Getting Bigger

Yes my goal right now is to get big, really big. That doesn't mean I want to get fat, although a certain percentage of my gain will certainly be fat.

I can see a big difference from the picture I took only a week ago, under the  post "off season eating right". I realize it was posted a couple days ago, but the picture was a week before this one.

Arms are looking ripped, I like that!  My weight is slightly down too, which is even better. I am at 126. I went back on creatine the day after my competition on October 2, so a good amount is water that I will hold on to.

Back is getting wide, in fact you can see in the picture below that I am about busting out of my favorite Lululemon Hot Class Bra!

I am not sure when I will stop, I like this. I felt so strong this morning (Saturday), and the turn excites me. Even though I moved up on most everything, it was easy, no struggle at all! That means that my next leg workout, I go up again!

I respond well to the basic moves, the hard ones that most people don't like to do:

Front Squats

Back Squats

RDL's

Lunges

Chin Ups

Pull Ups

Swings

I have been moving up on my weights for the large muscles every session, SC taught me that I need to charge, I need to increase weights and/or volume and doing the same weights every time is not doing me any good.

Saturday I did:

Front Squats 5 x 8 135
Back Squats 5 x 10 165
RDL's 4 x 10 155
Leg Press Drop Sets 20@405/ 30@315/ 50@225

Leg Extensions 5 x 10 97.5

Pistol Squats 3 x 5 each w/ 12 kilo bell

Walking Lunges 5 sets 30 seconds on/ 30 seconds rest with 2 25 lb dumbbells

20 minutes walking on the Nordic Track climber at 30% incline.

2 hours and I was done. Then home for a big breakfast.

I will be training with someone again soon, if all goes according to plan. BN is a big guy, really big. He trains football players, is RKC certified and a beast. I believe he is something like 6' 3", 265 and 5% bodyfat...a beast like I said.

I told him I want to get big, I do not want to do all that silly jumping around that I see all the trainers at my gym do with their clients. They spend a great deal of time jumping around, or engaging in cardio workouts, that's fine if they like that and cardio is their goal, it is not mine.

I don't need a "perceived" tough workout, I need a "real" tough workout. I know that I have trained hard enough when I sweat even though my feet are not moving. That's heavy squats and deadlifts, you go nowhere yet everywhere.

I want weights, and heavy weights. Basic moves. Squats. Deadlifts.  Kettlebells. And a program that is guaranteed to get me big. Some cardio will be thrown in of course, but not too much or it defeats the entire goal of adding mass right now.

He has planned a program with only four days a week lifting. That means it will be hard and heavy requiring lots of rest. I can do my cardio on the other days, and a few ab exercises too I guess.

Not sure when we start, you will certainly hear all about it though, I guarantee it!

The Rebound

The weeks following a competition can be really rough for some people. It's called the "rebound"  it hits some hard, and it hits others even harder.

I guess it can be similar to postpartum blues, you may feel depressed, unmotivated, you over eat, or eat things you wouldn't normally even consider putting on your plate. Some find that getting back to the gym is difficult.

The worst for me has been the psychological effects of gaining weight. Now, at competition time you weigh less than is healthy, bodyfat is abnormally low, and it is virtually impossible to maintain this for long.  You have to gain weight, just to get to where a normal, healthy person should be.

It's tough to see yourself as a sleek, svelte, beautiful human specimen one day then several pounds heavier only a couple weeks later. I gained 9 pounds in 2 weeks, then I lost 3 for a net gain of 6.

I think I do a fairly good job by allowing myself to eat almost whatever I like for a few weeks, but I maintain my schedule of eating and don't gorge all day long (I actually did two of those days).

I only took two days off from the gym afterward, then launched right back with a new program which gave me something to look forward to, changing things up helps.

Although I am now only 6 pounds heavier, I still put myself through torture thinking that I have gained too much, when in reality I still look fantastic. I can't help it, it's part of the "dark side" of competing in a body conscious sport. Your mind plays really stupid tricks on you. Sometimes, it's hard to get a grasp on what is real and what is all in your mind.
 
You can see this in all competitors, just look at our Facebook posts, we all talk about enjoying a simple treat like the world will come to an end, and luckily, we all try to keep each other in check.

David tells me all the time that I look great, in fact, I even know I look better with more weight on, it's just when that belly is soft, I get kinda freaked out for a while. It usually takes me about 5 weeks, then I get it all back into perspective.

