Week of show....Oh my!!

Wow, its here. Its the week of the show and in just a few days I will be standing in front of my family, friends, and complete strangers in an itty bitty bikini. I am so excited for this week to be here, it's months of hard work, an early morning gym schedule, and a strict diet all coming together to bring my best self to the stage. After our dress rehearsal yesterday I learned that my body is ready, my suits are ready, my hair and makeup will be taken care of by the amazing 5 Star Beauty Team, but my last thing to jump on board is my mind. I know what I need to do and I know I need to get out of my own head. Present my body, my personality, and just have fun with my Savage Sisters out there on stage! This should be an enjoyable experience and not something I am petrified to do! 
After a three hour rehearsal I was frustrated with myself and my husband and I knew a movie was just what I needed to release my mind. What better way to spend a rainy Sunday night than watching The Lucky One and thinking about nothing but the movie. Ah I love the movies! I was tired, but it was a great date night! Thank you Jennny for watching Olivia so we were able to go! We were home by 9:30 and in bed by 10. Perfect, especially since I had a 4:20 am alarm set! The movie was really good! I thought Zac Efron played the part great and they followed the book pretty well, although my husband pointed out a few things that were off. It had been years since I read the book so I didn't notice!
Saturday was one of my best friends baby showers! My friend Samantha and I have been friends since the 6th grade and she is having a baby boy, Carter, in just 5 short weeks! She is an amazing person, friend, and soon to be Mommy. Throughout the years of our friendship we have been close, drifted, gotten close again, but one thing that never changes is her love and support for me and my family. She is that friend who you can go months without seeing and nothing changes. She is the person who would drop everything she is doing if you needed her, and she is that friend who is going to drive 2 hours to Foxwoods Casino to watch her friends first figure competition and then drive back home when she is 4 weeks away from her due date. Congratulations Sammy and Duran, can not wait to meet baby Carter. The shower was so beautiful, just look at that cake! Love you!!



It's pouring rain today, I got in my workout nice and early so I can spend the rest of the day enjoying my daughter and nephew, working on my posing and walking, and mentally prepping and relaxing. This last week is such a mental challenge. My husband posted a great reminder to me "Your mind will quit a thousand times before your body will. Feel the fear and do it anyways." 
Let's talk about this weeks eats, or lack of. Protein, and vegetables....and more protein and vegetables. With some water for dessert. :) Yeah that's about the diet for the next 3 days. Thursday and Friday I will get to have a small amount of carbs again. Can I tell you how excited I am for Thursday to get here?? Oats never sounded so good!! 
So the next few days are all about focus, getting in these last few workouts on a limited amount of food, mentally telling myself how beautiful confidence is, and trying as best as I can to be nice to the poor souls that have to be around me! 
Everyone has been asking me what I want to eat the most after the competition. Right now as far as "cheat" meals I am craving Chocolate!!! I have some Easter candy tucked away that I will be enjoying after the show Saturday night. Other than chocolate I am craving carbs, Chocolate chip pancakes to be exact! So brunch will most certainly be devoured on Sunday morning! Kruger's Pizza, and Ben and Jerry's S'more Ice cream. Other than that to be perfectly honest,  I have never wanted a bowl of oats, with a banana and peanut butter so badly!! The plan for now it to try to eat somewhat clean on Sunday, then back on track Monday. I'm really looking forward to fruits, vegetables, and other healthy dishes with flavor! I love variety and to cook up healthy dishes and its always nice to know a treat meal is planned for the end of the week! I love my weekly treat meals. 
Off to get this day started! Enjoy your Monday! 
xox

Running without headphones!

Remember how I said my parents and sister were taking Olivia to the Swan Boats in Boston yesterday so I would have a ton of time to get stuff done? Well, they took her at 9am and got back around 4pm so I got soooo much done!! It was a huge stress reliever. I was able to accomplish pretty much everything I needed to get done! Thanks again Mom, Dad, Jenn and Derek! 

As soon as my sister took Olivia I was off to Kohl's in search of gold hoop earrings to wear with my theme wear, a pink robe to wear backstage, and sheets for our hotel room bed. I heard one of the girls laid in the bed with the tanner on and turned the sheets bright orange and was charged an astronomical amount for it! I think I'm paying enough for the hotel room at Foxwoods to begin with, so I don't need any extra charges! After Kohl's I headed home for some fuel, then went over to the mall. Loose sweatpants, skin cleanser and moisturizer, makeup, and some new exfoliating body wash was on the list! Thanks to Victoria's Secrets, Origins, MAC, and The Body Shop I was done, done, done, and done! After all that it was time to head home and meet back up with Miss Olivia! I had one last errand to run for the day, which was to Target for small things like toothpaste, deodorant, dishwasher detergent (to scrub the tanner off), new shampoo and conditioner, and a new water bottle! Whew, way too much money was spent in one day....BUT nearly everything was crossed off the to do list! 

