Starting out and Eating Clean

Here are some pics I took to track my progress.So, here I am starting 12 weeks out at 15% body fat.





Also, I wanted to share some of the great recipes that I am using to spice my diet up a bit. I have fed some of my meals to non-competitors and they think they're delicious so maybe you should give them a try :)


Healthy Crab Cakes- 8oz real cooked crab meat, 2 egg whites, 1/4c fat free mayo, 1/8c diced onions, 1/4c diced celery, 2tbsp. dijon mustard,1/4c oats,dill weed to taste, cayenne pepper to taste. Mix all ingredients together and form into patties. For myself, this makes two servings. I cook in a pan with lemon juice (no butter or oil) over medium heat until both sides are brown and the patty is relatively firm.



I have also made this same recipe using canned albacore in water. This tastes just as delicious and the tuna is much cheaper.

Pumpkin Protein Muffins- 2 cups liquid egg whites, 2 cups oats, 1/2 cup of canned pumpkin (not pumpkin MIX), 1 scoop whey protein isolate in any flavor (i prefer vanilla with this recipe), cinnamon to taste (i put a ton in here), 1tbsp. vanilla extract, 1tsp. baking powder. I distribute evenly into a muffin pan and cook on 375 for 12 minutes.

I really enjoy Tosca Reno's clean eating cookbooks as a guide when I'm not pre-contest. Clean eating doesn't have to be bland and boring. It's just about finding healthy alternatives to your favorite meals and condiments. For example, greek yogurt as an alternative to sour cream.

http://www.eatcleandiet.com/

I hope that following along with me through these next few months will give you an idea of the ways that you can clean up your diet and clean up your life. When you start honoring your body in the way that you should, you get a whole new lease on life and a whole new feeling of power and self-worth.

Beginning of the journey

It's been a while since I've blogged. I have had so much happen in my life in the past few months- marriage, honeymoon, holidays. In these happy times, I've gained a new family and a slight "muffin top" but I was all too eager to give my body a little rest. Going from 10% to 15% body fat over the past few months has been great for me mentally as well as giving my body some recovery during the off season. I also have rediscovered what it feels like to have touching thighs lol :)

I am about 12 weeks out from my first NPC bikini competition and I am very anxious to start dieting down. I saw my nutritionist today and got all my body measurements and my diet for the next 12 weeks. I am a bit of a control freak so it's definitely a struggle to let go and trust in her but I know that she knows what she's doing. I am seeing a comparison between my struggles to let go of control of my diet and my struggles to let go of my life to God. I hope to ease up on both of these subjects throughout the next few months. I'm sure that I'll be conversing with God a lot over the coming months as I'm trying to muster the strength to put down the pint of ice cream or let go of the granola bar.

As of today, I have said goodbye to dairy, pasta, bread, fruit, red meat, protein shakes and alcohol.

Follow along as I share my ups and downs and struggles along the way. I have a number of friends who are now doing bodybuilding competitions this year and it feels great not to be alone in this struggle. Eating family dinners out of your pre-measured tupperware container aren't quite as alienating if you know someone who's doing the same thing in a town nearby :)

I love this sport. I love feeling strong. I love doing things that others don't have the courage or discipline to do. I love hearing that my journey has given those same people the courage and discipline to set out on a journey of their own. I love encouraging those in a funk and celebrating those in their victory. It isn't about vanity, it's about excellence. Excellence in your effort, excellence in your attitude, excellence in your relationships and, most of all, excellence in your faith.

"The process of getting healthy has to be about more than just losing weight and focusing on ourselves. It's not about adjusting our diets and hoping for good physical results. It's about recalibrating our souls so that we want to change for the right reasons: because we are fearfully and wonderfully made by God. And created to live in victory, not in defeat."