2+ Weeks Post Show

Sorry/ not sorry I suck at follow ups. Or at least timely follow-ups.

A little over two weeks ago I graced the stage at Battle for the Eagle as a figure competitor after years of talk. Prep was not easy, but not the worst thing ever. Admittedly I could be experiencing some form of competition amnesia in which the show experience was so great that I forgot the most difficult parts. Or I really do like cod and tilapia that much. Which is why my freezer is full of white fish and I have only eaten chicken and egg whites post show as lean protein.

I could give a detailed play-by-play of the entire weekend, but I will spare you that. Especially with the amount of down time, cod, and yams involved- you'll likely fall asleep mid-post and forget why you clicked on this blog to begin with.

Tiara Reception Stop

Day Before Show Highlights

      242 ounces of water consumed
      7 meals of steamed cod and boiled yams    
      2 of these heated in a convenience store    
      3 coats of spray tan
      0 threats of divorce

Modified Night Show Side Pose
(One pose I will be working on) 

Show Day Highlights

     2 hours of sleep

     4:30 am makeup session

     3 (more) coats of spray tan

     2 slices of BACON!

     6 ounces of water consumed

     8 novice competitors

     9 open competitors

     4 handfuls of Skittles

     4th place in novice

     1 happy Cathy 

       (and equally happy Mr. NN)

I got an eagle! 

After the show I was delighted to shower and put on a pair of jeans. After watching some of the bikini girls compete while enjoying my first fresh hop beer, the Mr. and I trotted off to the sports bar in the casino. There we watched the end of the Wisconsin vs. Ohio game while waiting my first post show meal to arrive. I managed to have 2 chicken wings, 10 nachos, 1 chicken strip, and one JoJo before throwing in my napkin. (I swear it was all the rice cakes sitting in my stomach that made me full.)

The next day I still had a little left in me. Prior to getting on the road I did my first cardio tapering session. (I'm still tapering cardio, because sometime things we hate are hard to give up.) Then we packed up and hit the road to make it back home in for the Packer vs. Cowboys game. And to get my Cinnabon.

Cinnabon Highlights

      75+ mph average speed to Pilot Station

      2 bites given to Mr. NN 

      1 Cinnabon virginity lost

      3 minutes until it was no more

That was Battle for the Eagle 2016 in a nutshell. I am currently in build/ beast mode- with more carbs added back into my diet and cheat meals (at my discretion). I've been trying to not go nuts on the weekend eating/ drinking everything in sight. Which I haven't been stellar with, but I have been doing way better than I did after my very first show. That may be because Culvers does not exist in Oregon and I work full-time. I'm on the road this week for work, but I haven't loosened the reigns much. My meals are all packed and I have researched gyms for the towns I am in.

The Mothership.

But next weekend all bets are off. Because I'll be one of the many bodies in here and nobody puts Cathy in the corner. Nobody.
 

Gray Day and Cinnabon

I am having a gray day. Not only is it overcast here, but it is type of day where retail therapy only works for 30 minutes. (Thanks Target!)

First work related issues pushed me to reward myself with new slippers (and then shirts). Not too long after arriving home, my 50+ pound "puppy" took me out cartoon style. If you would like the mental image here it is:

Her running full speed down the stairs, me standing close to the wall to avoid her path. Puppy came in tight because she loves/ hates me, took my leg out from under me and resulting in me landing on my back.

If it wasn't me, and I wasn't near tears, I would have been laughing. Once I placed her safely in her crate (where I could not harm her), I opened my e-mail to discover my make-up artist for the show had to cancel.

Eight days out. 

I heated up my tilapia, yam, and broccoli (because that is what I can call "comfort food" right now) and opened my laptop. After visiting the show's website, I got the contact information for the show's official makeup artist. Thankfully she had one last spot open and I was able to nab it, for 4:30 am. Sometimes it is small victories that get us through the day. Now I have someone to make me pretty, again, and all is semi-right with the world.

Next week is peak week, the week all this hard work comes together before getting on the stage. I took the time today to arrange my workouts for the next week so I have a plan going in. The plan is basically don't kick my ass too much, don't try to lose anymore fat, and try to relax. I tried the relax part this morning by doing a yoga DVD, but then I felt like I pulled a glute. Not effective relaxation.

