Post Competition

Here I am in all my glory, it's about as big as I let myself get. I am trying to get bigger- more muscle that is, but not much fatter. And as long as I am diligent I should be able to maintain this level of bodyfat and still add some lean mass.


I am at 126 pounds, I was up to 128 a few days ago, and three weeks ago I was at 119. Now before you go all wonky on me, you must understand that pre-competition the body is depleted and dehydrated. When you eat carbohydrates, your body fills the muscles and liver with glycogen, and when you have glycogen in your body it holds onto water. 2.6 grams of water for every gram of glycogen....Instant weight gain!


Eliminate starches (or most of them) and water and zilch, you have nothing in the body to add weight.


After a competition, your body is primed for nutrients and fuel since it has been so depleted. Many people blow up from eating excessively and some do just getting back to normal foods, I have thoroughly enjoyed myself for the last few weeks and have eaten almost anything I wanted. Yes it shows, I an change that.


But, I have had my fill and am back to my clean eating (mostly) with a treat here and again. When I say treat this is typically savory foods for me. A pork chop, a lamb chop, cheeseburger, Caesar salad....wine.


My diet stays the same, I just allow myself more food. I eat at least one rice cake a day, with peanut or almond butter. I add a whole hard cooked  (well almost) egg to my salad. I allow myself to have my favorite thick spelt toast instead of oatmeal and I don't fret about tasting things here and there.


My lifting is heavy, I don't change it too much post competition. I am trying to add mass so I will lift heavy and focus on volume, I respond well to volume. That's where the German Volume Training comes in. It's hard to do it on a calorie restricted diet, so this is the time!


Wednesdays Roy and I do squats (10 sets of 10) and on Fridays we do barbell shoulder press (10 sets of 10). I repeat them both on my own, squats again on Saturday and shoulders on Tuesday. 


I did shoulders today on my own and was laughing to myself. I had to keep getting off the bench as I was sweating so much from the presses that the seat was wet and uncomfortable...As I always say - I know a good workout when I sweat and my feet aren't even moving.


I was talking to a woman in the locker room afterward and she made a comment about it, I said I was trying to add muscle and she got a look of surprise on her face. "Add more muscle?!" I forget that I am considered quite big and muscular to many other women.


I am back to running my stairs and jumping rope at lunch, so I get two workouts in almost everyday. I gave it up at the end as my competition got closer because I was too fatigued and I didn't want to lose too much more bodyweight. I am at the gym every single morning, and then running every lunch except Wednesday and Friday. Wednesdays I have GVT squats and I would be foolish to run and jump at lunch before that, and on Fridays I lift with Roy at noon so I really cannot fit it in. I do some form of cardio on weekends, either at the gym or on my treadmill.


So while I loved my svelte, lean competition body, It's not a good idea to try to maintain a level of bodyfat that makes an Olympic gymnast jealous, and I don't want to go through life like that anyway. I cannot stay so low all the time.


I will be starting to have more time for cooking and should be posting some great clean and healthy recipes soon.


I will be continuing to take photos, so you can see the changes in my physique and bodyfat, and let you know about dietary changes and my training. 

Getting Back to Normal

We all self critique, some more than others. Some of us are very hard on ourselves, and others, well they just don't get too worked up about anything.


In the month or so following a competition, I scrutinize everything. Every little body part, every lump and bump. I worry it's all just falling apart at times.


Then some days I look in the mirror and think "damn I still look awesome for a 50 year old. In fact, for a woman half that age!"


These are pictures of me now, three weeks after my competition. I went from 118 to 128 (you always blow up a bit due to the carbs, sodium and basic mess your body is in), down to 124 and now I am at 125.

Tuesday I was out on campus and had run my stairs and jumped rope, I was wearing my typical clothing, same as here but a tank top over it. When I was done I ran to the Nutrition and Food Science building to pick up my CSA delivery and as I walked back, iPod still blasting in my ears, a student tried to talk to me. He said something to me and I couldn't hear, I pulled my ear bud out and asked him "what?". He said it again "You are extremely fit!"


He walked off quickly, no intention of talking more, he just wanted to say that. I felt good. Here was a kid, maybe 22 years old telling someone who is as old (no, older) than his  mom that she is "fit". 


At the gym on Thursday I was in the back room, where the bench press's are located. There were two guys who always train together there. They are young, maybe 30 if anything, and I know one is a surgeon. I have noticed as he is extremely attractive so I kind of paid attention to him. I was training back and in the squat rack doing bent over barbell rows. I could tell he tweaked his back but didn't want to say anything, he is hurting. As he stretches out, and tries to alleviate the pain, I take my ear buds out and walk over. 


"You tweaked your back, didn't you?"


"Yeah, how did you know?"


"I can tell by the way you are moving. I didn't want you to feel bad so I wanted to tell you that a few months ago when you two were in here, I broke a rib training."


They looked a little shocked and asked what I was doing at the time. I showed them and they asked if I stopped. I explained , no, I just do it a bit differently now and they laughed.


Then his buddy said that he (the surgeon) was an old man, that's why he was struggling.


