Muscle Gains

I have been questioning whether or not I'm ready to enter another competition quite a bit.  Because I am still about 10-15lbs above my previous "off season" weight, it is incredibly hard to tell whether I've gained muscle, lost muscle, or maintained muscle.

So I've started looking at my previous weight training records and comparing them to now.  I use the app Gym Buddy to track my workouts, so I have a record of all my workouts in the last 3 years.  Just today I've discovered a handy "One Rep Max" graph in the history section of the app... here are a few results from major exercises:

So I may not be able to tell how my muscles look underneath that last layer of winter padding, but my strength gains certainly tell a story.  I'm looking forward to seeing some definition as I lean down!

Now I just have to learn to walk in heels...

Cutting and Custom Diet Plans

I've been experimenting a bit with diet plans and am about to start a slow cut in preparation for the competition in June.

Basically, I'm planning on following the IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros) plan for at least the first part of my cut and see how it goes.  It winds up being very close to the diet plan I was on in preparation for my last competition, but it a little easier to adjust myself as necessary.  I will also still be training under my previous (and only) trainer, although I'm trying to work toward being a bit more self-sufficient when it comes to doing these shows.  I do realize that I desperately need the advice, support and coaching of someone experienced with competitions, at least for now.

The website I used to find my starting macros is this one:

http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/

I chose "suggested" fat loss as a goal and increased my protein intake to 1.25g per pound of body weight (as per this article on cutting:

http://www.simplyshredded.com/layne-norton-the-most-effective-cutting-diet.html)  

I'm currently using MyFitnessPal to log all my meals and monitor my macros.  I basically messed around with the custom settings on MyFitnessPal to get my goal macros as close as possible to my results with the calculator (there is a hack to change macros by grams as opposed to percentage, but it doesn't work on a mac).

And my results?  I'm going to be shooting for:

95.5g of carbs
187.5g of protein
60g of fat
30g of fibre

For now, I am shooting for 4 weight training sessions per week and 3 cardio sessions.  Thankfully, roller derby starts again tomorrow, so that will count as 2 of my 3 cardio sessions.  For the third, I usually try to take my girls to the running track on Sundays (it's a real workout for me if I can persuade my toddler to get into the backpack-style Ergo carrier for at least a couple hard laps).

Looking forward to this new challenge!

Another Competition?

Originally my plan was to compete again in November 2014 at the Sandra Wickham Fall Classic, but I've recently started thinking about competing earlier.  I have not lost much muscle since my last competition (June 2012), and may have even gained some (although it's hard to tell at the moment).

Building muscle is the most time-consuming part of any competition.  It can take years to get a good muscle base in order to compete.  For my first competition, I trained hard and build muscle for a good 9-10 months before leaning out for the show.  To build muscle, you need to be in a calorie surplus, albeit a small one.  So it likely didn't hinder my goals that I was eating too much, but also weight training hard for quite awhile this time around.  I have some extra fat to shed, but I believe the muscle base is mostly there.

I have about 20 weeks until the Northern Classic in June, if I chose to compete earlier.  I ordered my shoes and started taking my diet plan a little more seriously.  I'm basically sticking with my original diet plan, but tracking my macros and trying to somewhat merge them together.  Worst case scenario, I won't get lean enough by that time (I'm not willing to go to extreme measures to drop the fat), and I'll do the show in November.

I also have a suit lined up that I will most likely buy.  A friend is selling it for a very reasonable price.

I'm feeling quite optimistic about this idea at the moment.  I am ready to start taking my diet and training more seriously again and get back into shape.  It doesn't hurt that a good friend is getting married in July and I'd like to fit into a cute bridesmaid dress!

And so it begins!

No Excuses

It's really easy to skip a workout due to any multitude of reasons.  I do it all the time.  But which "reasons" are really just excuses?

Take kids, for example.  My gym doesn't have childcare on weekends or holidays, so I definitely can't take my 2.5 year old with me, but what about the baby?  I decided to give it a try on Boxing Day and ran it by the girl at the front desk.  She was fine with babies in carseats or equivalent, just not kids running around getting into things.

I decided to do lower body, as upper body would've been more difficult to find safe exercises to do with the baby.

I got a killer leg workout, during which my baby fell asleep!  So I decided to prolong my workout rather than waking her up.  If she had been at home I would've rushed home to her and likely cut my workout short.

The next day, I went to the walking track with some family members and the girls.  If I go alone, I'll usually alternate between the two girls in the carrier (with the oldest I can run without worrying about jogging her around too much), in the jogging stroller, and the oldest running alongside.

There are plenty of legitimate reasons to not be able to make it out for a workout.  One of my resolutions is to look critically at whether my "reason" is really an excuse.

Happy New Year!

Getting Ready For a Party, Mom Style

I've had two company Christmas parties in the last week.  And I've noticed that there is a big difference in how I prepare for going out now that I have children.

