Post Show

It has been 11 days since Fitness New England and minus this insane bloat action going on...I feel freaking fantastic.  I have enjoyed my lax meals and maybe over done it here and there but it feels awesome to go out to dinner like a normal person again.  My energy levels are back and I have been feeling awesome during my workouts.  As I got closer and closer to the show my energy was dangling by a thread.  I took it easy from HIIT sprints to try and maintain my leg muscles and yesterday, for the first time in almost 3 weeks, I did HIIT sprints and it felt invigorating....never thought I would say that!

My body is all out of whack...I have been eating clean all during the week and I have this baby bloat that just won't go away.  When you compete your body is on a roller coaster towards the end.  You restrict and then all of sudden go cray cray with treats that I think my body is trying to play catch up.  I need to give my body time to adjust back to all foods I am re-incorporating...nut butters, almond milk, Greek yogurt, more starches and fruits. 

This past weekend we went out to my favorite Italian restaurant and needless to say I did not order off any sort of skinny menu.  Chicken Marsala and a heaping piece of carrot cake for this girl.  Pretty much felt like death afterwards but I needed to get it out of my system.  My sugar cravings are pretty wild right now so I am trying to find clean alternatives to fill these urges.  After seeing the lean muscle I was able to put on in my off season I really want to continue to build and see where it can take me.  When looking to add lean muscle especially, if cardio is reduced, my eating has to be clean.  I am not perfect and nor will my eating buttt I need to make an effort to pick healthier cheats. 

Last night I came down with a chocolate craving so what do I do? I have no candy or sweets in the house to binge on...so here's my concoction...guarantee if you take the time to make one..and eat it..you won't want a candy bar.

1/2 cup non fat Greek yogurt
1 tsp chocolate powdered PB
1 T sugar free choc pudding (not clean...but it's 1 T..not the end of the world)
smidge of unsweetened almond milk

Let sit in the fridge for like 20 mins

I added 4 frozen cherries (will prob omit next time..not impressed)
1 T Better Butter (something like that..it's PB from whole foods HIGHLY RECOMMEND)
smidge of Walden Farms choc syrup (will omit this too if I make again)

SO FREAKING GOOD!! It taste like a bad treat that I should have felt super guilty over but when I broke it down not as bad as I thought.  Carbs a little higher than I would like for at night and sugars but better than a snickers bar and 16g of protein!

Goals:

It's important to set some short term and long term goals after a show so you don't wind up planted on a couch covered in potato chip crumbs. 

Short term:  I was offered a free photo shoot from David Brazier Photography!  Super excited about this and with all the money I spend..Free is good for meeee :) Excited to give a photo shoot another go.  I felt SUPER awkward at my first shoot so I am hoping this one is more relaxed.  I will be shooting with my friend Amy so hoping we can get some great shots!

Competitions: Have a show in mind for the fall.  Not ready to fully announce since who knows what will happen between now and then but I will be training...and training hard.  I will need to add some solid muscle if I select this show and it's really exciting to think about.  I have NEVER in my life been muscular or had tone and seeing the results of my hard work is really awesome and makes me want to work that much harder.