Yesterday (Saturday) I looked forward to the gym as I could spend as much time as I wanted to and not worry about being late for work, or cutting my training short. It was leg day, "Quadzilla Lite #3" and I was looking forward to a really hard workout. Here is what I did:

Front Squat 5x8 @ 135 pounds (40 reps)

Back Squat 5x10 @ 155  pounds (50 reps)

RDL's (Romanian Deadlifts) 5x10 @ 135 pounds (50 reps)

Leg Press 3 Drop Sets 20 reps @ 405 pounds, 30 reps @ 315 pounds, 50 reps @ 225 pounds.
 

Leg Extension 5x10 @ 90 pounds (50 reps)

Pistol Squats 3x5 each leg with a 12 kilo kettlebell (15 reps)

Walking Lunges 5 sets of 30 seconds walking, 30 seconds resting holding a 20 pound dumbbell in each hand.

This was my hardest "Quadzilla Lite", I saved it for Saturday so I would have enough time. I put the reps down to emphasize how many times I moved my legs in this workout, and if you add it up, not counting the lunges, that was 320 repetitions. With weight. At 6 am. Actually it took me an hour and a half so 6am to 7:30am. That's a lot of reps.

I then had to get my cardio in. I don't do much cardio typically; however, as I have gained so much and am still not in a frame of mind to accept it, I have been trying to lose a bit before I level off.

I headed over to the stair mill for a 20 minute interval session.

There was a woman on the stairmill next to me when I climbed up, she appeared to have been there a while. About 10 minutes later, she climbed down and went to an elliptical in front and started on that. She wasn't in bad shape at all, but nothing striking about her came to mind.

As I ended and went to toss my towel into the bin, she leaned over to speak to me:

Woman: "Are you a trainer here?"

Me: "No, I am not"

Woman: "I have been looking at you thinking to myself 'that is the body I want!'"

Me: "thanks, that's great to hear, but I am just coming off a competition, I compete in Figure, so I am looking almost as good as I get, and it won't last that long" (we then talk about the difference in Bodybuilding and Figure).

Woman: "Really?! You compete?! I can see that, you look fantastic, I would love to look like you."

Me: "Well, I will tell you what, start lifting weights. What I don't do much of is cardio."

Woman: "Yes, that's what a trainer here told me too."

Me: "Look around you, look at the people you see doing cardio all the time, they don't look very good do they?"

Woman: "No, they don't that's for sure."

Me: "I started lifting weights when I was 40, I am now 49, you can do it too."

Woman: "I am 44! I can do that. I woke up this morning and said to myself 'you are awake, start your program now!', so I am here."

Me: "You know, a good cardio workout is running up and down bleachers if you can, you don't need to do it long, it hits your whole body, great for the butt, it is a great workout."

Woman: "I will try that, thanks!"

We then chatted a bit about training and frequency and I then excused myself.

Encounters like this happen frequently, although this one was really needed. It came at a time when I was not yet recovered, I hadn't emotionally "rebounded" fully. I am still trying to see myself accurately, as others do. I needed this stranger to help me, I needed the assurance, the boost to my self esteem, I needed another woman to ask me how to look as good as I do.

I will get there, it won't be long, but it is still a struggle for me everyday.

Fortunately, I don't suffer through the binge eating and massive weight gains that many others do. I think that most competitors who do struggle with this are those who had eating disorders at one time, or have struggled with weight and perhaps were extremely overweight at one point in their lives. For those women, the "rebound effect" may be all too familiar and all too haunting.

If you see yourself here, think about this, give yourself a break, shoot me an email if you want to talk. You know you still have a physique more stunning than 90% of the world's population, don't forget it!

Eat Less, Move More

Don't these look stunning?  I went into this little shop, just to look and smell everything, I walked out and didn't buy a thing. It's not always that easy for me though, it's the deep, dark, rich, gooey chocolate that gets me every time.

I have had a few requests for diets lately, along with the usual, "how do I lose weight?", "what should I do?"

My answer is always the same. Eat less, move more. It's really quite simple.

You need to reduce your caloric intake by 500 calories everyday to lose one pound in a week. That really shouldn't be difficult. If you drink alcohol, drink less. If you drink soda, switch to sugar free. If you eat dessert everyday, stop.

Crackers, bread, butter, cream in your coffee, any and all snacks (packaged) are not your friend when you are trying to lose a bit of the jiggly stuff.

Then, if you start moving a little bit, that only doubles the calorie reduction! So if you start going for a walk every night after dinner AND reducing your daily calories by 500, you will lose even more weight!

Just think what will happen if you go to the gym and actually break a sweat, every single day?!

