Tag transformation
Egg Protein Got Me Lean
The ravages of competition prep and impending menopause caused me to hold water in my midsection and hamstrings for over a year, and I became despondent and desperate as a result. Nothing seemed to work. Then I took an ALCAT food intolerance test in January of 2015 and discovered that I had an intolerance to a bunch of different foods, so I eliminated the majority of them.
However, I stubbornly kept whey protein in, and chose to ignore the fact that I had a moderate intolerance to it. I would have been fine if I had just consumed whey protein a couple of times per week, but I was ingesting 60-70 grams of whey protein every single day. What kept me in that vicious cycle was an incredibly busy schedule which made it difficult for me to get all of my protein from whole foods.
In late September, upon Ian Lauer’s strong suggestion, I decided to finally eliminate whey protein powder from my diet. I added more animal protein from whole food sources (mostly from MAW Nutrition), and replaced about 25 grams of whey powder with a serving of Muscle Egg. Two weeks later, the water retention issues I had been struggling with completely vanished. I could finally see the lateral borders of my rectus abdominis clearly, and no longer created a fluid ripple when I tapped my belly.
I’m not saying I am ripped as a result of switching to egg protein, but boy, did it make a difference in my level of leanness! This won’t work for everyone though. If you have an issue with egg protein, the opposite effect may occur. In my case, I discovered that my body processes egg protein quite well. I also became a huge fan of Muscle Egg and now have it in my house at all times. I generally limit myself to one serving of Muscle Egg per day, but I also love the occasional nighttime Muscle Egg crepe with Walden Farms Chocolate Syrup on top for a sweet treat.
One last thing about whey protein: I still consume it on occasion. However, I only eat it in B-Up Bars and P28 Products, and I don’t have any issue with these food items. I have, however, completely avoided whey protein powder for the time being, and hope that my body resets as a result.
I Don’t Need To Compete
People still ask me, “When’s your next show?”, despite the fact that I haven’t competed in close to two years (my last event was in June of 2014). Somewhere along the way, I lost the desire to allow every square millimeter of my body to be scrutinized by judges onstage, and decided to shift my focus to other goals and projects. It can be pretty brutal to put oneself on the chopping block all the time, to be analyzed and judged on the basis of balance, symmetry, and conditioning, especially when the IFBB Pro Bikini pool is teeming with spectacular physiques which seem almost superhuman.
That being said, I wouldn’t trade my experiences for the world, and I feel so blessed to have competed for the six years that I did. As a matter of fact, I still feel that competing is very much in my blood. I am also so grateful for all the opportunities which came to me while I competed. I even have a few suits in my armoire (one of which I am still trying to sell), and the tangerine suit which I won my Pro Card in will never be sold.
Part of me doesn’t want to abandon the idea of possibly stepping onstage again. However, it has become increasingly more difficult for me to get the razor sharp, shredded look that is necessary for the stage, and I lack the time to hit the gym for three to five hours each day in preparation for a contest. The drive to compete has been replaced with a fierce desire to make a bigger name for myself in the world, and I truly believe that if I clutter my world with contest prep strategies, I will dilute my energies too much and will lose the forest for the trees.
I know the question still remains: “When’s your next show?”, and I really can’t provide a clear answer. Despite the fact that each passing day pushes the notion of competing further and further away, I might just decide to grace the stage again at some point.
You never know.
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Try a New Sport to Break Fitness Plateaus
Please read my latest article for Sports Nutrition Supplement Guide!
Original post can be found at:
http://www.sportsnutritionsupplementguide.com/training/agility-drills/item/1567-try-a-new-sport-to-break-fitness-plateaus#.VsJ6RvkrLIV
If you are a dedicated weightlifter, you have probably had to struggle with fitness plateaus at some point. What most lifters do when they reach a sticking point with their progress is they switch up the rep range or lifting technique in order to activate the muscles differently, but they usually won’t step outside the gym to explore other activities.
However, perhaps the best way to break through a stubborn plateau, especially if you have already tried with the weights to no avail, is to train in a sport which will address your areas of weakness in a novel way, and in many cases, produce the results you seek. Though I am a big proponent of weight training, I also promote training in other sports as a means of changing things up and challenging the body.
