Christmas

It's Christmas day, the one day I do not go to the gym. My gym is closed! I would go if they were open though.


I could actually do something like sprints at the track across the street, but let's put things into perspective, I have a child and although he may be 17, Christmas morning is still special to him. Just like this is the one day I skip the gym, it's the one day he gets his butt out of bed early! I can't run in the dark and I can't very well hold up everyone to get one workout in when I have 364 other days to do it right?

Tradition, tradition!

So just what does a self proclaimed fitness freak do on Christmas day? Well, I can guarantee you that many, many other folks are fulfilling their fitness needs and staying with their program, while I am not doing that. It's not that our family is religious and has to go to church, but we do have our family traditions.

Christmas Eve started out with a mysterious email from a woman researching her family tree on the Wilce side. Could we possibly be related? I had fun emailing back, half of my house is furnished with Wilce antiques, and I have old china, jewelry, silver, pictures, and even a bible from 1889! I took some photos to send her chronicling births, deaths, marriages. Her family comes from Scranton, just where all my belongings came from, this should be a very interesting relationship!


Then in the late morning Virginia stopped by to deliver duck fat. She stayed for sparkling wine and then Mark, (wondering where his wife was for so long) pulled up and brought oysters and more sparkling wine. I did my prep as we all talked and laughed.


Late in the afternoon Stacy stopped by. She brought homemade cookies from a recipe her mother used to make, wine, chocolate, a roast (for later) and we talked. 


Christmas Eve the family came to my house and I made Prime Rib, Yorkshire Pudding, Roast Potatoes, Gravy, Peas and Salt Caramel cupcakes. I took over the family holidays many years ago when my mother decided she had done it long enough. I don't mind, I enjoy cooking quite a bit and can make whatever I like for myself if I don't want to indulge in all of the other stuff! My mom passed away a few years ago, and she is missed, especially at the family gatherings. We will always laugh and tell some funny story about her though. 

Lauren came by and gave us a gift she made. It was an ingenious idea, wine glasses with a special black chalkboard paint on the bottom foot portion of the glass, so you can write your name on the glass! She included a small container of chalk too. 

Christmas morning Cooper will open his gifts, David and I don't give gifts to each other, we found through the years that it has helped us to actually enjoy the season and reduces stress. Our gift to each other is our annual trip to Mexico in February.

We then hop into the car and drive to my father in laws for the day and night. My mother in law passed away in February so this will be our first Christmas without her. We will be going out to dinner and this will be the first time in my 50 years I have eaten dinner out on Christmas, another first. 

We will come home on Monday and I will be training with Roy on Tuesday instead of Monday so I will hit the gym on Monday afternoon when I get home. 


My holiday is and was special for many reasons. 


Virginia, who just stops by and delivers a much needed item, because she knows I need it and decides to bring it to me instead of me driving to her.


Lauren, for being so thoughtful and actually creating something with us in mind. She put a lot of thought into our gift.


And Stacy. She wont be eating the cookies, but she made them knowing we would love them. We have grown into each other, I think it's the best way to say it. It is hard to create new friendships as you become older. People are paired off, or very much into work and just don't have time for relationships. We have known each other for 8 months, but in those 8 months we have learned more about each other and about ourselves than most people will learn in a lifetime.


I feel very fortunate for the wonderful people in my life. 

However you celebrate, enjoy the time with friends or family and as my husband says to my son EVERY SINGLE TIME HE WALKS OUT THE DOOR:

Be safe!

Steroids

Today I was on the stairmill at the end of my workout, it was Saturday so I had time to walk for 30 minutes.I was next to a much younger woman, I see her on occasion, we talk only briefly, we are both very serious about our training, she looks great. She is obviously an athlete, a sleek gazelle like body. The first time I saw her on the stairmill she was going at such an amazingly fast pace for so long, when she finished I had to ask how long she had done it.

45 minutes. I mean she was pushing hard, and sweating, but not puffing, she does this quite a bit. I told her she was in amazing condition, she slowly looked me up and down and said "you're not in such bad shape yourself", we both smiled, laughed and have exchanged knowing smiles ever since.

She was there today before me, and there after me too.

A fellow stopped by to talk to me about my vacation, we stay in the same hotel each year, he at Christmas time for two weeks, me in February for one. At some point in our lives we must have stayed there at the same time, that's how I know him.