Tomorrow I meet with my coach where I will get the day-by-day diet for my last few days before the show. I know for sure caffeine will be out. If I thought I was cranky now, I apologize in advance to anyone who comes near/ contacts me. My puppy may be spending more time in her crate.

I am currently attempting to not plan out too much of my post-show life. However, I have quite the list of items I want to indulge in. For instance, Cinnabon. I have not touched one in at least a decade, if not two. But I know of two truck stops between Salem and Portland that have a Cinnabon in them. I know this because I travel that route on an almost daily basis. Those truck stops are also the closest places to Canyonville that have Cinnabon, other than Eugene. (But in Eugene you have a drive a ways off the interstate to get to the cinnamon roll (because that's how they mark it on their site locator and yes, it made me drool) and there is Packer game to be watched that afternoon. #priorities). Please note that their website is pretty much Cinnaporn. I need to close that window... in 5 minutes

You ice that Cinnabon- you clean-nailed Cinnaworker.
Ice it reeeeeeal good.  

What else will I indulge in after the show? The list includes pad thai, wings, nachos, a quesadilla, fried chicken, and beer (mainly fresh hop, Oktoberfest, and pumpkin beers). However, after eating super clean for the last 3 months, one's body can not handle those items very well. So it becomes a jig-saw puzzle of fitting in these items with social activities on the calendar since many think of the time after a show as if one has been released from gastro prison. Which after working this hard, the last thing I want to do is re-insulate my abs in a quarter of the time it took me to get here.

You can bet there is a plan coming to avoid that as well. Until then I am going to enjoy these last few days before the show and get ready to display what I was able to do.

Zucchini Flax Seed Breakfast Bars

For the last 10 weeks my breakfast prescription has been oats, egg whites, flax seeds, and salt. In fact, three of seven meals each day has been oats, egg whites, and salt. You may be wondering how one eats the same things over and over again without wanting to kill oneself.   

By adding "free" stuff to it, of course! 

What is considered "free"? According to my coach canned pumpkin and zucchini, as well as spices, were free item. Leafy green veggies are also on my "free" list, but there isn't anything on that list that I want to stick in my oatmeal.

The most common thing to make is protein pancakes with those ingredients. Just throw the items listed in the prescription with some cinnamon, vanilla, and Splenda in a blender, puree it together, and pour the mixture in a heated frying pan. 

I did that a few times, as that was an old standby recipe for me. However, my blender (now recently departed) was intended for making smoothies and couldn't handle all the macros I stuffed in it. On my quest for making things easier, I thought why not just take the blender out the process and make bars out of it?

 

As much disgust as my fish meals bring to the workplace, these bars have had the opposite effect. In fact, a couple people have asked for the recipe. Finally after 10 weeks, I am finally writing it up for all to enjoy. Since I have had to adjust the amount of egg whites and oats as my diet has progressed, I think I have landed on the perfect combination. Check out it out below for a great breakfast option on the go. In fact, I plan to make these (with non-free additions) even after my show as a breakfast/ snack option.

Zucchini Flax Seed Breakfast Bars 

6 Servings

What you need:

4 cups of oats

18 egg whites

3 tablespoons of flax seeds

1 tsp of salt

1 medium zucchini, grated (about 3 ounces)

1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon

3 packets of Splenda (or other artificial sweetener of choice) optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

In a mixing bowl, combine oats, flax seeds, salt, cinnamon, and Splenda. (Empty the Splenda packets and do not put the actual packet in the mix). 

Next add the wet ingredients (zucchini, egg whites, and vanilla). Mix well. In a greased baking pan (preferably with cooking spray), pour the contents of the mixing bowl. 

Place the baking pan in the oven and set the timer for 30 minutes. Remove from oven once the timer goes off. Package as you wish, maybe have one fresh, and refrigerate until use. They're good cold or reheated.  

In less than 4 weeks I'll be spinning on stage through quarter-turn-rights and having the judges and audience take a look at all the work I have put in. That's a crazy thought. I never considered the fact that I have been lifting for the better part of 14 years and this is the first time I have considered it "work" compared to "working out."

