Training Transition

Starting Monday, I'm switching to training with Michelle and no longer with Ed, up until the competition on October 2. Michelle competed several years ago and, leading up to her competition, she trained with champion heavyweight boxer Vonda Ward, pictured here. Vonda is a beast, a walking brick wall, and possibly a nice person, but I've never had contact with her. I've only been in King's Gym a few times while she was punishing a step machine, maintaining a (safe) distance and having no eye contact. She's 6'6" and her boxing record is 22 wins and 1 loss, with 17 wins by knockout. Yikes! Michelle has described for me the exercises Vonda ran her through and, omg. Lethal. So that's what I'm signing up for. I think it will be effective. I'm going to need to learn how to count to 50 for some of the reps. Ouch. Michelle plans to do some HIIT (high intensity interval training) with me, too. The plan/hope/intention is to build more muscle and hasten fat loss, aside from the dietary methods in place. If I can finally bid my back fat goodbye and good riddance, I'm willing to endure her program.

The New Numbers

My new body mass numbers are in and I thought they might be better than they came out, so I'm a little disappointed, but they do show improvement.

19% body fat
20.8 lbs. of fat
89.8 lbs. lean mass

compared to measurements taken July 1:

19.8% body fat
22 lbs. of fat
89.8 lbs. lean mass

I still have a lot to lose, so that's what the next 8 weeks are going to be about and I'm semi dreading it. My new diet plan will be worked out in the next day or two, and I'll begin it on Monday. I'll share the details of its composition as soon as I have them. The key to weight loss in the context of bodybuilding is to lose it slowly to prevent loss of muscle. That's been the approach so far, but the remaining amount of fat that I need to lose requires what I'd call more drastic measures. I'll use my ketone strips (see a previous post) to help guide the process. Overall, I'd say my prevailing feeling surrounding this upcoming process is one of fear.

Progress Report

I spent the last week on a family vacation, a trip purposely timed so that it fell just beyond what I might call my red zone, the 10 weeks before the first competition. I worked out, but missed a few times. I ate well, but had a few minor indulgences here and there. However, I ran my mile and improved my time by one minute. So all was not lost even though probably not much was gained. I will do a body mass assessment on Thursday this week with Glenn to determine what needs to happen starting Aug. 1. I'll also post new bikini pictures this coming weekend (think: sequins!). I'm in a very competitive mood right now and I'm feeling like I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make the most gains (the muscle kind) and losses (the fat kind) in the time that remains. What I'll be saying to my trainers, as they said to me earlier in my training - Bring it!!

Ketosis and Catabolism (a primer)

Here is some information I gathered from trainer/posing coach/former competitor/nutritionist Michelle which I find interesting and might serve as mind candy for others (no calories!). It concerns the existence of test strips to determine whether your body is in a state of ketosis. What's that? It will be familiar to anyone acquainted with the Atkins Diet, something which I cannot say I am. However, I am well aware of ketosis, a condition where the body is beginning to use muscle for fuel which occurs when carbs have been depleted. If you're on a low carb diet, this condition is a likely outcome, although the body also will burn fat in the absence of carbs. This is the source of weight loss and supposed beauty of a low carb diet. Of course, if you're a bodybuilder, the last thing you want to do is burn muscle and this is a likely outcome if your body fat percentage is low. It's simply a more attractive option to your body since there's so little fat. Catabolizing (catabolism) is another word used to describe the burning of muscle for fuel. I raise this because, in the coming months, I will be reducing my carb intake carefully to lose fat but not to go so far as to lose muscle. One way to safeguard against it is by using KetoStix (made by Bayer) but also sold under other names (i.e. ketone test strips) at regular pharmacies (i.e. CVS). Much like pregnancy test strips, they require the morning's first pee. The strips have shades of purple indicating the degree to which your body is in ketosis. I became very excited when Michelle told me about this product because it offers a reasonably accurate (though not 100%) method of determining whether you've gone too far. Without a diagnostic tool, how would you know? To further educate yourself, here is a decent article covering the topic: www.lowcarbluxury.com/ketostix.html.

