On Season and On the Road… to Roatan!!

Even though I haven’t been blogging on here as much lately, I have been posting somewhat frequently on Instagram (@jencordeiro if you wanna follow me). And in those posts I had been hinting that I was prepping for something big and exciting… and something that I wasn’t allowed to share until recently.

Here’s the official announcement!

http://vimeo.com/88693966

Soooo crazy, right?!? If anyone had told me a year ago I would be prepping for something like this today, I would have never have believed it. I started training because I wanted to compete. I wanted to compete to challenge myself… and once I started, I didn’t want to stop. I do what I do because I love it. Being rewarded with an opportunity like this seems too good to be true. All of it. Too good to be true.

This pic was shared on the Team Blessed Bodies Facebook page and Lori Harder (one of my idols and on the current cover of STRONG) commented on it! How cool is that?!?

 

So, how does one prep for a magazine spread and shoot? I dunno! Lemme know. For me, my food plan and training have pretty much stayed the same. I am so, so, so lucky to have a coach and training program that properly paces me so there are no crazy/ stressful/ desperate measures in the final few weeks. Consistency pays off. Minor, minor tweaks have been made to my food plan. My focus this week is to really balance all my meals and time them evenly throughout the day. Training wise, I just need to keep up with my 5 days weights/ 4 days per week cardio plan. Easy peasy. I have even been scheduling it to make Saturdays my rest days- how delightful!

On top of that, there is a lot to prep for the trip. As I have shared in past posts I always plan out my meals and pack what I can to help stay on track while away. This trip poses significant challenges. Long flights. International borders. Unknown hotel room. I won’t be able to bring any fresh fruits or proteins. And I am pretty sure that Roatan doesn’t have a Whole Foods just around the corner like there was in Vegas. A little more thought will need to go into this…

The other daunting task at hand is wardrobe! Tell me to only eat 147 flakes of oats 10 times a day, I could do it. Tell me to do 500 hours of cardio a day, I would do it. Tell me to go shop and pick out outfits for the shoot- no way!! I’m not a shopper. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good deal, but I do not like shopping for specific items of clothes. I don’t know what goes together. I don’t know how to make an “outfit”. And I really don’t know how to accessorize. I foresee some agonizing shopping trips in my immediate future. I spent the shopping trip before the TBB Vegas trip repeatedly calling my sister in a panic (Leanne, prepare yourself for another round).

Anyway, 3 weeks out tomorrow! Can’t wait for that sun and sand!!

 

Planking it out to build up those abs!!

 

XOXO
Jen

New Year, New Post (Finally!)

Absence makes the heart grow fonder?? Right? Right? Ha ha ha. I hope so. While consistency has found a place in my daily fitness and food routine (yay for 365!), it certainly hasn’t found a place here yet. Yikes!

It’s now the middle of February (!!) and I find myself back ON SEASON! Whoo hoo! Not that I was taking it easy during my “off season.” Over the past few months, since my last post, I have moved (I absolutely loooooathe packing and unpacking- but love where I am living!), kept up with all my training, did a photo shoot with Mark Bradfield (love him and Sarah!), created an athlete Facebook page (come join!), and filmed a fitness DVD (fun!). My birthday, Christmas and New Year’s Eve also happened somewhere in there too. And, while I kept up with my program for the most part, there were definitely a lot of treats, rest and relaxation as well. I pretty much just hibernated during the Christmas holidays and it was fabulous.

The past few months in pictures :)

 

The new hood!

The new hood!

 

Me with Sarah Shea Smith and Mark Bradfield after a long and fun shoot!

 

My new Facebook page :) Check in out for meal plans, recipes, music and motivation!

 

 

On set of the filming the fitness DVD to be released this Spring!

 

Oh, and I also appeared in a fitness magazine for the first time too! 

My mini-profile in the Feb/ Mar 2014 issue of Inside Fitness.

 

 

And on a poster!

 

Happy to promote such a great organization!

So that pretty much brings me to today. As of February 16 (yes, conveniently selected to be just after Valentine’s Day and all the chocolate!) I am back on-season and training for an upcoming shoot and show. So, what does that mean? On season? For me, that means sticking to my food plan 100% (that is keeping it clean, keeping it within my macros (that is making sure I meet and don’t exceed all my calories, fats, proteins and carbs each day) and balancing each meal to keep my metabolism revved), getting all my training in exactly as my coach lays out (no short cuts- every rep counts!), drinking all my water, and NO alcohol and NO “treats.” Sounds tough, but I am so EXCITED! So excited! Excited to do it and excited for what’s to come. The countdown starts now! Eight weeks out!! #beastmodeon

 

 

Flipping Pancakes and Packing Up

Hey-oh! It’s the weekend! Time for some rest and relaxation, the gym, and pancakes of course! For me, however, this weekend, I only get two out of those three things.