I can't believe "week of show" diets are going out! This is an insanely exciting and nerve rattling time. All this hard work, dedication, and time is about to all come together! I am so excited to experience my first show with all my Savage Sisters, my family and friends who have supported me so much throughout the past few months.I am most excited to enjoy a Starbucks iced coffee with soy milk and be a pleasant person again! :)

Today I had completed my workout early in the morning but had to save the cardio for tonight. I was feeling really unmotivated, tired, and hungry but I knew it had to get done. 45 minutes of steady cardio, a jog, was in my future. So I laced up my sneakers which is really the hardest part and started out on my run. I forgot headphones and was feeling like this was going to be my worst run ever, when I decided it would be if I thought like that. Instead I decided to use the quiet time to listen to the sounds around me and reflect on how far I've come, all the friends I have met, all the friends I am going to meet, and the amazing support system I have. It ended up being a strong run and even though my legs were screaming at me, the 45 minutes flew by! 

I came home and made some grilled chicken on romaine lettuce, put Olivia to bed, and now its time to turn on Pandora, stone this suit and hopefully get a lot of it done before getting to bed by 9! 

xoxox

Time management!

14 days out!

Long time no blog! I will be perfectly honest with everyone, I have a serious time management issue! The show is 10 short days away! I am feeling tired, stressed, overwhelmed, and hungry! Its a bad combination and I'm feeling a little bad for my family right now! My house is a mess, my bikini still needs to be stoned, I have to get earrings, makeup and my posing needs some serious work. All the while, workouts still need to get done and a limited amount of food is making small tasks even more difficult! I apologize in advance to any friends and family for my "diet brain." Everyone told me the last two weeks would be the most difficult, but I guess I didn't really understand it until I experienced it myself. I am so thankful for my friends and families support, as always. There's n way I would be able to squeeze in all my workouts and even yoga without their help! I have come so far and I need to finish this competition prep with a bang! Now is not the time to start slacking. Sooooo, progress pics are up! In 11 days I will be enjoying chocolate chip pancakes, bananas, and soy milk! It's the little things in life! :)
Tomorrow Olivia is heading to Boston to spend the day with Grammy and Grandpa, Auntie, Uncle Derek, and Jacob. The Swan Boats are in her very near future. I plan on using that time to pickup my earrings, makeup, and getting my workout in. Thank you Mom, Dad, Jenny, and Derek for taking Miss Liv for the day! Love you!!
I'm actually running out soon to get my glute workout in, then hopefully a little posing practice and stoning of my bikini!

xox

"Being grateful"

I woke up today at 7 am and it felt amazing to sleep in! I was ready to take on this beautiful Friday full of energy and appreciate this much needed rest day. I had been really tired lately with my diet and workouts getting tougher, so this was exactly what I needed! I was excited about it, felt great when I woke up,  and then life happened, Olivia was whiny, I started to get tired, hungry, irritated 
at little things all because life threw a couple curve balls at me. That's when I knew I needed to take a step back and appreciate the life I have. It's not perfect and it never will be, but its my life. I have everything I ever dreamed of having when I think back to what I pictured life would be like as an adult. We own a beautiful home in a nice neighborhood, where I feel safe, a beautiful daughter, a husband whom I adore, supportive friends and family close by and more non necessity things than we should probably have. 

When I think about the things I really complain about I know I need to view them differently. "I'm so hungry." I may be eating less than I am used to during competition prep, but seriously, I wanted to do this, why am I complaining about it? My daily calorie and food intake make be on the lower side for Americans, but in another country what I eat would probably be a feast to them! "I'm so tired." Why? Do I have a warm bed to sleep in? Sure do! Have you seen the sleeping conditions of an American Soldier and Marines in a war zone? Again, what do I have to complain about? "Everything is so expensive!" Yes, it is. However, I'm proud to make my mortgage payment every month. To pay bills means your family has an income, you have utilities, you have food on the table. "Olivia is so fussy today!" Really? This one is probably my biggest daily frustration. I see all she has, all the love she has, and wonder what in the world could she have to complain about. Then I remember she is only human, she is 3 years old, and she's just like me! She learns from me everyday so it's time to show her there is no need to get worked up over the littlest things! We have so much to be grateful for and I know I need a more "glass half full" view on life. With the competition quickly approaching and my stress level quickly rising, I know I need to really go back and remind myself to slow down and appreciate every moment of this life. I am so grateful for my the people I have met through Cathy Savage Fitness, who understand what its like to diet and train for a competition, my family and friends for the support I wasn't sure I would receive while training for the competition, and Adam and Olivia who have to deal with me when I'm hungry. What are you most grateful for? 
After my little pep talk to myself the kids and I headed outside to enjoy the gorgeous weather we are having! We all loved getting a little sun and playing with bubbles and on the swing set. It's amazing how happy kids can change everything. They look for the good in everyone, they are trusting and forgiving. They move on from things that upset them so quickly, they teach me so much about life and love everyday.  I spent the rest of the afternoon on a little coffee date with my little love Olivia and now we are home and she is sleeping on the couch!