Four weeks, one day out. 

I have been lifting six days a week with five of those days is paired with steady state cardio. It has been quite the time commitment, especially when I factor in my commute for work. But I am determined to get back on stage and show what I have been able to achieve. I have maintained my workout routine through schedule changes and vacations. Even when I dropped a dumbbell on my finger and developed bicep tendonitis- I soldiered on. 

Dedicated? Yes. Stubborn? Very. 

There is no way I am going to give up. For far too long I wavered between getting on stage or "committing" to next year. For far too long I went to the gym religiously and had perfect nutrition on the weekdays only to blow it on the weekends. For far too long I went to the gym without a goal in mind. Now I have a goal and I can see the finish line.

All that is between me and that stage is 27 days and a boat load of fish. I wish I was speaking figuratively about the fish. As of yesterday my diet moved from being the same seven meals each day for seven days a week to high and low carb days. High carb days are full of fish and egg whites as my protein sources, while low carb days I get some chicken thrown in there. Previously, I was heavy on the chicken products and only had cod once a day (sometimes salmon was added in as well). 

The amount of fish I am going to be eating threw my planning focused mind for a loop. The amount of food I am supposed to have each meal is all listed out and all the measurements are for cooked protein. Now chicken doesn't lose a ton of water in the cooking process so it was pretty easy to know how much to buy raw. But cod and tilapia?  Holy hell! Those types of fish lose more water than a wrestler before a meet. 

For the record- I like fish (tilapia more than cod) but ask me again in October. 

As I mentioned previously, my diet for the last eight weeks had been the same items each and everyday. Sure, amounts of items would get switched up as we tried to improve things little by little. But there was little variation within the actual foods themselves. I probably could have asked for more substitutes, but being a creature of habit (and a very busy creature at that), I was okay with the list. In fact, I was able to get quite creative with how I prepared my oats and egg whites. When it came to my chicken and fish- Mrs. Dash and I have grown quite close. 

Yesterday my desire for anything and everything that would derail me hit the hardest. I had made it through two weddings, two parties, countless get-togethers, and a 4-day trip with being tempted but being okay. 

But yesterday was different. College football was on (or so I am told as I spent a good chunk of my day doing meal prep) and it was a rainy, cool day. Yes friends- Fall in the Pacific Northwest is on us.   

What did I want? A beer (preferably a fresh hop IPA or an Oktoberfest), pizza, in a rustic-themed establishment. 

What did I have? A whole lot of water, tilapia, and yams.

Morale of the story- Getting what you want isn't always easy. Because if it was easy, everyone would be doing it. I know all that I envisioned as perfection last night will exist in 4 weeks (that is as long as we're not hit by an asteroid).

Last night, I made my final commitment to getting back on stage and registered for the NPC Battle for The Eagle at the Seven Feathers Resort. It's time for me to put on my sparkly heels and get my game face on. 

Yes, these are my shoes. At least the Amazon.com image of them. 

Over it and out!     

The Countdown- 4 Weeks Out Edition

In less than 4 weeks I'll be spinning on stage through quarter-turn-rights and having the judges and audience take a look at all the work I have put in. That's a crazy thought. I never considered the fact that I have been lifting for the better part of 14 years and this is the first time I have considered it "work" compared to "working out."

Four weeks, one day out. 

I have been lifting six days a week with five of those days is paired with steady state cardio. It has been quite the time commitment, especially when I factor in my commute for work. But I am determined to get back on stage and show what I have been able to achieve. I have maintained my workout routine through schedule changes and vacations. Even when I dropped a dumbbell on my finger and developed bicep tendonitis- I soldiered on. 

Dedicated? Yes. Stubborn? Very. 

There is no way I am going to give up. For far too long I wavered between getting on stage or "committing" to next year. For far too long I went to the gym religiously and had perfect nutrition on the weekdays only to blow it on the weekends. For far too long I went to the gym without a goal in mind. Now I have a goal and I can see the finish line.