Next weekend I’m moving out of my condo, so this weekend has been spent making arrangements and packing. Ugh. Feels like a never ending process. In the span of a week, we went from spending our Saturday night living (and eating) the high life in the city to shopping at Walmart in Surrey. Ha. How things got real- fast. Oh moving, I hate you so much.
 
Despite all the packing, the organizing, the cleaning and doing everything else that goes into moving, I’m still making it to the gym, and even started a brand new training program this today (which, as a side note, was insane! During my leg work out I was seriously sweating through my eyeballs and am pretty sure I will not be able to walk tomorrow… or even tonight.  I can already feel the soreness/ stiffness coming on- which I love. I know I did something right). Whoot whoot! #makingithappen Operation Bigger, Better, Stronger is now into full effect. The countdown is on. I have 65 days (9 weeks) until Vegas and I will be using each and every one of those days, hours, and minutes building my body so I can bring my best.

Every second, minute, hour, bigger, better, stronger, power! #thatpower



 

Repping it out at (well, resting between sets when I took the picture)

on the Smith machine

Yes, I am now following the creed of Will.I.Am and Justin Bieber... not sure if that’s better or worse that Enrique. You tell me.

As of last night (after a final trip to Menchies), I am back into competition prep mode. No, I’m not training for a show, but am preparing for a photo shoot and the look I want to create will take my complete focus and dedication over the next two months. But that’s okay, I do well in crunch times. I will confess, I will be taking two breaks or ‘off times’ during this prep. The first break will be when I go to Napa at the end of month for my dear friend Katherine’s stagette. While I can keep up with my training and eat (fairly) clean while away, I simply cannot go to Napa and not do a wine tour, right? I am pretty sure I’d be banned from ever returning if I didn’t drink at least some wine while there J And then the second break will be when the hubs and I hit Chicago in the middle of July (one month out from Vegas). Again, I can’t go to Chicago and not eat pizza. I’d be run out of the town for sure!! Plus, we have already bought tickets for a pizza and cocktails tour which will undoubtedly be amazing!! I heart Chicago. It’s really one of the best cities. Here’s a pic from our last trip there.

Our reflection in the Bean

 

 

Other than that though, no excuses. I’ve already scoped out post-move gym options in the new ‘hood, I’ll be prepping all of my meals for the weekend of the move, and I will do what it takes to keep up with my training schedule. I’m making it happen.

Somehow within all the chaos going on because of the move, I created and tried out a new pancake recipe yesterday morning. After being phased out of my competition prep food plan in March, bananas are (temporarily) back on the menu. And, in homage to the Chunky Monkey cupcake I inhaled/ ate last weekend, I wanted to try to make a banana pancake. It turned out yummy. Here’s the recipe:

Chunky Monkey Banana Pancakes

Ingredients (for 1 serving)
 
Pancake:

• 1/3 cup/ 30g oats
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 17g vanilla protein powder (I used a whey based powder, but you can use whatever you like. Be aware, however, each powder and brand had different absorption so you may need to adjust the amount)
• 50g/ half a banana
• ¼ egg whites

Vanilla Icing:

• 2 TBSP non-fat Greek yogurt
• 1 TBSP/ 7g vanilla casein

Directions

1. Mix the three dry pancake ingredients today until well blended.
2. Mush the banana into the egg whites (you can keep the banana chunky or puree it right in- your preference).
3. Stir the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients.
4. Pour batter into a pre-heated sprayed pan.
5. Cook for 4-5 minutes on one side. Flip. Cook 2-3 minutes on the other side.
6. While the pancake in cooking, make the icing by mixing the yogurt and casein together.
7. Once the pancake is cooked through, top with the icing while still warm.

 

I also added some chunky peanut butter (which I just rediscovered- OMG, amazing!) on the top of mine with the icing. While it was a little dry (next time I might add a couple of tablespoons of milk to the batter), it was still really yummy with the peanut butter and bananas- one of my favorite combos.