Taking some inches off.....the length of my hair

After seeing a bodybuilding competition in March, then imagining myself up there doing the identical posing moves, I made a quick decision. I need to cut my hair to make it shorter. At least 6 inches shorter, by the time October gets here. For me, this is a matter of strategy. It's about covering up or at least obscuring an imbalance in my trapezius muscles, created over a 30-year period during which my left arm has seen about 75% greater usage than my right arm, the one that shakes. Why the imbalance primarily rests there, I can't exactly explain, but it's all about how I compensate in daily life. In a competition, one major element of the judging covers muscle symmetry and balance. In my case, I feel that the difference between the two sides is unmistakable. Since March, however, I think I've made some gains on my right side and maybe the imbalance is not as significant, but when I flex, it's still apparent. The muscles between my shoulder and neck on the left side are, quite simply, wicked strong. So I'm sticking with the original plan. The added benefit is that I won't need to sweep my hair off my back for greater exposure during the back pose. The big deal there is it will break my concentration which will be 200% focused on every muscle in my body and on keeping my right arm as steady as possible. I just can't be bothered with rearranging my hair, like most of the girls do. I've had my hair cut above my shoulders before, so having it just below my shoulders doesn't seem like a huge sacrifice, despite what will be a dramatic diminished length compared to where it is now and will be in a few months. But I see myself as a true competitor, and a competitor does whatever it takes to achieve her goal.

Alternative Footwear

Trainer Glenn told me about a product that sounded kinda crazy, but it made me think and I haven't been able to get it out of my head, so I thought I'd share it here. It's called Vibram FiveFingers Footwear (pictured) and it's predicated on the notion that feet are weakened by not being bare. By wearing their thin shoe, all of your foot's articulations and muscles are able to work freely, without the constraints of a shoe. Wild concept. I don't think I want a pair because I recall wearing socks with individual toes and they hurt! My toes don't like being spread out, evenly slightly. But maybe it's something to which a person would grow accustomed? If it sounds appealing, this is the product's website - www.vibramfivefingers.com.

Toilet Talk!

In response to the previous post, a friend let me know that there are 2 apps to help with bathroom needs. First, there's SitOrSquat, which also has a website of the same name, designed to enable a person to find a toilet anywhere in the world!! The site has compiled more than 90,000 toilet locations. And there's also the Toilet Finder app which boasts of 400,000 users. I feel like the world just became a safer place.

One gallon of water, consumed!

The goal of consuming a gallon of water per day has been looming and I've been anxious about whether it's really possible for me to imbibe such an enormous quantity. I decided to make yesterday the day it would happen. It was nearly a full-time a job. Between drinking and peeing, I was very busy with the task. The greatest peril lies with leaving the house because there's no way to go an hour without peeing. I think I'm going to learn where every bathroom is within 10 square feet of the places I frequent. It takes a dedicated effort to make the consumption happen, but I have in place some strategy. One of my sons drinks tons of Snapple Ice Tea, so I've been saving the bottles which conveniently have screw off caps and fit in my purse. They hold 16 oz. and 8 of them equals a gallon. I prefer glass to plastic because it's safer, with no chemicals leaching in to the water. I drink distilled and yes, it's contained in a plastic bottle, but it's the formula that doesn't leach, plus, it's not exposed to any heat which accelerates that process. After I finish drinking a bottle, I set it aside. I like to see the progress, with bottles moving from one side of the kitchen to the other. Yes, cheap thrills. The purpose of drinking all this water is to aid in weight loss, to bathe the muscles which enhances their development and to train my body for the time close to the competition when I'll "dehyrdate," not in the sense of passing out but in the sense of expelling as much water as possible, as my body is conditioned to do, despite not receiving the customary amount because I cut back the amount considerably. So from now on, if there's not a bottle of water within reach at all times, I'm doing something wrong.

