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! 

6/27/16

That date was the last time I was in Urgent Care,  according to my chart which I glanced at today while at Urgent Care...again. 

On June 27th I had dropped a dumbbell on my index finger while letting it go after my second set of bench presses. Which resulted in me grabbing my hand while contorting and grunting audibly for no one else at the gym at 4:30 in the morning.  Then I took a deep breath, weighed my options of a. just stopping and going home or b. continuing to work out. Going home didn't seem to make sense as what would I do there at 4:45 am? Urgent Care wasn't open yet, Mr. MFN was asleep like most sane people. So I took a deep breath and continued my workout. Which I then ran my finger under cold water between sets. Why did I do this, because I am determined to make this competition happen.

So I now I go about my daily activities with limited feeling in my right index finger waiting for the nail to fall off. Which everyone has told me will happen, but it hasn't yet. There may be pics when it finally does. 

Then I woke up this morning in the middle of the night with a shooting pain in my left shoulder. Thinking I had been sleeping on it wrong, I just went back to bed. When I woke up for good it still hurt- both when I moved it just right (which was most ways) and when my arm hung by my side. I considered putting my first aid skills to use and fashioning a sling. Then I noticed a small, hard, painful lump on my shoulder. I took a 800 mg Ibuprofen from the finger smash accident but to no relief. 

What happened? No clue! Then I did like I usually do- went to the gym to do my assigned cardio because what else would I do at 7 am. Thankfully, that was okay for my shoulder.  

After Mr. MFN felt the lump, he immediately suggested Urgent Care. After a 2 hour wait to get in, the doctor was mostly quiet while he twisted my arm about having me push and pull. He mentioned it might be a cyst or calcified tendonitis. But to be sure, it was off to x-ray for me. 

After four hours, two stops in exam rooms, and a trip to radiology- I still had no definitive diagnosis from the doctor. The x-ray showed nothing interesting, which is good I suppose. He then instructed me to decrease my weightlifting for the next one to two weeks. Which I interpreted to mean- work what you can. He also recommended I wear a sling for the next 3-5 days, ice it, take pain relievers as needed, and lean on a table while swinging my arm (in a controlled motion) about. So I will be holding this arm high and tight- until I find an upper body part I can work pain free. 

Nope, not trying this.
Source: http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/sport-injuries/shoulder-pain/deltoid-muscle-strain 

 

So It Began

In 2002 I decided it would be a good idea to enter into a bodybuilding competition- more specifically Miss Bikini America in Minneapolis, MN.

Thought process on my decision to enter: I workout, I look good, I can do this. Plus, I'll get to go on a trip with my best friend.  

Little did I realize how much more than just "working out" and "looking good" went into preparing for a show. Which "little" is exactly what I did. Did I have clue what I was doing? Nope! My friend was my saving grace and told me what she was doing to prepare at each step. (Which I was then doing in much shorter time frame resulting among many other dropped balls- a fun sunburn after 3 minutes in a tanning bed.)

After being awarded "Honorable Mention" (Translation: Award for putting heels and a suit on and not using use drugs) I thought I may try again, after I can eat again.

I would enter a photo of myself right about here of the end result, but I believe a guy I used to know has/ had ownership of it. Please settle for a picture of my medal.

For the last 14 years I have continued to workout and with the thought of "maybe someday". My best friend continued on her journey, kicked some ass, kicked her own ass, and posted plenty of photos. You can factor her into my inspiration to compete as well. Then in 2015 I began borderline obsessed with the idea of competing again. I began searching blogs and reading all I could on figure and bikini competitions and recommended workouts and diets.

Because if not now, when? There is never a perfect time to start something. There's always after "this weekend/ cheat meal/ pint/ glass/ [insert all too familiar excuse here]."  That had a grip on me for the better part of the last 10 years.

Eventually, if you're self aware enough, you may reach the point where you think, "F*c< it, let's roll!"  

That's what happened to me. On March 1, 2016 I pulled the trigger and contacted Sledge Athletic Solutions (SAS). Why SAS?
Reason #1: Mr. MFN's co-worker was a member and told the Mr. MFN about the great things the owner, Mark, was doing. He also slipped in that Mark trained bodybuilding competitors as well.
Reason #2: Because working out at my neighborhood gym with the acoustic guitar strumming owner was not cutting it for me.

This is what I thought of every time he took it out. 

Prior to entering SAS, I was greeted by numerous well sculpted women leaving. I was a bit in awe of these ladies. When I got inside, Mark was super friendly and readily answered any question I had. I laid eyes on the dirty boxing ring, transition my gaze to the leg press, and finally panned to the skeleton holding a "I Skip Meals" sign. I knew I had found my gym.

Fast forward to today. I am now less 10 weeks out from my first competition in 14 years. I have been meaning to get this blog up and going, but time eternally escapes me. (Better at 10 weeks prior than 10 weeks after!)

Please stayed tuned for updates (and few throwback stories from early prep) as I document this journey. On my quest to compete in NPC Battle for the Eagle on October 15, 2016.

I'm off to finish cooking up some sirloin and down the last of 170 ounces of water required for today.

Signing off from hazy kitchen...