I also want to try it with a little chocolate next time. I thought about it for this recipe (and seriously spent way too long debating whether or not to add it in), but in the end wanted the vanilla flavoring more. If I were to add in the chocolate, I would either add a tablespoon of cocoa to the batter or make chocolate icing instead of the vanilla. Or, if your diet permits it, you could also add in a couple chocolate chips, or make a chocolate sauce. The possibilities are endless. See, I told you I thought about it for a long time).

 

Okay, enough about pancakes and back to the packing. Ugh. Seriously, how do I have so much junk??

XOXO

Jen

WIA-Thursday

It’s not Wednesday, but this is was I ate on Wednesday… and Monday, and Tuesday and today, and pretty much every day until after the show on Sunday.



Meal plan for the week

Meal 1: Egg whites, protein powder, oats and flax seeds microwave into a cookie/ cakey thingy, served with a side of aspagus and coconut butter.

Meal 2: Egg whites, protein powder, oats and flax seeds microwave into a cookie/ cakey thingy, served with a side of aspagus and coconut oil.

Meal 3: Tilapia, yams, and asparagus with coconut butter.

Meal 4: Tilapia, beans and coconut oil.

Meal 5: Chicken, yams, crushed almonds and green beans.

Meal 6: Egg whites, casein, almonds and green beans (not pictured).

So, that’s pretty much my food for the week. Not shown in the pictures is a grapefruit. One glorious sweet, but sour grapefruit a day.

This time around, my food options have been quite limited during peak week. That being said, it (a) makes things much easier (less to buy and less to plan) and (b) it has still been really tasty. The options still include choices for proteins (eggs, chicken and tilapia), starchy carbs (yams and oats) and fats (coconut oil/ butter, almonds and flax). No food group has been eliminated. I need a balance of each to stay strong and really build up the muscle in the next few days. When I can, I have been switching it up either by changing the combos or the way the food is prepared. Here are a couple more dishes of things I put together today.

 

Egg white frittata with flax seeds, yams and green beans

Tilapia, yams and green beans and coconut butter on top

 Tilapia, yams and green beans sauteed together with coconut butter on top

 Chicken, green beans tossed with toasted oats and almonds

Right now, I am right in the middle of peak week (and chugging water like nobody’s business). Yesterday was really the tipping point since it was my last day of work until after the show (yay!) and my training is done! After one last punishing leg, ab and cardio session last night, I’m done. All done. And to get it done, I really had to dig deep. I also had to use the glute kickback machine… and apparently I transported back to the 1980s.

Hopefully the machine works just as well even when I'm not wearing my bodysuit.

It was, mentally, one of the hardest workouts I have had to get through. It’s like that week before vacation at work when you don’t know how you’d make it through if you didn’t know you had a break coming up. I think between many early morning wake ups (even on the past few weekends), work, and other life things, I was just getting tired and overwhelmed. But from here on out, it’s all rest and relaxation - and posing practice!  

Only 3 more sleeps (and hopefully a couple more naps) until show day!! Whoo hoo! Let’s do this!!

K, time to go eat some more J

XOXO
J

WIAW :)

It’s Wednesday! Let’s see what’s on the menu this week:

Much of the same from last week, but a few minor tweaks here and there.

M1: Buckwheat and barley porridge with some coconut oil melted on top J Still loooooving this. Each and every morning.

M2: Yam, oats and egg bake, again with coconut oil melted on top. Also very, very yummy. Recipe to be posted soon.

M3: Tilapia and spinach salad with yams, asparagus and beans and hemp hearts on top. This week I have also been dressing it was some raw apple cider vinegar for an extra kick.

M4: Apple and almond butter. Sweet and simple.

M5: Tilapia, brown rice and veggies. My post workout fuel.

M6: Yogurt, casein and fruit. I’ve been doing all sorts of combos on this. Tonight it was with vanilla casein and the other half of my apple (with some egg white “chocolate sauce”). Such a delicious late night snack packed full of protein.

Only eleven more sleeps to the next show (!!). I have really been pushing myself through my workouts, increasing weights, and really repping it out. My energy is high, and the motivation is there. I’m feeling strong both physically and mentally, and I am super excited for what’s up next. Peak week in 3, 2, 1…

This. Is. It. Peak Week, Show Prep and Post-Show Treats

This is it. Peak week has flown by— fast! I can’t believe that it’s only one more sleep away. While there were some modifications with my training and diet, they probably weren’t what you’d expect (I was surprised!) and they weren’t that bad. Training wise, the only changes were no more cardio after Tuesday (whoo hoo!) and reordering the days of my workouts, all of which resulted in a final legs and abs workout Friday morning. Easy peasy. Knowing it was the final workout, I curled, squatted, and pressed the $#!% out of my legs- and it felt good.

