you are there. Don't be offended that I don't chit chat or bullshit, I'm there to do a job. I enjoy my job but I have to work damn hard to do it. Sometimes I get time to talk , but in season, a lot of things go by the stopwatch and when it's time to lift you gotta be ready. And you have to focus - the diet is taxing, the regimen is taxing, the energy is low and yes at times I can be grumpy. So what? my body is tired and fighting, some days are a struggle and the focus has to be there - injuries can happen if distracted because the body is on the edge, the brain is on the edge. This is competition, this is what I do. It is not your normal workout, it is not your normal routine. I don't get to go home and have pasta or pizza, I don't get to go home and even have ketchup with my steak. I go home have a protein shake and prepare for the next round.

I count myself lucky that I do have friends that understand, that are able to have 'gym' conversations, the kind that last only a minute and don't distract from the workout. But I can't help if you take offense to my not wanting to take part in 15 minute conversations about the weather, if you get offended because I don't talk during my set, it is not my fault you didn't notice I'm hanging on to some heavy-ass weight and could risk neck injury if I turn to look at you while you are waving your arms at me.

My focus has to be 100%, to do that requires that I take up a "No Bullshit" zone around me. I make it very obvious when I'm training that I'm in this zone. The hat is pulled low - you can't see my eyes - you don't want to see my eyes, they are the eyes of a fighter, glaring down at a goal. The headphones are on and the music cranked, I can't hear you - I don't want to hear you- I only hear the music and the thoughts in my head that propel me to make every rep count. Sometimes my hands never leave the weight, never unwrap from the bar. 100% focus....it's what I do.

Coffee Basics

On my last trip to Disney World I purchased a Mickey Mouse French Press. I know with competition prep I incorporate more coffee into my regimen. I thought it would make coffee drinking more fun/decadent, and something special. Every time I poured a cup (or two) I could think back on my fun memories of being in Disney. I also purchased Disney coffee assortment to go with it. Btw, it is making coffee drinking more enjoyable. But it got me to wondering about some basic questions regarding coffee. Which is stronger :dark or light roast? Does a french press change the brew? How do you properly brew coffee? 

Let's start with the caffeine content. Caffeine is often incorporated into a fitness regimen for a pick-me-up but also for a slight boost in fat metabolism (you can think of it like a cheap fat burner without being overly potent like some over the counter products). 

Average cup of American coffee (a medium roast) = 100-150 mg caffeine

Espresso = 80-120 mg

Tea = 40 mg

Chocolate Bar = 20-60 mg

Cola (12 oz) = 40-60 mg

Granted I sort of already knew that scale since if I'm in a hurry I have simply a caffeine pill equivalent. But what about the roast?

The roast is one of the most influential steps in the process that affects the flavor, especially the degree or darkness of the roast. The longer the time being roasted and/or the higher the temperature, the darker the roast. Since this burns off more and more of the inherent sugars in the bean it produces a more tangy and bittersweet flavor - often thought of as stronger (stronger can also be created from the water:coffee ratio). The flavor of the coffee comes from the coffee oils. A bit of a misnomer, as the coffee oil is water soluble (defeating the definition of oil). Coffee oil is very fragile,however, as it readily absorbs surrounding flavors and evaporates easily. The flavor component is strong yet only 1/200th of the actual weight of the bean. The oil continues to develop as the bean is roasted. Eventually all the sugars are burned off completely, which leaves a woody flavor. In the end though, it is about the flavor of coffee you prefer as the roast only slightly affects the caffeine content of the bean. A darker roast has slightly less caffeine than light. 

As for brewing - being a coffee novice - I wanted to make sure I was brewing for the strongest/best cup of coffee. For grinding beans, they should be ground only to fine at most, never a powder. If you are using a french press or non-filter drip machine, a medium-coarse ground is best. 

At the very least, it should be 2 level tablespoons for every 5-6 oz of water (more for stronger). Coffee makers should be kept clean and rinsed with hot water prior to use. If possible, use fresh water that is free of impurities and also alkalines. The water temperature should be 200 degrees F. Don't boil coffee or reheat.

For a French Press, let the coffee steep for 4 min. A french press produces a more heavy and dense flavor as some sediment gets into the actual cup of coffee (but its not that bad I swear - it makes a really good cup of coffee).

FYI - as for the Disney coffees - the Chocolate Fudge and the Danish Pastry have been the best so far, but I have 2 still to try (French Vanilla and Hazelnut).