One of the most common laments I hear is that the shoulders often lag behind development of the back and arms. So if you have deltoid muscles which won’t respond to iron therapy no matter how you switch up your training, you might want to consider giving tennis or basketball a try. People who regularly engage in these sports tend to have some of the shapeliest shoulders and arms around, because the body mechanics which characterize them incorporate a lot of movement around the shoulder joints. If the region of your body which is lagging behind is your lower extremities, you can engage in sports such as soccer or cycling to ramp up your training efforts and shape up your legs rapidly. If team sports aren’t your thing, you could take up a martial art or boxing to improve your strength and agility while also making your physique appear more balanced.
On a personal note, I took a few flying trapeze classes last fall and was amazed at how much back recruitment occurred during those classes. Though I didn’t sign up for flying trapeze classes with a goal of widening my lats, they indeed became wider as a result of all the static hanging I did from the trapeze pole. I also noticed that after every class, I was sore in places where I never felt sore when I lifted weights. It was a great challenge for me which also enabled me to confront a mild fear of heights. I also found it challenging to refrain from shrugging my shoulders or pulling my body up as I would do during a pullup at the gym. I began to use my body in different ways, and it rewarded me with an improved back silhouette.
In essence, practicing a sport can often break people out of a weightlifting rut and force them to use their bodies differently. You can still adopt the “Gym Is Life” mentality, but by broadening your horizons, you’ll have fun in the process, improve your athletic prowess, and if you choose your sport wisely, may be rewarded with a more balanced and conditioned physique.
How I Feel About Makeup
Though I like the colors featured in cosmetic lines like MAC, and have a massive collection of makeup which includes over 80 pro eyeshadow pans, I am really not a makeup person. Those rainbow hues sit in my giant train case, and are rarely used. I admit that the artist in me was drawn to those shades, and when I get a creative itch, I can create some lovely makeup looks. The problem is that the itch only strikes about once a year.
For the most part, I think daily application of full makeup is totally unnecessary. It looks phony, it’s a waste of time, it clogs and irritates the skin, and it can get pretty pricey.
I LIKE the look of clean skin with no makeup on it, even if the lack of contour makes my face and nose look wider. I don’t really wish to obsess over how perfectly applied my highlighter is, or if my blush will clash with my handbag.
I appreciate the power of contour, but as this image illustrates, this seems awfully extreme and mask-like:
I cannot let go of the notion that black eyeliner and berry lipstick are the only important color cosmetics for me to have access to on a daily basis. It’s not that I walk out the door looking like I just rolled out of bed…though most mornings I literally roll out, quickly apply translucent powder and a thin line of eyeliner, throw on gym clothes and am out the door.
But you won’t see me rock ten tons of makeup to go to the gym, the grocery store, work, meetings, or even a nice dinner with friends. If I grab more exotic colors, that means a fancy event is coming up, and my five minute makeup routine suddenly expands to fifteen to thirty minutes, every minute of which I can’t stand. If false lashes are involved, you can be sure that I will be cussing up a storm at some point as the glue refuses to set or the lashes are applied unevenly. Not fun.
I hate the feeling of being encumbered by makeup, and I certainly don’t want to look “different” when I apply more than usual. I am a huge believer in allowing a woman’s natural beauty to come through, and think that makeup should ENHANCE a woman’s beauty instead of being corrective or somehow creating a mask which makes her look like someone else.
If you don’t believe that makeup can make people look very different, check out this video:
I love the freedom of light or no makeup. I love the fact that I never have to worry about smearing something during the day, since I really don’t pack on the paint.
What’s weird is that I can apply a small amount of eye shadow, and it looks like I have a ton on. It stems from the fact that I have large eyes, with a lot of lid. I have also noticed that if I apply black liner to the waterline, I get an instant super sultry eye look, so I have to be careful.
During a recent fitness expo, I had lash extensions on, so I didn’t even wear mascara or false lashes. Despite skipping those steps, my makeup ended up looking rather glam, all because I applied a small amount of eyeshadow and eyeliner.
Don’t get me wrong, I actually enjoy having my makeup done for photo shoots and events. It’s fun for me, because I get to be a living doll. But I will never sign up for a daily makeup routine that enslaves me to my bathroom and has me gazing into my makeup mirror for lengthy periods of time.
FitnessX Cover Shoot Sneak Previews
Here are a few behind the scenes images from the FitnessX Magazine cover shoot from earlier this week. What a wonderful experience, and great people!