Food plan wise, there were very minimal changes to my diet. The biggest difference was the INCREASE in my calories consumed (mainly carbs and fats). An increase!! And, not just once, but twice. Of course, this wasn’t a dramatic addition, and pretty much amounted to an extra wedge of yam, but still, more is more and I’ll take it. The only other alterations I have made have been keeping food choices simple (think yams, tilapia, and asparagus), balancing every meal (with carbs, fats and protein) and making a real effort to eat every 2 hours (to keep that metabolism up). I have also been super diligent about keeping hydrated.

While I am keeping my food choices simple (which mainly just helps me plan, buy and prep what I need), I am also trying to be creative where I can and using the healthy fats to switch things up. Here’s what I have been able to come up with so far:

For my Friday workout:

Pre-workout: Oats, protein powder and egg white pancake

Post-workout: Oat, yam, egg, spinach and protein powder pancake topped with coconut oil (this, was delicious!)

Other meals throughout the day:

 

Yam and egg white pancake with green beans and chili flakes topped with avocado (again, delicious!)

Spinach and cucumber salad with tilapia and hemp hearts and Udo’s oil dressing

Egg whites with asparagus and yams, topped with coconut butter (which is seriously amazing)

 Pretty much, everything since then has been some sort of combination of the core foods: yams, tilapia and asparagus with different healthy fats (I have many to choose from- avocado, almonds, hemp hearts, Udo’s oil, coconut butter… the list just keeps on going and each can be used to add such a different twist to the dish).

Today was the NPAA Athletes meeting. 

 

It’s an opportunity for all the athletes competing in the show to check-in (I’m #9!), get more detailed information about the show and pick up some cool swag. For me, it was also an opportunity to meet up with the other girls on the team competing in the show.

I’m so excited to be sharing this experience with these amazing ladies. Seriously, to be standing on stage next to each of them is such an honour. I can’t wait.

At the meeting today, I also learned more about the NPAA (Natural Physiques and Athletics Association). What a great organization! I am so happy I decided to compete in this show. Not only did they create an association with an all-natural and holistic approach to competing and healthy living, but Kevin and Wendy are very just endearing individuals. You could tell they really care about the athletes and creating an enjoyable experience for everyone. I am really looking forward to the show tomorrow, and am even excited for my husband and sister who will be watching as it seems there are even some special treats in store for the audience! NPAA has really created such a positive and warm environment to compete in.      

After the meeting, we had some extra time, so the Mr. and I headed over the Steveston for some lunch and just to spend some time together. What a beautiful day down at the water and what a great opportunity to sit back and enjoy some quality time together. Things have been pretty intense and busy lately, so having this break was nice J

Then it was on to tanning. After going through all of this (the training, the sweating, the check in pictures, and now the tanning) I have no modesty left. Hahaha. I can assure you that every square inch, every square inch, of my body was sprayed (my coach even had to left up my bum cheeks to get under there!). The colour is ridiculous (too ridiculous for pictures), but does look good and does make the muscles pop just that much more. I also know that once on stage and under all the lights it won’t look as crazy. In person though, it’s crazy. I’ve already smudged my chest a bit (stupid seat belt) and sleeping tonight should be interesting. Hahaha. These are the things that make me step back and laugh. Never, in a million years did I think this is something I would be a part of, not that there is anything wrong with it, just not something I’d be doing. These are also the things that make me realize how far I have come and how much I love what I am doing.

I know tomorrow will be a blur. Early morning wakeup call (hair starts at 5:00 am!) and show starts at 9:00am. Once the show starts everything will move quickly… and then it’ll be done… and then it will be time for a treat J Ah, yes, the post-show treat. This is the carrot at the end of the stick that keeps you on track when you wanna fall off. Clearly, for those that know me well, my treat will be chocolate. The last show I had a box of Purdy’s chocolate, and they were delightful!

 

For this show, I have a little stockpile of chocolate I have collected since Christmas and will definitely be breaking into that stash. And for dinner, I have made reservations at one of my all-time favorite White Rock restaurants, Cielos, and will be eating like a queen. Another round of bruschetta, anyone?