All that is between me and that stage is 27 days and a boat load of fish. I wish I was speaking figuratively about the fish. As of yesterday my diet moved from being the same seven meals each day for seven days a week to high and low carb days. High carb days are full of fish and egg whites as my protein sources, while low carb days I get some chicken thrown in there. Previously, I was heavy on the chicken products and only had cod once a day (sometimes salmon was added in as well). 

The amount of fish I am going to be eating threw my planning focused mind for a loop. The amount of food I am supposed to have each meal is all listed out and all the measurements are for cooked protein. Now chicken doesn't lose a ton of water in the cooking process so it was pretty easy to know how much to buy raw. But cod and tilapia?  Holy hell! Those types of fish lose more water than a wrestler before a meet. 

For the record- I like fish (tilapia more than cod) but ask me again in October. 

As I mentioned previously, my diet for the last eight weeks had been the same items each and everyday. Sure, amounts of items would get switched up as we tried to improve things little by little. But there was little variation within the actual foods themselves. I probably could have asked for more substitutes, but being a creature of habit (and a very busy creature at that), I was okay with the list. In fact, I was able to get quite creative with how I prepared my oats and egg whites. When it came to my chicken and fish- Mrs. Dash and I have grown quite close. 

Yesterday my desire for anything and everything that would derail me hit the hardest. I had made it through two weddings, two parties, countless get-togethers, and a 4-day trip with being tempted but being okay. 

But yesterday was different. College football was on (or so I am told as I spent a good chunk of my day doing meal prep) and it was a rainy, cool day. Yes friends- Fall in the Pacific Northwest is on us.   

What did I want? A beer (preferably a fresh hop IPA or an Oktoberfest), pizza, in a rustic-themed establishment. 

What did I have? A whole lot of water, tilapia, and yams.

Morale of the story- Getting what you want isn't always easy. Because if it was easy, everyone would be doing it. I know all that I envisioned as perfection last night will exist in 4 weeks (that is as long as we're not hit by an asteroid).

Last night, I made my final commitment to getting back on stage and registered for the NPC Battle for The Eagle at the Seven Feathers Resort. It's time for me to put on my sparkly heels and get my game face on. 

Yes, these are my shoes. At least the Amazon.com image of them. 

Over it and out!     

8 Weeks Out: An Oregon Adventure

Prepped, frozen, and set.

Late last spring, Mr. MFN and I won a trip to go rafting on the Rogue River. This trip included a two-night stay in Medford, Oregon. Since I was already going to be in Central Oregon for a conference in late August, we decided to make an adventure of it. 

I left for my conference on Thursday, with my cooler full of meals in tow. In order to be sure I was ultimately prepared with my meals, I had created spreadsheet documenting how many of each type to bring and what kind of container it would be stored in. This is because 2.75 ounces of chicken breast and 4 ounces of yam looks just like 3.25 ounces of chicken breast and 3.5 ounces of yam. Neurotic- probably. 

Day one was fine as I was at a conference. They didn't have a microwave so I ate my cold chicken and yams for lunch. Not the greatest, but I did take advantage of the salad bar and had a salad of lettuce and cucumber slices. "No salad dressing?" you may ask. Why yes, I had those greens plain and chilled. But these were items I hadn't had in weeks so they were amazing. That night I joined my co-worker at a restaurant where I enjoyed one half glass of wine since that was not off the table for me. Her dinner looked amazing, but I had my salmon and rice waiting for me back at the hotel. 

Not too shabby for hotel gym equipment. 

Friday I got in a quick workout at the hotel gym. Since I was not familiar with what their gym had to offer equipment wise, I created my workout on the fly. It ended up being mostly back, intertwined with shoulder PT, and a little jumprope for fun. Mr. MFN arrived in the early afternoon and we explored Bend, OR. Which exploring to us generally equates to checking out breweries. However this time I got to watch and assist in his beer selection as I could have none. However, at Immersion Brewing, they happened to have cold brew on tap. Score one for caffeine intake! We also toured through an art gallery on the riverfront and found a pretty cool artist from Portland. You can see Pepe's stuff here: http://www.theblindinsect.com/. 

