IDFA Show Recap

This past weekend was the IDFA BC Classic, my second show of the season. I was pumped, prepped and all in pink! Here are a couple post-hair and make-up back stage pics:

This time there were 5 Team Blessed Bodies girls competing. Yay Team Blessed Bodies! I heart these girls. Here are a few shots of us hanging out throughout the day.

 

In this show, I was entered into only one category- Novice Fitness Model. So, when it was my time, I went out, posed and did my T-walk and quarter turns like nobody’s business. Here are some professional stage shots:

 

Did I feel nervous? Yes! Between the nerves and adrenaline, I was shaking the pretty much the entire time but tried my best to stay focused and kept on smiling, and posing, and smiling and posing. During the judging round I got first call out (which usually means top 5) and felt good when I left the stage. It all happened so fast. Then it’s a waiting game. After a few more hours (spent backstage, chatting, sipping water and eating our clean meals- no treats yet!), it was the awards round. After one more time on stage to do a couple poses, the top five of my group was announced. I made the cut! From there, the placings are announced, and I received… fourth, and a medal J A pink medal that matched my bikini :) 

 

Did I expect to do better? Yes. Did I want to do better? Yes. Did I still ‘win’? Yes.  Of course placing first would be a ‘win,’ but there is sooooo much more to get out of all of this and whether or not I walk off stage with first place or last place, I am still leaving a winner (ugh, this is the cliché/ quote things I was talking about in my other post). Throughout this competition prep process I have learned more about training and nutrition and what works best for me, I have made new friends at the gym, I have been inspired and have inspired others, and I have learned to prioritize, set goals and work towards while balancing work and the rest of life. Most importantly I have awakened a passion for health and fitness and am excited to see where it takes me. Speaking of which…

Plans for the next few months do not include any more competitions. I flirted with the idea of doing the WBFF show in Vancouver on July 13, but just don’t have the time and focus to work toward that right now. When I step on to the WBFF stage for the first time, I want to bring my BEST and nothing less.  Between a bachelorette party in Napa, a weekend wedding away and a big move all before the end of this month, I just cannot commit to and enjoy prepping for this show. Instead, I will be focusing on maintaining where I am at, building some more muscle, and finding some balance. I will also be heading to Vegas in August for a photo shoot and to watch my teammates compete in the WBFF Worlds, which also give me a little incentive to keep at it every day. Beyond that, I’m considering my options.   

But, in the meantime, I am starting my post-competition journey with many treats. Post-show treats have included lots of chocolate (candy, cookies and cakes- no joke- all three!), pizza and a trip to Menchies (I may have started a post-show tradition). All of it shared with some of my biggest suporters- my husband and mom and dad J

 

Despite overdosing on treats for the first 24 hours post-competition, I did get right back into my training schedule Monday morning, hitting the gym first thing and going for a run down to the beach… and then to the sushi restaurant for a delicious lunch… and then to Cielo’s for dinner where I was reunited with my lover- the bruschetta.

 

Today, it was right back on the food plan. I have already planned and prepped my meals for the week and am excited by what I’ve made for my breakfasts! It’s a combo of two of my favorite recipes- the crockpot porridge and the zucchini pancakes cakes. Um, yep, it’s the best of both worlds J

So here’s to kicking off maintenance season and living the 365 lifestyle.

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

Things I Thought I'd Never Say, Do or Hear

It’s the weekend (insert multiple smiley faces here). This weekend marks one week out from my next competition- the IDFA BC Classic on June 2. Here I am again facing peak week, excited to see what’s in store. So far, for my past two shows, things have been different each time. For the first show, I was given a pretty detailed list of food options for the week leading up to the show, with different things eliminated each day. For example, protein powder was dropped a few days before the show, then certain vegetables, then oats. On the day of the show, I was pretty much only eating yams, tilapia and asparagus, and an assortment of healthy fats (all of which I was still really enjoying). My water consumption also changed throughout the week and then was eventually cut off the day before the show. And training stopped four days before the show.

For the last show I did in May, my food options remained the same and my carbs and fats increased in the days leading up to the show. Weight training went right up to two days before the show, but cardio was cut almost at a week out. Who knows what it will be like this time? I’ve already been given a couple changes- one being cardio every day… and splitting cardio from weights… which means hitting the gym twice a day. I never thought I’d be doing that, but I am and I will. Let’s see what happens.

