Muskles from Brussels (....brussel sprout maybe?)

Hrmmm...4 weeks later & I have something called "biceps"! I guess it was all that protein and lifting weights. =P hardy har har.  I still have a ways to go...especially those pesky triceps. Flabby arms go awayyyyy!  Starting week 5 on Monday! WHoo hoo... I'll post my diet soon! :). im thrillled!




I need filler for all this yucky space......

ps. I LOVE BRUSSEL SPROUTS!

Egg Whites (broil, boil or scramble 'em) either way i have to eat 5 a day!

Quick recipe break! Every morning for breakfast i have to down 5 egg whites...& eventually I'm going to get sick of those suckers (I'll be eating more when it gets closer to competition time!) So... I have to get fancy with it. Egg whites provide a complete source of natural muscle building protein! RawwwRRR

Egg White French Toast (sans bread)

1 large cup of Egg Beaters = 5 egg whites (perfect!), glass pan, PAM spray (butter flavored), Butter spray, cinnamon, sugar free syrup & Splenda.


Spray glass pan with PAM spray and pour 1 cup of egg whites(I make 2 or 3 cups for the week!) Set the oven to broil and stick the egg whites in there for 25 mins. Then spray PAM or Butter spray & Cinnamon on top of the egg whites.... Mmm for a crispy layer! Then stick it back in the oven for 5-10 more minutes. Keep an eye on it! Egg beaters tend to puff up a lot more than the liquid ALL WHITES. VOILA! you have french toast! the texture at least. hahaha...its amazing w/ sugar free syrup & splenda :) Who am I kidding....oh well. TRY IT! & let me know what you think :D NOM NOM NOM  - Thanks to Bre for the great recipe <3

HULK

Yesterday my trainer Breean increased my weights & she had me do extra sets. I wasn't happy with her at all! lol. I was feeling pretty down today because its finally sinking in that the freaking gym is my life! I started on a supplement this morning and they are horsepills! The bottle says *vascularity * pump *size * strength* (astericks included). It sounds like a prescription for the Incredible Hulk. Then... out of the blue I get an email from my trainer with words of encouragement!!! read on:

" Cristina, I just want you to know that not many people can do what you are doing, I'm putting you through some really tough workouts and you're coming a long way in a short time! I'm really proud of you!"  <3

Like a hot flash....

side note: OMG! So i eat 6 small meals a day right?...well, my body is on fire! it's my metabolism on full speed! it's like hot flashes... maybe? i kind of like it...because i'm a lean mean burning machine BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Week 4 (thighs shrinking & whoaa biceps?!)

I noticed something really exciting last week....my thighs are shrinking!!! I see muscle...yes! they are finally revealing themselves. My biceps suddenly grew and im super stoked~! I lift weights 5 days a week so its about time! I'm on the treadmill for 50 minutes at an incline of 10 & speed of 3.8.(cardio for 6 days) I try to switch it up because as i said before i dislike cardio. I'll jump on the stepper or ellipictal...i like it when i feel sweat running down my back - a sure sign that i'm busting my ass! It's hard to lose weight and gain muscle at the same time. I'm worried i wont lose enough by competition time. I'm going to start on supplements tomorrow...we'll see how they make me feel.

Week 3 (Chocolate dreams)

I had a dream last night that i was stuffing my face with a box of Raisinets(myfav!) then i realized what i was doing and spit all of it out! "OMG IM NOT SUPPOSED TO BE EATING CHOCOLATE!" lol. As you can see I'm going through severe chocolate withdrawals or as Meegz says "signs of a true addict" lol. I used to have my "chocolate Fridays"& i had a nice supply of chocolate at work - thanks to my co-workers. I thought once a week was okay but how did i expect to lose weight?! LMAO...i wasn't busting my ass at the gym to deserve a sweet treat.

Anyways! Bre (my trainer) put me on a high, mod, & low carb rotation for two weeks. We are shocking the body and hopefully i can lose weight quicker. It's hard eating 5-6 times a day...i should be grateful because in March I won't have the luxury of eating all of these carbs. =|

Week 2

I feel like i'm being rushed 24/7...i get off of work & I race to the gym for 2 hours and finally back home and eat. It's all about preperation...making sure i have my bag of food and that I'm eating every 2-3 hrs. Every Sunday i prepare my food for the week and I try to be as organized as possible.

....so my hair was getting disgustingly long so much that i cut 3 inches off! I feel so liberated :) No worries!!! It'll be long and beautiful for competition day . Oh and by the way i really hate cardio...UGH.

I have strength, courage, and a whole lot of willpower!

First of all this is really weird...i feel like i'm writing in my teddy bear diary from grade school. When i was 15 years old I was flipping through a SHAPE magazine and I saw a picture of a healthy, fit & strong woman - Gabrielle Reece.  I tore out the page and taped it to my closet door. I no longer have the picture but it's still imprinted in my mind. She embodies the perfect concept of a physically fit person. After many failed New Years resolutions &Yo-Yo diets later (umm..yea, i've always been overweight) - I'm currently training to be in the BEST shape of my life.


Sept 2009:
 i picked up an issue of Muscle Fitness at the gym & I flipped through a section called "Fitness Bikini -"Tall Class".  I saw pictures of tall, strong & beautiful women (i'm 5'11) Bre (my trainer) thought i had the perfect build to to compete... (she competed in over 20 shows). She told me to buy an issue of OXYGEN magazine & to think about it. I ran across the street to Borders bookstore & i suddenly got teary eyed as i sat in my car looking through the magazine.  You may think that's silly...but someone offered to help make my dream come true and I had already made up my mind. :D (yes!) If I'm passionate about something... I always go for it. Hell YESSSSSSSSSSS!

Week 1

Week One of training was tough...whew! I had this nervous energy all week! The first day of lifting is called the "heavy legs" workout and yes it's definitely HEAVY! My trainers b/f said "this will determine whether or not you want to compete"...and boy was I second guessing myself! HOLY MOLEY! I thought my legs were going to BREAK off...i leg pressed 150lbs! That's like a whole other me :D My legs felt like blocks and I couldn't walk very well that whole week. I had to use the handicap restroom w/ the handrails to be able to sit down. I know I'm not disabled but i felt like it! Hhahhaha... Ooops. I also tend to stick out my tongue when I'm working out... like this DInosaur --> I totally caught myself (my dad does the same thing..lol)