"Old!?" I said. "I am 50! He isn't old!"


The surgeon looks at me, from the bench press where he is sitting and says "We are talking body age here. And speaking of body age, aren't you supposed to have a guardian to be in here?"


Nice...


Tall, dark, handsome, young....and he knows a good pick up line! Just the male I have always been attracted to! Don't worry, David knows I have always been attracted to dark skinned men, It's a running joke, he picks out my eye candy for me sometimes.... 


The three of us laughed and chatted a while, we had fun doing what we enjoy.


Interactions like these are really necessary to help me ease back into life as a normal person. I am sure that those who don't compete cannot understand, cannot empathize. But luckily, I meet and talk with people like this all the time, it helps me to get back on track. It's also one of the things that keeps me going back to the gym day after day!

Short Ribs and Beef Cheeks

You can see the struggle I have balancing my two passions, weight training (and trying to maintain a lean, ripped look) and cooking (and eating obviously).

My family loves it when I cook, they hate it when I diet. But, when David and I got married, I wrote the vows myself, I think it went something like this: "sickness and health; richer or poorer, dieting or bulking" (hee hee, just joking).

Above is a huge skillet with a wonderful dish of beef cheeks (the absolute best stew meat) and beef short ribs. Combined with tomatoes, red wine, garlic, porcini mushrooms, grated carrots, onions and broth; it becomes a succulent, beefy dish pleasing to anyone that has an ounce of testosterone in their body.

Oh I make my own pasta to go with it too, this time it was pappardelle, wide, tender egg noodles that are velvety smooth with ruffled edges.

Pasta is very easy to make, I use a hand crank machine as I have read that an electric machine produces a much more "processed" smooth texture, and I want as far from processed as I can get. 


Looks like it has been taking a while, I see a bottle of sparkling wine in the background below, it wasn't there in the picture above!

The recipe is easy. 1 cup flour, 1 egg, pinch salt all in a food processor. Process until all combined, then pinch it, if the mixture does not hold together when pinched, add a little water, no more than a teaspoon at a time.

I roll it out with a dowel then run it through the machine, folding over itself again and again till it is smooth. Then start making the rollers closer with each pass.

The through the cutters and voila! Delicious!

I toss it in flour so it won't stick. It cooks in boiling water no longer than 2 minutes. 

Here are the boys, enjoying the pasta with the short rib/beef cheeks on top!


I guess they figured they would wear black in case they splashed the red sauce on their shirts. 

Did I eat any? Yes indeed I did! But I didn't eat nearly as much pasta as they did, I took a little pasta and some meat, and had a huge plate of broccoli on the side, with my fat free vinaigrette on it to help fill me up. 

These are the weeks where I adjust back to life. I think if I were single, I might live off of boneless, skinless chicken breast and asparagus a lot more, even when not prepping for a competition; but I am not, and frankly, life on a perpetual diet cannot be life at all can it? I gain weight, get back up to a "normal" size, and I struggle, I really do. It is hard to look at myself after being so lean, hard to accept what my body really looks like.


I know many competitors who feel this way so strongly, that you will never, ever see them in revealing clothing unless they are just about ready to step on stage. Seriously, they think they look "fat", unattractive, out of shape, you name it. When in reality, their "worst" is better than most people's "best".

In a couple weeks you will probably read about how pleased I am with my new "bigger" me, I will accept the added size and embrace the bigness.  I actually look better when I have some meat on my bones, we all do. But, after a competition I will swing just a little bit too much one way, and then I will rein it all in to land at a good middle point. It just takes me a while to get to the acceptance point, to be comfortable in my body again.

Obligations, Guilt, Pleasure, Frustrations

What the hell am I talking about?!


Life


A typical life as many people know it; a gourmand's dream as other's do; a living hell for a Figure competitor.


I love to cook, I always have and I am good, let me say that. Really, really good. Seriously.


I can taste anything once, and then reproduce it. 


My family knows this, and they miss it, believe me. It makes me feel guilty. When I am done with a competition, I start cooking again, the foods I love, the foods they love. I do it because I feel I am obligated to, I also want to enjoy it but I feel guilty. 


This is not healthy is it? No...a good reason never to start competing...


Tonight, as I write this, it is Friday at 7:45 pm. David and I just enjoyed a great dinner  (Cooper had one bite, he was in and out due to a football game). What did I make?


Take a look at the picture, but it was Lamb chops with black olives.


Doesn't sound too impressive but in reality it was two racks of lamb, cut into loin chops. Marinated in olive oil, garlic, oregano, chile flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, and black olives.


Then quickly seared in olive oil in a very hot skillet, then cooked with the above marinade and some water.


Served with fried fingerlings and sauteed zucchini. 


Oh we had sparkling wine before, and then a nice 2008 Domaine Tempier Bandol with the meal.


As we ate David said "Oh, I am living at Chez Panisse again..."


Shit, I cannot eat like this all the time and maintain my physique.


And I cannot make my family live on chicken breast and asparagus, can I?


Obligations, guilt, pleasure, Frustrations. 