Saturday was a day I had been waiting for awhile now- we were finally going to Crater Lake National Park. Earlier in the week we scoped out the hiking options and decided on Mount Scott. Since this was an "off" gym day for me consider this hike to be some very active rest. Mount Scott is the highest peak in Crater Lake National Park topping out at over 8,900 feet and the view from the top did not disappoint. Later that night as Mr. MFN enjoyed his post-hike burger and beers, I ended up having a couple glasses of wine. My thoughts were "I did just hike a big peak and if my food intake has not deviated from the plan- what harm could a little wine do?" (Hint- more than I thought when in prep.) 

At the top of Mount Scott, burning my shoulders off, with Crater Lake is in the background

First thing I did Sunday, other than get aloe for my sunburn, was visit to the Anytime Fitness that our hotel had passes to. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the equipment (wide variety and it was good). I managed to get a good arms and calves workout in. I also added cardio just to check one session off for the upcoming week. 

If Saturday was the day I was waiting for, Sunday was the day I was apprehensively waiting for. We were going rafting, the whole point of this entire trip. I had this idealized image of what rafting was. Mainly because I first learned of rafting the Rogue River from our neighborhood winery where the owners went on a rafting trip down the Rogue and tasted wine and cheese the entire time. The wine and cheese part that was not happening on this trip. Then I remembered a few days prior to our adventure that I bought Mr. MFN a snorkeling excursion while on a cruise a few years ago. I realized on the boat out to the snorkeling site my fear of deep water. I was not quite sure how my fear would strike, or if it would on this trip. In this case, it kind of did but worked in my favor as I was sure to listen to everything the guide said. My feet were well wedged in that raft.

Please note that when in prep, you drink a lot of water meaning that water needs to go somewhere. This realization hit about halfway through our rafting adventure. Let me just say it is hard to use your core to paddle when you need to pee. 

Monday I did my cardio session at the Anytime Fitness before we left for back home. The drive home was uneventful, I was just grateful I didn't have to watch Mr. MFN eat another incredibly tempting looking/ smelling meal. I had an afternoon appointment with my trainer and planned to do my leg workout that night. Although I was 100% compliant on my assigned meals, I did go over on the wine. The wine plus the sunburn equaled some not so great results on my body comp test. All forms of alcohol are now officially off the table. Good thing I mentally prepared myself for on the drive home. I am more than okay with this development if that means I'm ready for Battle for the Eagle. 

On the bright side, at least none of the slip-ups have not equated to more cardio (yet).

When Life* Gives You Egg Whites and Oats

You try to find any way possible to not make it always just be "egg whites and oats".

* Indicates that "life" is actually your "coach"

Protein pancakes are a popular combination in gym rat communities of oats and egg whites (plus a few extras such as protein powder, cottage cheese, peanut butter powder, caffeine, etc.), but when your blender is on the fritz (or just a plain old wimp) this may not be an option for you. 

Or perhaps I am just the lazy one who prefers to do less dishes. To be fair, to me, our current blender's only intended use is for smoothies. That means making more than one batch of anything at a time is not an option. Or an option that I would advise.

That brings us to one of my current creations- French Oats. Because if I can't have French Toast, I might as well have French Oats. These could also be "Lazy Lady's Protein Pancakes" however that doesn't sounds as classy. Below is my recipe for these quick fuel discs. Please note that this recipe is based of my current allowances, adjust ingredients your tastes as necessary. 

French Oats  

Make Julia Child proud... or at least your mom proud(-ish). 

What Goes In

• 1/2 cup of dry oats
• 3 egg whites
• 1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp of sea salt
• 1/2 pack of Splenda (optional)

What to Do

Mix the dry ingredients together, preferably in a mug. 

Stir in the egg whites and the vanilla. 

Let sit for about 5 minutes allowing the oats to absorb some of the moisture from the egg whites. During this time, preheat a frying pan on medium-low.

Pour mug contents into the preheated pan. Allow to cook in the hot pan for about 4 minutes. Once the pan side of the French Oats has developed a sturdy crust, flip and cook on the other side.  Once that side has sat in the hot pan for a few minutes, slide it out and voila! You just made French Oats!

Don't you feel so cultured? I didn't think so.

In the meantime- fake it until you are it!