We were talking about the location, and the new restaurant at the hotel. I said that the chef was quite accommodating, willing to make any changes if we requested them, and some how I brought up the fact I ended up sitting on the beach drinking water and eating tuna out of a can. I believe I was telling him how I would get hungry in between meals, and am prepping for a competition so I really needed the protein.

He asked what I compete in, I said "Figure, it's sort of like Bodybuilding, but you don't get as big and muscular, you don't take all the steroids." Then I added, "well, actually lots of Figure gals take steroids too."

He looked at me and said "Are you sure you don't?"

I looked down and right in his eyes and said "If I did I would look a hell of a lot better than this!"

He said "You look pretty good to me now."

Conversations  like this happen on occasion, and it gets me thinking a bit.  I know that drugs are rampant in the industry, and those who tell you it is not either don't want to admit it or they are naive. Everyone does not take drugs, but many do, many want so desperately to have that freaky unobtainable body that they are willing to harm themselves. Some even get prescriptions, and then justify it by saying it is a necessity as their doctor prescribed it, well I have news for you, if it is on the banned list from the IOC (International Olympic Committee), they don't care who prescribed it or why, it is still banned.

Not all bodybuilders take drugs, but many do, women just don't have the testosterone that men do, so to get as big as a big bodybuilding man, they have to take drugs, simple as that.

Figure gals will take them for different reasons, not necessarily to get big, but those drugs are just as harmful and expensive.

I was pleased to listen to Erin Stern recently on Natural Bodybuilding Radio (a podcast  for drug free athletes) discuss how she is natural, and she won the 2010 Figure Olympia! It's the episode on 10/19/2010 and she discusses her training with Olympic lifts!

I actually feel good that people think I look like I do! That means they think I look unnaturally big, or muscular, just the look I have been working towards for years.

But, it's all in the eye of the beholder. Minutes later, as I was leaving the locker room, I ran into a woman I met recently, Marni. She said "You look great! You look so small!"

hmmm...two different opinions huh?

I thanked her and told her things are a little odd. My weight has plateaued, I am right about the same, but I can see the body fat is slowly melting away, and my arms? They are getting bigger! The muscles are full, really full even though I am restricting my starchy carbs a bit. The skin is tight, I feel good. Just take a look at those arms in the picture, it was taken at 6:00 p.m. and today was leg day way back at 6:00 a.m, so they aren't pumped full of blood from any heavy curls. (I guess it could have been the 5 sets of 10 deadlifts I did with 135 pounds), that was just the start of my morning, I know that's not heavy, but that was 50 reps, I am going for some volume right now!

I mentioned I have changed my training and my diet. The training has been a pretty significant change, the diet not so much, but enough that my body is changing, taking a different shape.

I may find that in 8 weeks I cannot compete, I won't have the look the judges want, but I may have the look I want, and that's all that matters.

Interesting times are ahead! I see a fork in the road, and each path looks inviting and filled with excitement, which one I end up taking will be as much a surprise to me as it will be to you.

Christmas Treats, Diet Wreakers

My Christmas gifts from my husband, you can see I am thrilled! In case you cannot see everything, it is two small bags of Doritos, two Jo's Salt Caramels and a book called My Horizontal Life, A Collection of One-Night Stands by Chelsea Chandler.

Oh what fun! Smut and junk food!

I will most likely end up saving it all for vacation, our real gift to each other. We go to Mexico every February for a week on the beach. While folks here at home are dealing with wind, rain and cold weather, I am wondering which of my 12 bikini's to wear in the 85 degree sun and what to drink as I lay on my chaise lounge on the beach.

The point of this is really the Doritos though. Some people eat a bag of chips every day. Every...Single....Day.

I eat a bag after every competition and I have two at Christmas. Five bags a year, tops.

In case you haven't looked at the nutritional facts (or lack of) on the bag, let me show you right here why you shouldn't be eating these "snacks"

1 3/4 ounce bag of Cool Ranch Doritos

260 Calories
13 grams fat
320 mg Sodium
31 grams Carbohydrate
2 grams Sugars
3 grams Fiber
3 grams Protein

This is practically a meal in itself, a very, very bad meal. I will put it into perspective for you.