Be prepared to deal with it. Life will get in the way of your competing. Or is it that competing gets in the way of life?

Post Competition Celebration Lunch

Sunday I couldn't sleep in too late, I am wired to get up and go. I woke about 6 a.m. and read the paper, David got up early too and I asked for breakfast. An avocado, mushroom and cheddar cheese omelet with one piece of sourdough toast.


No pastries, I have all the time in the world really. The days following a competition are so fun, filled with eating and celebration.


We went to the farmers market and I ate some fruit, oh the flavor was wonderful! I bought great vegetables and meats. On the way home I texted Virginia- Ramos Fizzes in 15 minutes! She and Mark came right over, Sophie leading the way in her little battery operated car.


Then it was over to Santa Cruz for lunch at the Cellar Door Cafe. We are so lucky to have this stunning restaurant so close.

 

I knew what I wanted as soon as I talked to the server. The Aioli Monstre. A huge platter of cold poached seasonal vegetables and seafood, served with aioli (garlic mayonnaise).

Oh there was wine too, after all, Bonny Doon is a winery! I am not a "cheesecake Factory" gal, quantity does nothing for me, it is quality I want. I am a foodie, I know great food, I eat only the best. I know the best restaurants, hit me up when you are looking for something....

Here is the platter up close, next Sunday is the last day this is on the menu, then they are honoring the change of the seasons, and moving to bouillabaisse, I will be there for that!


My platter has cauliflower, carrots, green beans, Romano beans, wax beans, stuffed egg, shrimp, cherry tomatoes, basil, radishes, scallops and halibut cheeks! Each morsel is delicate and fresh as can be, you dip it in the garlicky mayonnaise and it is heaven on earth. 

It is an open kitchen, we like to sit at the counter and chat with the chefs. David is enjoying Pork Belly Confit, warm cabbage salad and fried yolk. 

It doesn't sound great but it was, I tried it!

I could have licked the plate. I joked with the server that I should have just eaten the darn shrimp tails too....

Dessert. Dark chocolate cookie, caramel mascarpone. Sounds simple, and it was. Simply delicious!


David ate one.

I ate the rest. They make them there, the cookies were slightly crispy outside, sort of like the crackly top of a brownie, then dense and moist inside. Like a sophisticated Oreo. 

This is one of the few restaurants Cooper will go out of his way to eat at, he knows great food too. I highly suggest you make a trip here, it is worth the drive over the hill.

Celebrating after the Competition

I look forward to the weeks after a competition, I can eat and drink like a regular person. I am dreaming of it now, even during the daytime. You have heard the saying "When you want something so badly you can taste it"? I am tasting a lot right now...in my head.

Tradition has it that David and I go to the San Francisco Ferry Plaza Market on the Saturday following a competition. We get there early and have fish tacos and red wine out in the sun, sitting at the waters edge. We go to Mijita, a wonderful little restaurant. 

We then wander around the farmers market and buy oysters, meats, cheeses, breads, vegetables and fruits. We stop and have a glass of REAL champagne at the Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant and watch all the tourists walk by.

Then lunch at the Zuni Cafe, further in the city. 

But not this time, tradition is about to be broken, David is busy. In fact, David is busy every Saturday until the last weekend in October. I am on my own.

I was making reservations and discovered that David and Cooper will be attending a lacrosse game in San Francisco on the 8th, Harvard is playing Denver. It should be an exciting game. The game is at 3:00 so they need to leave early to go to their favorite Irish pup and eat fish and chips, then get a good seat.

The following Saturday they have a  car race, Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV where they will drive around the track or something like that.

Then the next Saturday he has to work.

He looked at me when I started complaining and said "Kristy - the whole world doesn't stop when you are finally ready to eat!"

It was a slap in the face, the words stung. But he was right. David has been waiting a long time for me to be ready, now I need to wait for him. I guess the shoe is on the other foot now huh?

So another saying we have all heard: "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade"

I made lunch reservations for ONE on Saturday the 8th. Yes all by myself. I am having lunch at McCormick and Schmicks restaurant. I have never been there and hear they have stunning food. I will order a glass of champagne and then a glass of red wine to go with lunch. Pursuing the menu, I am thinking I might enjoy the tenderloin steak sandwich on Navajo fry bread with garlic aioli. Or, if I am not super hungry I might start with the ahi tuna tartare then the Caesar salad, you see, I can have whatever I please!

Then, I have made a reservation at Tova Day Spa located in the Fairmont Hotel (where the restaurant is too), for a day at the spa. My day will include a 50 minute Swedish massage, then a 40 minute rejuvenation facial, followed by a 15 minute hand and foot pomegranate scrub. I will have access to the lounge, sauna, steam room, whirlpool, slippers and plush robe and two-hour valet parking! (Gotta love Living Social where I grabbed this great package!)


If I were male there could only be one thing you could add to make me say I have died and gone to heaven.


Then I shall hit the store and make something fabulous for dinner, the boys will be hungry when they get home from the lacrosse game and I am sure I will have a mean hunger brewing yet again.