A Measure of Progress

Progress sometimes can be hard to measure when you engage in an activity over a long stretch of time. But with weightlifting, it's a little more obvious. This is what struck me today when I worked out with trainer Ed. Back in March or April, he had me doing walking lunges with 8 lb. dumbbells in each hand. The next day, I had some extreme quad pain. And the day after that, it hurt worse. Today, he had me doing this as part of a super set that involved 2 other exercises. No problem! I could talk the whole time and not struggle a bit. I wasn't entirely surprised because I use 12.5 lb. dumbbells during my independent gym work. And trainer Glenn always has me using 17.5 and 20 lb. dumbbells in each hand with lower body work. The experience with Ed gave me a sense of accomplishment and clear evidence of increased strength. That felt good. I don't know where my outer limits are, but I don't think I've hit them. I've seen women at the gym work with 17.5 lb. dumbbells for upper body work and the thought that always goes through my head is "Never!" But maybe not. I don't have any particular weight goals for myself, but it's funny how the unimaginable sometimes because possible.

Fine tuning the diet and shedding some fabric

Without sounding like an obsessional bore, I feel the need to confess to two dramatic changes, one diet related and one concerning clothes. Sparkpeople.com revealed to me that spreading a total of 4 tablespoons of natural peanut butter on 3 thick slices of multigrain bread is a really bad idea. It has LOADS of fat and calories, two of my enemies beyond a certain point. When I started bodybuilding seriously back in March, I was putting organic low fat cream cheese on my bread and felt that the switch was an improvement because I thought there was greater nutritional value in the peanut butter. Maybe that would be true if I used a fraction of the amount, but then what's the point? So my peanut butter habit is gone and has been replaced with artificially sweetened jelly. Normally, I avoid those sweeteners, but I feel like this is a good time and place for it. Plus, I use less jelly, maybe a total of 3 tablespoons, so that's a minimal amount. My source of clothing excitement is the ability to wear short shorts. I think my legs are finally able to carry the look. Or, at least, it's borderline, and I just wanted to take the plunge, like I did when I went to the gym Friday. The look will improve further once I melt some more fat off my legs, but I like the idea of starting to shed more and more fabric, leading up to the teeny weeny posing suit in Oct.
Bonus confession: I made a major discovery this week...for those who shop at Costco, I learned that they sell Chobani yogurt, the high protein Greek style I favor, mentioned in an earlier post! The only place I've ever seen it is Fresh Market and that's often the only reason why I go there, but I'm at Costco about once a week, so that's a better option. They sell the 3 flavors I like - peach, strawberry and blueberry - in a case of 12 which does not exceed what I can consume within the expiration period. And it's much cheaper. I love Costco!

"If you bite it, write it!"

That's Michelle's mantra for me. She's referring to Sparkpeople.com Anything that's consumed needs to be recorded on that website. What's amazing is how it breaks down each food into its component parts - fats, carbs and protein. Two foods may each be 300 calories, but one may have a higher carb composition, or maybe it's higher in fat content. Who cares, you may ask. It's like a pound of feathers vs. a pound of nails, right? Wrong. Look, you could eat nothing but say 12 twinkies in a day (4 per meal) and have that add up to about 1,800 calories which isn't bad. But you haven't supplied your body with the proper nutrients like protein and without that one in particular, over time, you will lose muscle and possibly add fat, having a net zero effect on the scale. is that a desired outcome? No! So technically, all calories are not equal and a pound of feathers is not equal to a pound of nails. The beauty of the website lies in how it allows you to critically analyze everything. The problem is that you probably don't know how much of each element (carbs, fat and protein) you need in a day and that's key information. Michelle told me what my range is based on my goals (gaining muscle, losing fat) and activity level. It might require a consultation with a nutritionist or a little independent research to get your numbers, but once you have them, you can steer yourself properly.