Each of my meals ranges from 200 to 350 calories total.

Each of my meals (other than post training) has 20 to 25 grams carbohydrates total.

Might as well suck on a spoonful of mayonnaise with all the fat in these beauties.

If you are really serious about losing body fat, you should not be eating things like this.  Don't close your eyes and mind and pretend that one little bag won't hurt, it certainly will.

If you are at a place where you can afford it, like I am when I am at 4% bodyfat, then it's not a problem. If your bodyfat is over 20% (women) and 15% (men), get your hands outta the bag for good!

Oh and our vacation spot? Hacienda Eden, on the Pacific Coast. This will be our 15th year there, room #4! It is quiet, secluded, has no discos, few tourists, and great food surrounds us.

I am looking forward to walking down the road to Marta's, on the small cove in the neighboring town of Majahua where we will sit in plastic chairs with our feet in the sand and eat fresh lobster as we watch the fishermen.

The Doritos? I will probably eat them in the plane on the way down.

Surprising Hereos

Cooper- at my mother and father in laws house on Christmas evening.

We had a good day, Cooper was waiting patiently for round two of prime rib, he was in heaven!

Me? I enjoy it, but I feel a little apprehensive, I work hard all year long and eating a lot of fat or fried foods is not a good deal for my body, but sometimes, it's good for the soul.

I know it's not healthy for me to separate myself from the family so much, we eat different meals so many times, I do need to get in sync with them on occasion. The last two days were just that occasion.

It is important to remember that there are many "signs' of eating disorders, and one is removing yourself from family events, or gatherings with friends if it involves regular food.

Bodybuilders and Figure competitors  are fairly notorious for their eating disorders.

I always joke that "I don't have an eating disorder, I have disordered eating", but if you aren't careful, it's no longer a joke.

Now, if you are prepping for a competition, so you are on the 12 week span of "the diet", that's OK. If you aren't prepping, and just "worried about getting fat", maybe you need to think about this.

Keep that in mind, it's an important thing to remember. Don't fall into the trap.

A few regular meals may make you feel bloated or lethargic, but think of the time you are spending with the people around you. Choose the healthier items on the table, limit the garbage, you can do it.

We had two surprise visitors on Christmas evening. There is a young, strapping man who lives across the street from my in-laws, and he stopped by with a bag full of warm, just baked bread!

Solomon and his family bake bread at home and it smelled heavenly, he had several varieties including our favorite bollios for sandwiches. (And they were wonderful too!)

He had heard about us from David's father, but we had never met. We chatted a bit about weight training and he said goodbye and walked home, across the street.

Moments later the doorbell rang. It was Solomon's wife, Alicia. She wanted to meet the family.

Alicia was very exited to meet me because she had seen my competition pictures, but found it hard to believe someone who worked full time, had a child and husband could still look the way I do.

We talked about her newest challenge, she has entered a "biggest loser" challenge. I am not sure if it is a local or regional challenge, but it will be exciting either way.

I hope she keeps me posted, I can tell she will be quite successful!

We talked a bit about what aspect is the most difficult (eating right gets you where you want to be, that's the hardest part) and I gave her my card, told her to email if she had any questions.

The next day Alicia posted a comment on my blog, saying "You are an inspiration to me. I have seen you as a real person, now I know you really exist"

Alicia probably doesn't realize what an inspiration she was to me today. I am feeling a bit heavy, a bit jiggly, in fact, although I said I wouldn't exercise, I felt the need to do some track intervals when I returned home on Sunday.

We are all so fortunate to have people who aspire to be; and then people who are here to inspire. Remember, cherish the people who ask for help, who reach out, who are bold enough to ask the questions.

I gain the most inspiration from people who have an enthusiasm and drive that I see in myself, those who are not afraid to ask for help or advise and seek those who can help make them what they strive to become. These are my heroes.

Merry Christmas!

I am enjoying the holidays, this year it is so relaxing for me. Usually I play hostess to the entire family on Christmas Eve, but almost everyone went their own way this year!

I am celebrating the time off with David and Cooper, that's it! We are not religious, so we just enjoy the time together, nothing formal or structured.