Start small, make easy changes that you can live with. Switch to no calorie sweeteners, eliminate soda and sugary drinks, use non fat milk, savor a piece of bread and not a loaf of bread, eat a portion of pasta and include vegetables and protein, instead of eating a bowl of pasta as a meal on its own. Use reduced calorie mayonnaise, or replace it with non-fat yogurt. Use low sugar ketchup. Avoid sugary jams, they have low sugar or even no sugar ones that taste fantastic.

Soon, you will really be able to enjoy the special treat you select at the bakery like the ones in my picture above, at least once in a while.   If you want to visit this bakery, it is in Santa Cruz, in the shopping center where The Cellar Door restaurant is located....

The Power of Pink

I went to see SC the other day, to have bodyfat checked.  I was getting a little freaked out because my competition is three weeks away and I didn't feel lean enough yet.

I had't had it checked since my last competition in July, and it didn't matter what it was after that because I wasn't competing. I was still "lean" as far as a regular fit, non-competing person walking around.

We were in his office, I stripped down to shorts and bra top and pulled out my calipers and chart, so he could check the 9 sites.

He was staring at me. He said "Kristy, what's the deal? You're all pink! You have a pink gymboss, pink bra and pink shorts! What happened to you?!"

You see, I'm really not a "pink" kinda gal, never have been.

Then I explained that I discovered there is something about a muscular, buff and cut woman lifting weights, wearing pink that drives men absolutely nuts. I asked if I was right, I said "look at you, it's making you wild!" ha ha ha, he agreed. He just kept shaking his head, I was laughing hysterically.

In fact, I wasn't wearing shorts but Nike compression shorts, which come in all sorts of bright flashy colors. I asked him if they weren't the cutest underwear he's seen in ages!

There is something about the pink....

SC started checking and here are the results:

Tricep 1 mm

Bicep 1 mm
Subscapular 4 mm

Supralliac 1 mm
Pectoral 1 mm

Abdominal 6 mm
Kidney 5 mm
Quadricep 3 mm

Calf 1 mm
Lower Glute 8 mm

I weigh 123.6 at the time, so my bodyfat is 5.59%.

I have 6.90 pounds of fat on my body and 116.70 pounds of lean body mass.

My lean body mass is down, I think that the meningitis I had in July took it's toll, in fact, I know it did.

SC looks at the numbers and says "I'm not happy with the abdominal and the kidney"  

Heck, neither am I! But still, how many women who are 49 years old would kill to be at 5.59 % bodyfat? Every one of them! How many 18 year old women would kill for bodyfat that low?!

He said "Your butt looks good though!"  I reminded him that my butt always looks good, it's the quads I keep struggling with. I have been squatting and squatting heavy three times a week. That's why my butt has no fat but is round and full.

He suggested that I need to stop back squatting and stick to the front squats to hit the quads harder.

 
I get dressed, I won't let this disturb me, I have a few more pounds to lose in the next few weeks, it means continuing my two a days at the gym, weights in the morning, then cardio in the evening, I can do it.

I need to get a bit lower than 4%, that's the only way I look good on stage. I have done it many, many times, I can do it again.

Feeling Blue and Vinegar Chicken

I woke up feeling blue today, and it has lingered for quite some time. I am a really upbeat person, I don't get down very easily.

It's the diet.

It's Sunday and I  have 20 days to go. 20 days is not a long time, it can whiz by so fast. But when you are on a super strict diet, it can go oh so slowly.

I actually had tears well up in my eyes this morning as I was on the treadmill, and it was not the treadmill making me cry. It was the feeling of despair that hits you sometimes, and those of you who compete will know exactly what I am talking about.

I spent three hours at the gym, I worked shoulders, then bootcamp with "R" and I did my cardio for a half hour, I didn't feel like going back a second time today.

I am ready to live a normal life, ready to relax a bit.

I come home famished, all I had was my meal replacement drink at 5:15, and it was now 9:30. Egg whites, and then a bowl of steel cut oats. So hungry. Almost decided to eat turkey meatballs and rice, that may make me feel normal again.

David offers some tastes of his food, forgetting that I cannot try it. He apologizes, not intending to make things worse for me.

I start making vinegar chicken for David and Cooper's dinner. It is a fabulous dish, that if I wasn't so close to competition time I could eat, but not today. I cook and try not to pay attention to the smells, Coop walks in and says it smells great.

La Volaille Au Vinagre De Vin Bistro D'A Cote

Saute 6 chicken legs, 6 chicken thighs (or a cut up whole chicken) that has been generously salted and peppered  in 3 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter till golden. Remove from skillet, drain fat, add chicken back into the skillet. Slowly add 1 1/2 cups red wine vinegar, cook about 10 minutes till reduced by half, turning chicken occasionally.