'Nother wake up call

Another session with Michelle, another wake up call. Some of the information she shared with me I had heard at one time or another but chose to forget about, other stuff I knew was coming but she made it more real and concrete. Yesterday, I trained with her instead of Ed because of the holiday this week and scheduling conflicts. We also added a 45 minute nutrition session to go over what I've been eating. I've inputted most of the food I eat onto the Sparkpeople.com website and with a few clicks, we were able to create one day's worth of meals and snacks that I've consumed. Instantly, we had the total calorie count along with the amount of fat, carbs and protein in the day. She thought my numbers looked good though she cautioned me about some of my choices. As a nutrition counselor, she definitely knows what to look for, unlike me who sits wide eyed, trying to learn everything. Peas? No good. Broccoli, much better because there's fewer carbs. Iceburg lettuce? No good because it has no fiber, hardly any vitamins and minerals and contains 1 gm. of sugar per oz. Romaine, better since it's fortified and has some fiber. We'll continue tracking me for a week to see how I do. Being the bright chick that she is, Michelle also wants to know what my workout consists of each day so she can factor in calorie burning. But she also informed me/reminded me that starting in August, my water consumption needs to increase to 128 ounces = 1 GALLON. OMG. Plus, the workouts will get tougher with much higher reps. OMG. This is while I'm on the strict, no nonsense, everything that goes in must be precisely the prescribed amount diet. OMG!!!! I'm kinda asking myself, what the hell did I get myself into? Because it's all been very manageable so far. But I think it's going to get very ugly next month.

Answer to a frequently asked question

I've been asked numerous times what my family thinks of my bodybuilding activity. The breakdown goes like this: my 16-year-old son is the doubter who thinks I'm a little bit off my rocker for doing this, but I think I'm gradually changing his mind. He occasionally likes to arm wrestle with me just to make sure I'm not stronger than he is. So far I'm not, but I put up a good fight with my left arm. He's about 5 inches taller than me, and despite the fact that he doesn't do any fitness work, he's in good shape. My 13-year-old son is my biggest supporter. He plays football and is involved with intense training for the sport, so he knows his way around a gym and we often discuss different exercises and how much weight each of us can lift. Recently, he showed me a tougher way to do push ups which was a source of some delight. Sometimes, when I flex my bicep for him, he laughs. He thinks it's funny that I have definition there, I guess. Not long ago, the two of them were sitting at the kitchen table and one of them (forgot which) asked me if I think I can win. Without hesitating, I said yes, more because I was posturing and didn't want them to think I feel defeated. And sometimes I even do think I could place toward the top, even if it's just wishful thinking. Then I retreated slightly and told them that I think I will be competitive, they didn't argue and we left it at that. My husband remained somewhat neutral for the first few months, but in the last few weeks, he often likes me to flex for friends. "C'mon, make a muscle," he'll say. I always do. No shyness there. He says he thinks I look really good, but I suppose that this is a fraught observation...if he says I look "better" or anything, then he might fear getting into trouble because that might suggest he thought I looked "bad" before. For the most part, he leaves this topic alone. I'm actually more comfortable with family members staying out of it because if they become too emotionally involved, I'll feel more pressure, and I think I put enough on myself as it is.

Bikini shot #4 exposed

So what we have here are poor attempts at demonstrating some muscle. The problem, of course, is that it's still buried under a layer of fat. I will continue to chip away at it every day and hopefully, in another month, I'll be more ripped with fewer rolls. Please admire my golden retriever Buddy and ignore the massive bruise on my left arm, a result of the blood test I had this week.

The results are in.....

The thyroid test....negative. No issues there. I was concerned that my inability to budge the scale a single pound was indicative of a problem, maybe a metabolic one, leading me to think that I have thyroid issues. Wrong.

Body composition measurements...positive!!!! Despite the scale being frozen on 112 lbs. for the past 2 months, here is where I'm at:

19.8% body fat
22 lbs. of fat
89.8 lbs. lean mass

compared with the measurements from a month ago:

22.5% bodyfat
25.4 lbs. of fat
87.6 lbs. lean body mass

I'm very happy about this because I've been working very hard and have been suspect of the results. There's nothing like cold hard evidence to cheer me up.