Preparing for a night out - without kids:

1. Run a bath, pour a glass of wine, light candles, and put on some music.
2. Leisurely shave in the tub, soak, sing along to all your favourite songs, cleanse face, wash and deep condition hair.
3. Get out of the tub, towel dry, moisturize, pluck eyebrows and brush teeth.
4. Blowdry and style hair.
5. Try on every piece of clothing in your closet before deciding on the pieces you originally had in mind for the occasion.
6. Apply makeup.
7. Check the time.  Still another 25 minutes before you have to leave.  Pour another glass of wine.
8. Check Facebook, read a few articles online, and have a light snack.
9. Try on every pair of shoes you own just in case there is a pair that goes better with your dress than the pair originally chosen.
10. Decide on the pair you had originally chosen.
11. Head to the Christmas party 15 minutes early.  

Preparing for a night out - with kids:

1. Prepare dinner for the kids.
2. Sit the kids at the table and in high chairs and put their dinner in front of them.
3. Grab your curling iron and plug it into an outlet in the kitchen.
4. Take your phone away from the toddler and clean the food off of it.
5. Put your phone somewhere the toddler can't reach it.
6. Begin curling your hair.
7. Pick up all the food from the baby's lap and floor under her chair and put it back on her tray.
8. Continue curling your hair.
9. Tell your toddler to get off the table and leave the poinsettia alone.
10. Put down the curling iron and remove your toddler from the table.
11. Continue curling hair.
12. Give your screaming toddler a hug and settle her back at the table.
13. Continue curling hair.
14. Clean up the baby's face, hands, clothing, hair, and everywhere else she got food.  Put her down on the floor in front of some toys.
15. Continue curling hair.
16. Run to lock the baby gate at the top of the stairs the baby is heading towards.
17. Give up on curling hair and go to find some makeup.
18. Clean up the toddler's hands and face.
19. Glance at your watch and realize the sitter will be arriving in 5 minutes.
20. Turn on the TV.
21. Apply makeup and get dressed in 4 minutes flat.  Glance down at your legs and realize you haven't shaved recently.  Put on nylons.
22. Turn off the TV, give the sitter instructions and head for the door.
23. Realize you've forgotten your phone.
24. Search for your phone for 10 minutes before realizing you put it somewhere out of the toddler's reach.
25. Head to the Christmas party 15 minutes late.

As much as kids make it really difficult to get anything done, I love my kids, and if I had the choice to do it all over again, I sure would!

The Importance of Flexibility

No, not doing the splits.  Although kudos if you can do that!

I'm talking about not having such a rigid training program that you beat yourself up if you miss a day.  I've talked about flexible diet plans here, but I believe flexible training plans are equally important.  Because life happens.

For starters, when was the last time you switched up your training program?  In order to build more muscle, you should periodically "surprise" your muscles.  I have 3 upper body workouts and 3 lower body workouts, which I will typically do twice each before switching to another.  And if someone is using the equipment I "need" or I just feel like doing something different, I do.

But what about if you can't make it to the gym?  There are many different options for things you can do with kids or right in your home.  Some of my favourites are taking my girls with me to the walking track and doing some kind of home workout video in my living room.  And sharing a post-workout smoothie with my toddler, of course.

Life can be busy and things don't usually go as planned.  Injuries also happen, an you may have to take a break from exercise entirely.  As long as you keep eating properly you shouldn't be gaining fat or losing much muscle in a short amount of time.  And you can always resume working toward your goals when you are able again.

Personal Trainers: Good, Bad, and Downright Dangerous

There are an enormous number of people out there professing to be "experts" on training and nutrition.  It's hard to know who to listen to.  Here are a few tips I've discovered when looking for a trainer:

1. Look for someone with a thirst for knowledge and a desire to learn new techniques and try different ideas.  If they are constantly reading up on new techniques and research, they are a lot less likely to just be using the same program for every person who comes to them, and a lot more likely to be willing and able to work within a person's strengths and preferences.

2. Run far away if you see a very restrictive low-calorie diet plan.  Personal Trainers are NOT nutritionists.  They have some basic knowledge, but should not be doing any more than making general recommendations.  I highly recommend searching out a Registered Dietician in your area for sound nutritional advice.  You can search for Registered Dieticians in Canada at http://www.dietitians.ca/Find-A-Dietitian.aspx.

3. A good trainer will correct sloppy form and have recommendations to avoid injury whilst exercising. 

4. Find someone who has time for you.  If a trainer is fantastic, but they don't have time to answer a few quick questions when you're struggling, it's pointless to have one.

5. Anytime someone is constantly trying to sell you on a particular product or gimmick and is unwilling to make a general recommendation and let you choose your own product is probably a sales rep for that company.  This does not necessarily mean it's a bad product, but it doesn't mean it's a good or valuable product, either.  I find this to be a breech of trust between client and trainer.

Really, you want a trainer who has passion for what they are doing.  You can definitely tell if it is "just a job", or if a trainer is truly passionate about helping others.  And, to be honest, a bad trainer can be a lot worse than no trainer.

Good luck!