It’s been interesting this time around. I can honestly say that throughout my whole prep I was never really tempted by anything and never had any strong cravings. I had my eye on the prize and was able to shut out everything else. Sure, there were times it was tricky to stick to it (like family gatherings or birthday dinners) but mostly because of the social awkwardness of it, not because of the the temptation. The only time I found myself wistfully staring at something was at Easter dinner. My mom puts together an amazing spread with all the dishes and her stuffing is the best, hands down, the best. That was the only moment I really felt like I was missing out on something, but she promised to make me a full dinner post-show J Problem solved. Now, however, so close to the end, is when it gets a little bit tougher. Those post show treats are so close, I can taste it… and it makes me want more. LOL. See, that’s my problem. I won’t be able to have just one. Like last time, it’ll be the whole box. Hahaha. But each piece will be deliciously deserved. I’ll be sure to post pics.

XOXO

Jen

Photo Shoot and Peak Week!

It’s peak week! Only seven more sleeps to the show. This is when everything starts to happen. Final appointments get booked, the day of schedule gets confirmed, food options start to get limited and every day my body changes. Everything starts to become a little leaner and a little tighter. Muscles start to pop and everything just starts to come together. Layer on a ridiculous dark (fake) tan and a teeny tiny sequin bikini, and that’s it- it’s show time!

Clearly, a lot is going on and this weekend has been super busy. Yesterday, I had my first real taste of what it is like to be a fitness model. An opportunity to shoot with TrendiCreative was presented itself and I took it J It was so much fun! It’s been really great to have something other than show prep to focus on over the past few weeks. Just having something else fun to focus on and train for takes off the pressure and reduces the enormity of the “show.” Much like a wedding, it’s easy to get so caught up on that one day. Having something else to divert some energy towards is a good thing.

Everything about the shoot went well. Throughout the morning I slowly transformed from 'morning Jen' to 'model Jen' with hair, makeup and fitness clothes.

In the sibling lottery, I have won big time! I have an incredibly talented younger sister and a little “big” brother who I am incredibly proud of. Both of them are the best (which clearly speaks to how awesome my parents are too J Yes, I am blessed). So, not only do I have these amazing people in my life, but my sister is a talented hair artist and owns her own salon (Salon Cordeiro- check it out!), so I pretty much get a life time pass on the free hair train. This has come in handy for numerous special events (like my wedding). My sister knows me, knows my hair, and knows how to make it look good. Here’s a selfie of how it turned out for the shoot:

  

On top of just doing my hair, my sister is also my go to style advisor. She has always had that natural ability to pull things together and know what looks good. I lack skill. Thankfully, she came to the rescue and helped me pick out some bright tops and bottoms for the shoot (and when I say, “She helped me pick out” I really mean, “She went out on her own and bought what I needed.” Ha ha ha.). Here’s what I was working with:

Once all pulled together, I got behind the camera and tapped into my inner Oxygen cover model (one can dream, right?). It was so much fun and time went by so fast! I got through a few different outfits, used a prop, and also took some creative shots. I cannot wait to see the proofs! Here are a few more pics from the day.

 

 

 

And, now with that all over, it’s time again to focus on the show. Having the shoot the week before the show got to be a bit overwhelming at times, but actually, mentally, was the best for me. Over the past week or so, with the show date looming, I began questioning my development and where I was at. It’s so easy to have this ideal in your head of what you think you should look like and then be disappointed when that’s not what you see in the mirror. I know how much hard work and time and energy I have been putting in, and sometimes it gets a little frustrating to not see what I want to see. What more do I have to do?!? But, two things happened this past week to shake that doubt out of me. One, was the photo shoot. Seeing my overall polished look in the pictures renewed my confidence. I have been working hard and it shows- in many ways! A year ago, I would not have had the body or the confidence or the support to be in front of the camera like that and now I feel (and look!) like I belong there. The other thing was a Facebook post by a team member. She shared two pictures of herself in competitions a few years apart and commented on how it takes time to grow and develop muscle. Yes, time! It’s not just dedication (which I’ve got), but time. And not just a few months, but years. I know the fitness models that I admire (like Jennifer Nicole Lee, Tania Antonio, Nathalia Melo and Andreia Brazier) have been working out for years, YEARS! Plus, it’s their jobs (my job requires me to sit at a desk for 8 hours a day). Ha ha ha. Having this new perspective and renewed confidence has made me so excited to compete next week. I will be bringing my best mind and body- and really, for me, that’s what this is all about.