Christmas Eve I made what Cooper requested : "Prime" prime rib from Shaubs Meats in Stanford (meaning it was really prime, not just the cut but the grade), Yorkshire puddings, roast potatoes, peas and gravy. No dessert, it's all about the meat and potatoes. I had a cocktail before and wine during dinner.

We had a little break at Enoteca La Storia in Los Gatos. We are enjoying some wine and snacks. They have wonderful wines by the glass and great Italian delights to nibble on.

Christmas and the following day are about the only two days I do not go to the gym or exercise. It's not that I am making a concerted effort to skip it, I would go to the gym if they were open!

I will get up and have coffee and breakfast, and my son will open his gifts, then off to the in-laws we go and stay the night. I won't return home until late Sunday afternoon, most likely too tired to go to the gym.

Monday I will wake up bright and early and hit it all over again!

There is no need to feel guilty, we should all enjoy the time with friends and family and have some good food.

A lot of people struggle with skipping workouts and the holidays in general, so they don't enjoy themselves. I still do, I just don't go "hog wild". At least, not for long.

It is important to remember that while we may have a specific goal of weight or fat loss, we all have lives and interests outside of our fitness world. We need to remember to enjoy life!

So, we gain a couple pounds. Unless you are an Olympic level athlete, get over it! You will be fine in a few weeks.

If you skip a few workouts, it's OK! Just get back into the gym as soon as you can. Forgive and forget!

If you are feeling like you have failed in some way or another, remember that we all fail at times. I read this on another blog recently and thought it was a good reminder (the Internet spreads things like a sexually transmitted disease you know).

You've failed many times, although you may not remember. You fell down the first time you tried to walk. You almost drowned the first time you tried to swim, didn't you? Did you hit the ball the first time you swung a bat? Heavy hitters, the ones who hit the most home runs, also strike out a lot.


R.H. Macy failed seven times before his store in New York caught on.
English novelist John Creasey got 753 rejection slips before he published 564 books.

Babe Ruth struck out 1,330 times, but he also hit 714 home runs.


Don't worry about failure. Worry about the chances you miss when you don't even try.

So enjoy the day, then feel good that you had the opportunity to share it. Get back into the gym and then bust your butt.

Prison Loaf

I just read an article by Tovin Lapan called "Shawshank revulsion: Loaf used as punishment in jail"

It's about a form of punishment reserved only for the worst prisoners, and they are fed this loaf and apparently break down and turn into compliant pussycats after a few days on it.

What I found so interesting, is that it sounds quite similar to food I eat, voluntarily. I am wondering about the fact that I am eating the same foods as prisoners, yet I can go for months, and not break. It must be the fact that I am choosing to eat it. Or maybe it's because I am not in prison? Who knows....

I don't have enough room to post the entire article here, but just so you can get the "flavor" of it, here you go:

On Christmas Day, the inmates at Santa Cruz County Jail will get a welcome respite from their regularly scheduled, nutritious but mostly unexciting high school cafeteria-style meals -- glazed ham with sweet potatoes and ice cream for dessert.

If an inmate has been behaving poorly, however, while all his incarcerated compatriots dine on one of the few special meals of the year, he will instead be forced to feast on "the loaf."

Otherwise known as the disciplinary diet loaf, prison loaf and management loaf, when all else fails in disciplining an inmate -- be it loss of visits, free time or other privileges -- the deputies turn to this bland log of meat and vegetables to get the disruptive inmate to follow the rules.

It only happens once or twice a year, according to officials, but where other corrective measures fail, the loaf is typically successful.

"Usually, they only last a couple days on the loaf before they agree to comply with directions and are given normal meals again," said Tim Sanford, the jail's food service manager for 15 years.

The loaf -- by most accounts, a highly effective measure in getting inmates to follow rules -- is the only example of food being used as discipline in the correctional system, and has been challenged under the Eighth Amendment as cruel and unusual punishment in several U.S. states.

The loaf looks like it is constructed from layers of particle board, and little kernels of corn and slivers of carrot jut out from the insides when its is bisected. It does not taste bad, but rather is so dry and lacking in flavor as to be at best unappetizing and at worst better used mixed with milk to make a nice Spackle. It is served with two slices of wheat bread and, instead of the typical serving of milk, a cup of water.