Roast color	Bean surface	Agtron Numbers	Common names	Notes
Light brown	Dry	80 - 70	Light Cinnamon New England	Can taste sour and grainy. Typically used only for inexpensive commercial blends.
Medium brown	Dry	70 - 50	Medium AmericanRegular City Brown	The traditional American norm. Flavor is fully developed; acidity is bright; characteristics of green coffee are clear.
Medium-dark brown	Dry to tiny droplets or patches of oil	50 - 40	Viennese Full-cityLight FrenchEspresso Light espresso Continental After-dinner European	The normal or regular roast for the West and for many newer specialty roasters. Acidity and the characteristics of the green coffee begin to mute. Bittersweetness emerges. The norm for northern-Italian style espresso.
Dark brown	Shiny surface	40-35	French EspressoItalian Turkish Dark	The normal or regular roast for many roasters in the West and Southwest. Acidity is nearly gone; the characteristics of the green coffee muted. Bittersweet tones dominate. The norm for most American-style espresso.
Very dark brown	Very shiny surface	35-30	Italian Dark FrenchNeapolitan Spanish Heavy	The normal or regular roast for Peet's Coffee and its imitators. Acidity is gone. In tactful versions of this roast some characteristics of the green coffee survive; in aggressive versions all coffees taste the same: bittersweet with hints of burned or charred tones.
Black-brown	Shiny surface	30-25	Dark FrenchNeapolitan Spanish	All differentiating characteristics of the green coffee are gone; burned or charred notes dominate. Body is thin. Flavor is reduced to faint sweet tones.

http://www.coffeereview.com/reference.cfm?ID=88

Breakfast Solution

This morning I was in a bit of a rush between clients and needed to get my breakfast ready a little bit quicker than usual. I opted to make a casein shake in place of scrambled eggs, and then still had my oats for my carb component. Well I decided I didn't want to take the time to drink the shake and eat the oats so I ended up pouring my shake on the oats. OMG it turned out to be delicious! Here's what I did:

Casein Shake -

6 oz water heated up in the microwave to be warm (never hot - the powder won't mix)
1 scoop Optimum Nutrition Casein Powder in Vanilla

whipped with a whisk to fully dissolve the powder

Oats -

1/4c uncooked oats
water to cover
heated in microwave for 2 min

sprinkled with a cinnamon spice mixture I made (it comes out different every time because I just wing it but you can think of it like an apple pie spice mix)
a little drop of agave

I then poured my warm casein over the oats and enjoyed (didn't stir in). It was like having an old fashioned warm bowl of cereal :)

I'm back!

Hello all!
Well it's been awhile since I have posted anything here since I was on vacation in Disney World. My trip was awesome, it was so great to see my parents and be in my favorite place. It's always important to make sure you take time to do something for yourself and to be with the ones you love.

While I was allowed more freedom with my regimen on vacation I still tried to make healthy choices for most of my meals. Admittedly, I indulged in some tasty treats since I was on vacation and also celebrating my birthday. But it is important to balance those treats with the rest of your meal choices and keep in mind your activity level. For example, if I knew I wanted ice cream for dessert I would make sure that my dinner was on the healthier side such as roasted chicken with mixed vegetables. I also kept in mind that for the majority of my trip I was walking around the parks all day and enjoying the sights!

It isn't too difficult to eat healthy at Disney. They have made an effort to provide cleaner meals than your typical fast food/tourist attraction fare. For our trip, my mom had added the Quick Meals Dining plan. For all those unfamiliar with Disney lingo, quick meals is their equivalent to fast food. It should be noted, however, that Disney's 'fast food' is hardy you average burger. I was able to get roasted chicken with mixed vegetables, chicken breast nuggets that were in chicken breast form (not processed pounded meat), and they even had steak on the menu - cooked right there in front of you. So it isn't too difficult to eat healthy. Most meals come with french fries or the like, but you are able to substitute vegetables, fruit, yogurt, etc - all you gotta do is say so. I never hesitate to ask for a meal made my way - Disney is built on customer service and having worked their I know what is at their disposal and how they can cater to you - even at the Quick Meal food places (my first summer I worked at Disney World was as a 'Quick Foods Hostess').

While I was down there, I got a kick out of my parents taking my lead sometimes and ordering healthier. And I got them to drink more water! At no time during the trip did either of them pick up a soda! We would have coffee/tea but other than that it was water (once or twice my dad had Vitamin Water Zero). They were amazed at how much water I drank on a day, and not because I wanted to, but because it was the rule for me (I drink at least a gallon a day).

With the Quick Meal plan each meal included a drink (bottled water was our choice), but if you don't have the plan or don't want to pay for bottled water, you can also ask for a cup of water, which is free. The only places you can't get a free cup of water is the little roll around carts (the ones that sell the ice cream, popcorn, etc) as they have to count their cups for inventory, therefore can't give them out. But I didn't see many of them anymore, I think they have switched their mobile units all over to bottled beverages (no more fountain drinks).

Overall, it was a great vacation! I'm back though - back to work - back to training and back to competition prep for the California in May!