I’m Smaller Than I Think
I have never been overweight a single day in my life, but since everything is relative, and since there is tremendous pressure on fitness models and competitors to be extremely lean, I definitely experience fat days. You know those days when you just feel fluffy, bloated, tubby, like a stuffed sausage? Yep, I have those days too. However, I guess I am retaining less water, mostly due to following a pretty clean food regimen, and as a result have been awarded with a tighter appearance. My measurements are still the same, yet a bunch of people have asked me if I lost weight, and will tell me I look tiny.
I got confirmation of my tiny dimensions lately when I tried on two different articles of clothing in my closet. One item was a pair of jean leggings from Hue which I had purchased in a size Small, based on online reviews which suggested that someone with my dimensions (5’5″ tall, 120 pounds, 24 inch waist, 34 inch hips) would fit better into a Small than an X-Small. Much to my surprise, I put on the leggings, and they were so baggy on me that they looked ridiculous on me. Then I tried on an old pair of MEK Denim jeans in a 24 which I had avoided because I assumed that I wouldn’t be able to wear them. Instead, they fit like a glove. I had almost gotten rid of those expensive jeans because I thought they didn’t fit me anymore!
I realize that my immersion in the world of fitness has made me more neurotic about having more of an off-season body, but the truth is that my off-season appearance is actually quite acceptable. I admit that the increasing laxity of my skin has caused me a certain degree of distress. However, even though the half-century mark looms several months away, I am making every effort to give myself credit for looking pretty damned good for my age.
I no longer live in waist trimmers in order to squeeze out subcutaneous water and shrink me down. I am well aware of the fact that an excessive degree of body dysmorphia exists within the fitness community, which is the inevitable result of constant pressure to look almost superhuman, with defined muscles, ripped abs, and unnaturally low body fat. Though I adore that look, I am also tired of having every square millimeter of my body scrutinized.
By no means am I saying that I am giving up on being as fit as I can possibly be, but I will no longer allow myself to feel as if I am out of shape or huge when I can fit into a size 24 jean!
I Really Do Train Four To Six Days Per Week
Have you ever run into people who are such die-hard weightlifting fanatics that they are restless during their rest days? I am one of those people, and I suspect that I will remain that way for another few decades. There are a few people who have asked me why I continue to train four to six days per week, EVERY week, despite the fact that I am not in prep for a contest. Why would I continue to work so hard at maintaining or building muscle if there is nothing specific to train for? The main reason is because I train for LIFE. I have no intention of allowing my gains to diminish simply because other people think I am too old for such “nonsense”.
How do I stay so consistent with such a frequent training schedule? I make going to the gym an essential part of my daily routine, and it is so important to me that it only comes second to brushing my teeth and putting on gym clothes before I head to the gym. Food and showering are always done afterwards, first of all because I plan to sweat when I am at the gym, and secondly, because I might throw some fasted cardio into the mix before I hit the weights.
I will never understand gym-goers who spend several minutes between sets chatting with others, checking text messages, and finding other distractions which deter them from starting the next set. I train rapidly, resting only 30 seconds between sets or supersets. That is part of the reason why I do NOT want to chat at the gym. I am so focused on my next set while I am resting that I often don’t hear others, especially because I listen to music while I train. I try not to allow random thoughts to creep in, because such thoughts can throw me off, especially if they are anxiety-provoking. When I am in the gym, I push distractions and worries aside, and truly enjoy the physicality of training. Besides, I have the rest of the day to address issues and responsibilities.
Whether you choose to train four days per week or more, or you prefer training fewer days per week, just make sure you are CONSISTENT. Make your time in the gym a time to decompress and tune into your body.
Spending The Weekend With Great People From Active Interest Media!
I am so blessed and honored to be able to represent AIM at various fitness expos! This weekend I am representing them at the Los Angeles Fit Expo.
Here are some fun photos from expos I have worked in the past with them.
With Ian Lauer last year at the L.A. Fit Expo
With Vladimir Dan and Theresa Jenn Lopetrone from a previous expo…good times!
This amazing lady Ashley Kaltwasser added a third gold medal for a three-peat Olympia Bikini win since this photo was taken in 2014!
Goofing off at the Arnold a couple of years ago…
dr. stacey naito's blog 