All these changes, trying new things and learning as a go has been interesting. Without even realizing it, I’ve been taking little steps, tweaking things here and there, which has slowly, but surely, led to a major lifestyle change. Sometimes, I’ll do or say something, catch myself, and realize how far I’ve come (or how crazy I’ve gotten). For example, in one of my last posts, I mentioned that after taking a bite of chocolate backstage at the NPAA show I said, “Oh my god! I forgot how good chocolate tasted!” Seriously, those words from my mouth?? I’m a chocolate-holic! Which, I thought I kept under wraps pretty good, but I guess the secret is out!

 

A crossword someone at work put together.
The clue for 5 Down: Chocolateholic, but you would never know it.
The answer: Jen 

 

Other things I have started doing that I never thought I would is lugging all my workout gear to work every day so I can hit the gym on the way home and waking up early on the weekends (and enjoying it!) to get to the gym. Here are some other examples of things I never thought I would say, do or hear:

1. Me: “Mmmm, that bowl of peppers and cucumbers is making my mouth water.” Ha ha ha. Seriously, who says this?? But I did and it does. Now even the thought of biting into a nice crisp and crunchy veggie just makes my mouth water. It’s like nature’s candy :)

2. Me: “No thanks, I’m good” said to a bowl full of Purdy’s chocolates at Easter- and I actually felt fine about it. It would have been easy enough to sneak one, but I know from my past behavior one would have definitely led to two, which would have led to three, which would have led to the whole bowl. I’m an addict. I can’t stop. I know that. Thank god I never did drugs. I seriously believe I would have had a problem.

3. Me: “Hmmm, when was my last rest day?” I have caught myself wondering this out loud. Rest days are extremely important in any training schedule, especially when you are trying to build muscle. Your muscle actually grows when it’s repairing itself, which means it needs rest (and fuel) to do so. It’s not that I don’t want rest days (I love having that little extra time), it’s just that I get into my routine (work, gym, eat, sleep) and forget to stop. It’s just become habit and I have to remind myself to stop and schedule in the rest days. If I don’t think about it, I will just keep going.

4. Me, at the gym: “I’m at the end of the weight rack… I can’t go heavier.” First, let me qualify this statement by saying (a) I go to an all ladies gym, and (b) that gym is in White Rock. The average age at the gym is probably about 65. It’s not like I’m maxing out at Gold’s or something. As I have progressed in my training, and started lifting heavier, I have reached the end of the barbell weight rack though. Well it may be a bit of a milestone, it’s also been a bit of an annoyance because I have had to figure out alternatives, which usually requires me to run to opposite sides of the gym to get in everything I need. Ugh. #weightliftingproblems  

5. Me: “Wow, that Facebook post/ quote/ picture really speaks to me. I want to share.” Ha ha ha. This one gets me every time. In general, I don’t post too much on Facebook (I mainly use it to stalk/ snoop on people- don’t judge, I know you do too) and I am certainly not one to post motivational quotes or share other people’s posts, and used to be annoyed at all the cheesy, clichéd sayings and pictures that would fill up my feed. However, since embarking on this fitness journey, I find myself really inspired by these quotes. All of the sudden they make sense to me. I get it… and I feel the urge to share it. Wha??? What’s happened to me? Where did my cynical, sarcastic self go?? Wait until I start making up my own quotes. Oh god! Here’s a couple samples of ones I like and have the urge to share…

 

 

6. My husband: “I started cleaning up the house and the realized, most the mess is yours.” Ha. Yeah, there’s a first time for everything. To say my priorities have changed is an understatement. As I wrote about in a previous post, as things get more intense or closer to a show, other things start to slide- and tidiness is one of those things. For the most part, I can keep up, but lately there have been times when I just need to let some expectations and chores go, and do my best not to let it bother me. This next week will be a bit of a challenge, but so far so good. At last count, there are only 8 yogurt containers in the recycling box waiting to go down, so we’re not at the critical tipping point- yet.

7. Being called an “athlete.” This one is a mind bender. I have never considered myself athletic or fit. As a kid, I wasn’t active (and had no desire to be) and didn’t play sports (I just didn’t get them). Sure, I took dance lessons, and they were fun (mainly for the cool music and fun costumes), but I never, ever considered myself sporty. Even as an adult, I have shied away from playing any sort of sport- competitive or not. No co-ed softball, no beach volleyball, nothing. Since I have started competing however, I have realized that, yes, I am an athlete (although, that took attending my first pre-show “Athletes’ Meeting,” but now I get it). I have a coach and I have team mates. This is a sport. I train and I compete. I am an athlete.  

So, who knows what I might say or do next? Maybe start eating only organic (something that I don’t quite buy into at this point)? Maybe I will start going to the gym 3 times a day (highly unlikely and completely unnecessary)? Or maybe I will start eating red meat (this would astound my friends and family)? If I start eating meat, you’ll know this $#!T is real!