 

CALIFORNIA RECIPE FOR DISCIPLINARY DIET LOAF

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 oz. nonfat dry milk
4 1/2 oz. raw grated potato
4 1/2 oz. raw carrots, chopped or grated fine
1 1/2 oz. tomato juice or puree
4 1/2 oz. raw cabbage, chopped fine
7 oz. lean ground beef, turkey or rehydrated, canned or frozen Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP)
2 1/2 fl. oz. oil
1 1/2 oz. whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp. salt
4 tsp. raw onion, chopped
1 egg
6 oz. dry red beans, precooked before baking (or 16 oz. canned or cooked red kidney beans) 4 tsp. chili powder

DIRECTIONS
Shape into a loaf and bake at 350-375 degrees for 50-70 minutes.

SOURCE: California Code of Regulations Title 15 

Tomorrow: the recipe I am eating that is similar. Turkey Oatmeal muffins, a recipe from Jamie Eason.

There is a lot more to the article, such facts as the states which have banned the loaf! You can find it here.

127 and holding

It's Friday, I am heading to the gym for cardio after work. It's also one week before Christmas...

I say "holding" only to make sure I have the right mindset, you see, I am trying to gain muscle, but it will be way too easy to gain a lot of fat in the next couple weeks , so I tell myself to "hold".

It's easy to let go and say "it's the holidays", I mean there are parties, celebrations, wine and champagne tastings, and all sorts of good things to eat. Even today at work a co-worker wanted me to try the fudge he made, I was trying to be polite, I didn't want it, if I am going to eat calories, it wont be fudge, it will be something good (I am not really a fudge fan). So he gave me a homemade biscotti instead and said it was healthier....right....

So while the average Joe will definitely gain weight over the holiday season, this average "Kristy" doesn't plan to...

I will maintain where I am, I will stay focused or I will only get frustrated with  myself, I don't want to deal with a set back. I have worked hard to gain this much weight and still look good. I am 7 pounds over competition weight, and it looks like a pretty solid seven pounds to me, a little fat here and there but that is to be expected. I can get rid of it easily when I start my diet.

I will enjoy some great food, and have a good time. But I will keep my goal in mind, which right now is "127 and holding"

So, each time I am presented with some goodies, I will say to myself "127 and holding, 127 and holding" and some treats I will bypass, some I will not. I am sure I may gain a little more fat than I would like, but this way I will gain less than I could...

Till January, then it's "get bigger" a little bit longer...these legs still need some work!

The Mind

We all face many challenges in our lives every single day. Some challenges are small and some are huge.  Some may seem bigger than they really are, because of how we view them.

I have noticed that many individuals involved in bodybuilding or Figure are very religious, I couldn't really figure out why, it always puzzled me, I mean I didn't all of a sudden become "born again" after I started competing....

Eventually I was able to piece it all together, it's really the power of the mind.

Huge sacrifices must be taken when competing in anything. Although Figure and Bodybuilding are sports based on physique and not athletic ability, the sacrifices are just as great.

The athlete must be willing to train at the expense of everything else, they need to view their training as essential to life as breathing, you just don't stop doing it.

They must adhere to the proper diet when they don't want to, there are times I come home and am nauseous as I try to eat, but I have to eat, eating immediately after training is a must, and it is very difficult if you have trained hard.

They must forgo late evenings out partying, when friends and family are all celebrating, it's not something they can always do with everyone else, just because Christmas comes once a year, if there is a completion soon, too bad, no celebration. 

The athlete must believe that they are successful, that they will win, that there is no other obvious choice, they are the one. They must believe in themselves to push themselves every single day.

Some need to believe in something higher than themselves to keep them going.

Do you think an Olympic athlete says to herself "I hope I win this gold medal"?, no, she says "I will win this gold medal!"

Everyday we talk ourselves out of our successes because we don't believe in our own abilities.

I wake up everyday, I tell myself I will have a great session at the gym, I look forward to it. I walk through the gym as though it exists only for me (and funny, some people there even tell me that! ha ha)


I set myself up to be successful.

Being a Figure competitor has not altered my beliefs, I am not religious. I think Arnold Swarzenegger was also one of the best bodybuilders in modern history, but I am not a Republican either.

Below is a video of Arnold talking about the power of the mind. It is long, 9 minutes, but it is worth watching.

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