XOXO
J

WIAW and the Downward Spiral (in a good way!) to the Show

It’s Wednesday!! Here’s a peek at what I ate:

I worked from home today which gave me a little bit of flexibility in terms of my meals (I could actually make something fresh!) so I ate a little off my menu plan for the week (but still within my nutritional requirements). My meals were:

• Pre-work out: Chocolate protein muffins
• Post-weights/ pre-cardio (not shown): Yogurt with vanilla protein powder and yam
• Meal 3: Buckwheat and barley porridge with a side of scrambled egg (my new #favouritething! OMG so good together with a little coconut oil. A little sweet, a little savoury and super satisfying)
• Meal 4: Mixed veggie salad topped with a tilapia and balsamic dressing with a drizzle of Udo’s oil
• Meal 5: Half an apple and half a grapefruit with almond and coconut butter
• Meal 6: Mexican stir fry with chicken and a chili cilantro yogurt topping
• Meal 7: Yogurt with vanilla casein and berries

Everything has been so delicious! Since I am now 11 days out from the show, I know my diet will be tightening up over the next week and half and my beloved yogurt is going to be cut. Booooooo! But it’s only temporary. I know I can make it.

With things getting a bit crazier with my training and food plan over the past couple of weeks, other things in my life have started to slide and it’s beginning to show (I talked about the decline of my physical appearance in my last post). At work, I’m okay. I can keep up. Everything else, not so much. My awesome mother-in-law does my taxes (yes, I’m very lucky- not only do I have in-laws that I love, they also do my taxes :P). All I have to do is drop off all my slips- do you think I could manage that on time? No. Do you think that once I got her my things I actually got her everything she needed? No. Do you think I could find what was missing? Yes, actually, plus I found other things that had been missing, so bonus! House cleaning is another thing that has fallen completely off my radar. While I can (kinda) handle the must dos (like laundry), other things, like vacuuming, are not happening. At all. Recycling? Don’t even ask! Tonight, since it was literally spilling out of the storage room,I finally went through the recycling to organize things to take down to the blue bins. Guess how many yogurt containers were in there? 19. How many tuna cans? 13. How many strawberry baskets? 12. Plus, piles of paper, milk cartons and cans. Ai, yi, yi! How did it get like this?? Disorganization and messiness stress me out, so I have had to learn to just ignore and let it go. Priorities, right? Living in filth isn’t that bad, is it? All a part of the process. Just a day at a time.

XOXOX

J

It’s a new dawn, a new day and a new week!! For a Monday (and for a morning for that matter), I was feeling unusually good!



Sunrise on the way to work this morning!
Hopefully a sign of things to come this week
#shinebrightlikeadiamond today!

After feeling a little crazy/ overwhelmed last week, I am starting to feel back in control and excited for what the next two weeks will bring. Things are starting to fall into place.

 

For the photo shoot on Saturday, I have my hair, makeup, nail, threading and tanning appointments all booked. And, for the show next, next weekend, I have my hair, makeup, waxing and tanning appointments all booked as well. Yes, it actually takes that much work, and that many people to make me look presentable. In the weeks leading up to a show, things aren’t pretty (again, my poor husband). Preparing for a show is like planning a wedding! There are so many details to coordinate! I still need to figure out the timelines/ schedules for the days of the event, transportation, food options/ menu planning, purchase tickets for the show, pick out outfits and pack up my bag. Seriously, I didn’t put this much time or energy into my own wedding! But, while it is a lot to do (and a lot of expense!), it is all worth it. This is when it starts to all come together. This is when you start to see all the hard work, sacrifice and time and energy invested manifest into what you have been envisioning for months every time you pumped out one more set, or said no to a dinner invite, or passed out on the couch before 10pm. This is the fun part :)

 

A quick weekend wrap up: Sleep ins, protein pancakes, workouts, dinner with (both sets) of parents (and when I say dinner, I mean, I brought my own Tupperware filled with clean eats- which I eat out of off my grandma’s china), Sunday food prep and quality time with the hubby. What more can a girl ask for?