XOXO

Jen

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…

What Happened, What's Up and What's Next

Okay, very belated (like by almost two weeks), but here's what has been going on since my last (non WIAW) post:

1. The Show!!

 

First, before getting into the details, I have to throw out a HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who wished me luck. I was overwhelmed by the support and the really touching messages I received - both pre- and post-show -from friends, family, coworkers and even people I haven't talked to in years. I love and am excited by what I do and knowing that it is inspiring or exciting for other people is just sooooo rewarding. Words cannot describe it. I just feel so blessed. Thank you.

Anyway, back to the deets. Show day was awesome... Despite a ridiculously early start! I was up and at the salon for hair and makeup at 5 am. Ugh. Also, to note, no coffee on show day :( Rough start.

 

Anyway, in 1.5 hours, I got my hair did, make up on and went from this...

 

...to this...

 

 

I was excited I see how the show would go after the awesome check in meeting the day before. NPAA did a really great job creating such a warm and welcoming environment for the competitors. Things were so calm and chill, but still organized and efficient, backstage. So different than my first show where I was fighting for a sliver of counter space and surrounded by hundreds of other competitors (who, were all nice, but were just always in my space). Plus, 6 other girls from Team Blessed Bodies were there too- and we tore up the stage!! We took trophies is each category- figure, fitness and bikini!- and our coach won an award too (cause she is the bestest)!

Some shots from backstage, with the other ladies, and of my coach:

 

The bikini girls lined backstage and ready to go out

Bikini booty shot! Can you spot me?? Nope? Good, because I'm not there.

Note that everything is covered in plastic in the dressing rooms so tans don't rub off and ruin anything.

All the TBB ladies with our coach, Fatima!

 

  

I personally place 3rd in novice fitness and 2nd in open bikini. Whoot whoot! Not that it's all about the trophies or the placings, but I did have a goal (to do better than last time) in my mind and I achieved it :)

And on that note, again, while placing is great, the real reward for me was standing on stage and feeling good. I felt excited, I felt confident, and I felt like I belonged there. It's funny, because by nature I'm not someone who seeks the spotlight. I'm actually really introverted, fairly shy and quite quiet and I usually don't feel comfortable in a bathing suit at the beach. However, for some reason, I felt good standing on stage, in a teeny tiny bikini while being judged. It's kinda hard to wrap my mind around that. 
And finally, a couple of shots with two of my BIGGEST supporters- my husband and my sister. Seriously, I could not do this is if weren't for them.

Me and the hubby

 

 Me and my sister :)

 

 

2. Post-show treats :)

As I discussed in a previous post the power of the post-show treat. It becomes the carrot at the end of the stick and that first bite is like indulging all your cravings from the past 3 months at the same time. I chose chocolate again, and it was delicious:

I think my exact words were, "Omg, I forgot how good chocolate is!" #thingsineverthoughidsay

I then had the evening to enjoy a nice dinner out. I chose Cielos on the White Rock strip, which was perfect on such a sunny evening :) Here are some shots of the delicious food (and drinks) we enjoyed.

Nothing, nothing, in this world compares to this bruschetta... we ordered two... and I ate most of each!

 

 

Followed by a trip to Menchies where I pretty much paid (well, actually Leanne paid) for a bowl of Oreos and peanutbutter cups :) I was in heaven.

3. Post-show plans

As I have mentioned previously, I have another show on June 2 that I am training for. But, to keep things interesting and to keep me on my toes, when presented with the opportunity for a quick post-show trip to Vegas with my sister, I said, "Why not?" With another show 4 weeks out, could I keep it clean in Sin City? Quick answer: yes! But, that deserves a post of it's own... more on that later.

4. Future show plans

The original plan at the beginning of the year was to do NPAA May 5 and then the IDFA show on June 2. Both awesome, but smaller, associations. Good stages to get experience and learn the what's what and then target the bigger shows next season... but then the coach causually mentions that I should consider doing bikini at the WBFF... the WBFF! One of the biggest, most glamourous and most theatrical shows in the industry. To say that stage scares me is an understatement, but to say I won't do it because it scares me is unacceptable. Truth is, I think I can do it, and I think I want to do it. While I may be faced with some challenges leading up to the show (like a stagette in Napa :)) I want to take them on! This will be a whole new prep and will require me to really dig deep to find more of that confidence, that sass and that toughness to really bring it to this stage. And I am ready :)

XOXO

Jen