Add 1 cup chicken stock, 1 large can chopped tomatoes, salt and pepper, cover and simmer 20 minutes. Remove chicken, then reduce sauce for 10 minutes. Add the chicken back into the skillet, it's best if you refrigerate it a while, even overnight, it makes the flavors better. Then reheat, and add 4 tablespoons butter.

It is served with potatoes au gratin made with creme fraiche and Gruyere cheese.

I then made them a fig crostada (rustic tart) for dessert.
 
There are always leftovers from the chicken so what do I do? I think they may even like this better: The sauce is thin, and I take all the remaining chicken from the bones, mix it with the remaining sauce and serve over pasta the next day.

Me? I will have red snapper, asparagus and rice.

I think this scenario repeated day after day would get anyone down eventually.
David and Cooper leave for a few hours to a couple lacrosse games, I have brought work home so my mind is occupied and I am not feeling so down, I am concentrating too much.

I decide to make pastry tart for some homemade fig "pop tarts"...I will freeze the dough and cook them later, just before I go to my competition, they are best room temperature says the  recipe, they look stunning and I cannot wait to try them!

The dough is flour, sugar, salt, butter and cream cheese. Filled with a homemade fig jam mixture then baked and glazed, they should be fabulous with a steaming hot cup coffee... or champagne.

I don't lick my fingers as I prepare the dough, but I really want to, no one is watching, I can easily do it and no one would know. But I would, and if I didn't look my best when I stepped on stage, I would be really angry at myself in 20 days.

I eat my next meal, a can of tuna, 4 ounces brown rice and some mushrooms. I am increasing carbs because I have started putting out ketones, I monitor my urine to see if I have been cutting back too much and I have, so it's more starches for a while.

I still have a couple pounds to lose, so it's tough, I have to increase carbs yet lose weight, it means more cardio.

Fruits and Vegetables

Everyone should make vegetables and fruits a mainstay of their diet. Not only do they provide nutrients, vitamins and minerals, they provide bulk and fiber which help you to feel full and keep your body functioning properly.

Variety is they key, and eating seasonal produce will ensure that you get many different fruits and vegetables all year long.

I have written many times about the CSA that I belong to, a CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture, where the farmer delivers directly to a central drop off for subscribers or to your home. I work at San Jose State University and they have a CSA program there, I pick up my produce every Tuesday.

I don't have a choice as to what I am receiving, I get what is seasonal and ready that day. I love it! I eat everything and have learned to love so many different vegetables that I wouldn't normally buy at the grocery store. This is a picture of one of my deliveries.

I read a short article in the paper recently and fruit and vegetable consumption in the United States is down, and it is no wonder we are a nation of overweight people with heart disease, here is an excerpt of that article:

Most Americans still don't eat vegetables often enough, and fruit consumption is actually dropping a little, according to a new government report released Thursday.


The federal Centers of Disease Control and Prevention found that last year about one-third of U.S. adults consumed fruit or fruit juice at least twice a day. That's down slightly from more than 34 percent in 2000.

Only about 26 percent ate vegetables three or more times a day, the same as in 2000. The statistics come from a national telephone survey of hundreds of thousands of Americans.


No state met federal goals of three-quarters of Americans eating enough fruit, and half enough vegetables.

California ate the most fruit and Tennessee was best with vegetables.

Water

Water should be by your side at all times, literally!

Most people do not drink nearly enough water.

Lack of water (dehydration) is very often confused with hunger, so people reach for food when what their bodies really want is a huge glass of water.

The old saying "drink 8 glasses of water a day" is rather vague, I mean, how big are those glasses?

If you want to know how much water you need to drink, take your body weight (in pounds) and multiply it by .55 and that's exactly how many ounces of water you should have in a day.

If you are an extremely active marathoner (most of us are not) you can up that by multiplying your body weight by .65.

Your water should be consumed throughout the day, not all in the morning, or chugged at three meals only, but sipped on all day long.

This means frequent trips to the bathroom, but less trips to the refrigerator.

I carry this jug with me everywhere, I like it because it is Bisphenol A (BPA) free and has a sippy top with a cover. It holds a half gallon so I aim for one and a half of these, I know that's a bit more, but that works for me. The large one gallon jugs are difficult for me to drink from, but whatever works for you!

I actually panic if I am out and about and don't have a big reserve of water in the car with me. I even keep it by my side on my way home from work in case I am stuck in traffic.

The reusable containers are more ecologically sound, as they don't fill up the land fills, but be sure to clean it out regularly so you don't get sick from bacteria build up!