 

I tried a new protein pancake recipe this weekend. Out of zucchini, I subbed in shredded beets to make a chocolate beet pancake. Here’s the recipe:

  

Chocolate Beet Protein Pancake with Vanilla Icing

 

Ingredients (for 1 large pancake):

 

Pancake:

• 1/3 cup oats
• 20g chocolate whey protein powder
• 1 TBSP cocoa (or to taste)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¼ cup egg whites
• 50g shredded beets (zapped in the microwave for 45 secs)
• 2 TBSP skim milk
• 5g walnut pieces

Icing:

• 2 TBSP fat free Greek yogurt
• 7g vanilla protein powder
• 1 tsp coconut oil

 

Directions:

1. Mix the oats, protein powder and cocoa together.
2. Add in egg whites and milk. Mix well. Add in beets and walnuts.
3. Pour into a pre-heated, frying pan coated with a non-stick spray. Cook for about 5 minutes, flip, and cook other side for 3 minutes (or until done).
4. To make the icing, stir together yogurt, protein powder, and coconut oil.
5. Ice the protein pancake with the icing and serve warm.

 

It was good! A little less sweet, and more “earthy” if you will, than the zucchini pancake, but still delicious- especially with a little prune chia jam on top. It is also carb and protein packed which I needed after a tough shoulder and tri workout!

 

Only 18 days out! The countdown is on!!

XOXO
J

It's My Time, It's My Life

I tried something different this morning, and woke up early to get my workout in BEFORE work. While I would usually choose sleep over anything else, opportunity and scheduling wise this just made sense. While it was a little difficult to set the alarm last night for a time earlier than I needed to for work, getting up this morning wasn’t thaaat bad (even though it was miserable outside) and I got in a KICK ASS workout before my regular work day even started. Whoo hoo!



Me finishing up my planks at the gym and post-workout meal-
protein shake and some starchy (yummy) carbs :)

This is it. Only 16 more days until the show!! In the immortal words of Enrique Iglesias:  

It's my time, it's my life,
I can do what I like
For the price of a smile, I gotta take it to right
So I keep on living, cause it feel's right

 

And it's so nice, and I'd do it all again

This time, it's forever
It gets better, and I, I, I like how it feels

I like how it feels, I like how it feels

I like how it feels, I like how it feels
I like how it feels, I like how it feels

So just turn it up, let me go

I'm alive, yes and no, never stop
Give me more, more, more
Cause I like how it feels
Ooh yeah, I like how it feels
You know I like how it feels
Oh yeah I like how it feels

No, I don’t usually live my life according to Enrique Iglesias (or Pitbull for that matter), but this song just speaks to me. It’s my pump up song, the song that helps me get out those last few sets and the song that just gets me excited to be doing what I am doing. So just turn it up, let me go, I’m alive, yes and no, never stop, give me more, more, more CAUSE I LIKE HOW IT FEELS!

What are some other good pump up songs?

XOXO
J

Which Way is Up??

Which way is up? Do you ever feel that way? I do, and I am right now.

A stormy reflection on the way into work this morning: Which way is up?




First, let me start by saying I loooove what I do and I choose what I do. That doesn’t mean that it’s always easy though. Right now, as I get closer to my first photoshoot (9 more days!) and my first competition of the season (17 more days!), I am starting to get overwhelmed. The funny thing is, for the most part, it’s not ‘bad’ things stressing me out, it’s good, positive things- just so many of them! Again, I am excited about what I am doing and can’t wait for these experiences, but right now, there are just so many things going on and such little time. Lately, I have been feeling like all I am doing is planning and prepping for the next thing, and never actually ‘experiencing’ the thing. Hahaha. I know this is what it gets like closer to the show. Training-wise and food plan-wise, I can keep up. I expect that and I love that. Beast mode on! On the mental state-wise front, things can start to get overwhelming.

While I knew that this process would be a test of mental strength (commitment and willpower being the two big ones), I didn’t realize just how important the mental aspect of training and competing would be. When I start getting overwhelmed, I know I start getting grumpy and withdraw (my poor husband!) and then I start questioning what I’m even doing, which eventually leads to the, “Why am I even doing this in the first place??” Which then makes me pause and reflect. Why am I doing this?

As I shared on my What’s This All About page, I don’t do this to win. I do this to learn, to grow and to become a better me. Experiencing all of these feelings and emotions, whether they are positive or exhausting, is all a part of that process. Every challenge is an opportunity to do my best and become better. Taking this time to step back and reframe how I experience what’s coming at me gives me that strength and determination to push through and bring my best. Nobody said this was going to be easy, but it will be worth it. Let's do this!

XOXO

J