Friday night plans are more stoning of my suit and watching The Descendants! Tomorrow morning I have a date with the gym for a leg workout, then 30 minutes of sprints at the track. The weather is supposed to be incredible so I'm really looking forward to getting in my cardio outdoors. 
Hope everyone enjoys their Friday night! 

Black Coffee and dry chicken...

The past few months I've trained really hard in the gym, I've changed my diet drastically, and my body has slowly transformed. Yesterday I came across my largest hurdle yet. I pulled up to the Starbucks drive through and ordered my Venti ice coffee....black. The barista questioned my order...since I am there so much and they know what I get! Yes, black I repeated. The highlight of my day is my coffee, I know pretty sad, but I look forward to it so much. It makes waking up at 4:30 and getting in a great workout before 7 am worth it! So, when my Coach told me it was time to try to back away from the soy milk until the show it honestly broke my heart just a little bit! Then I told myself, you've come this far....there are only 15 days left. Time to drink some black coffee. Honestly, its disgusting! I wont lie and say I enjoy it in the slightest bit, but it does give me my caffeine kick I crave! 15 days is nothing, 2 weeks and the morning after the show I will be enjoying my coffee just the way I like it, Soy milk and 2 splendas please!  Another change to the diet this week is no more ketchup. This is an easier thing for me to swallow. I love ketchup, don't get me wrong, but it was something I was using very little of to begin with so I'm ok with taking it out completely for the next couple of weeks! 
 In other show news, I got my bikini suit in the mail yesterday from Passion Fruits Designs! It's gorgeous and fits really nicely! Thanks Berns!! I feel so much more comfortable in it then I do in my figure suit. I have a ton of stoning to do on the bikini to really make it sparkle. I started yesterday and got a lot done, its actually very relaxing and I enjoy it. I will post a picture once its blinged out!! As I was stoning it Olivia came over and said "Wow Mommy, that's beautiful! I can't wait to see your show with your pretty bikini." She is the sweetest little thing and knows how to make her Mommy smile! We are still trying to decide if she will be at the show or not. She keeps telling me that her and Daddy are going to watch my show and eat popcorn. I'd love to have her there and know she would enjoy it, but it would be a really long day for her! 
This morning I've already done my 45 minutes of steady cardio thanks to the last book in the Hunger Games Series, Mokingjay. So far, this book has definitely been my least favorite of the 3, but I'm hoping it picks up soon! Any suggestions for a new series I could get into once I finish this?? 
I have core and shoulders on the agenda for my workout tonight thanks to my amazing sister for all her help this week with my workouts. Since my diet has been cut back I've been too tired to get my cardio and weight training done at once so I've been having to split it up. Adam works second shift, so I can't thank you enough Jenny for all your help with Olivia! Love you!! 

"Compete against yourself"

Today I picked up my figure suit from the amazingly talented Maggie Keaveny. My suit was sparkly, beautiful, and exactly what I wanted. I got home, tried it on, and cried. "Is it supposed to look this tight and small?" I tearfully asked my husband. "This is the most unflattering thing I've ever worn." I was an emotional mess. He wrapped me in a giant hug and told me how beautiful I looked, but of course I didn't believe him. He has to say nice things to an emotional, hungry, stressed wife. I quickly emailed my Coach, who emailed me back telling me to send her pictures of myself in the suit. I hesitantly did, I say hesitantly because I really didn't want to put it back on. Adam encouraged me that the suit looked like it should, and if it didn't my coach, Jules would tell me. I also sent my friend Brooke a text saying "I feel like my suit looks horrible on me!" She quickly wrote back explaining it was probably all in my head and that she could come by over the weekend to help make sure it was on correctly. Thanks Brooke! You always know how to help ease my mind. After I put on my heels with the suit, Adam took the pictures of me to email to Jules. After seeing the pictures I decided it didn't look as bad as I had originally thought and I know with 17 days left my body is still going to have some major changes before the show.  Later in the day Jules emailed me back saying the suit looked great, which really put me at ease. I am so thankful for the support I have leading up to this competition. 
Adam is such an incredible support system for me. He practically eats what I am eating, works out as hard if not harder than I do, and finds the right encouraging words to say to me when I need to hear them the most. 
My family has been amazing! Always there for me if I need a babysitter for Olivia so I can finish up a workout I didn't have time to do in the morning, always proud of me, and trying to always make sure there is food I can eat at family gatherings. 
My friends, who probably think I am crazy for wanting to do this have only given me encouragement. It may not be something they want to do themselves, but they support me in my goals. 
Of course Coach Jules, and Cathy Savage Fitness who I would be lost without. I am never bothering Jules with my emails and questions, and my Sundays will never be the same thanks to Sunday Savage Sessions! The support and sisterhood is so important for my success in landing on stage April 28th! This competition is physically and mentally draining, and I know I could not do it if I didn't have the support. There's so much more to it then looking good on stage, its really all about the journey leading up to that rewarding day. 
I was reading a blog that I love, Jill Fit, when I came across an entry about "Competition Expectations". It was a really great read about not competing against anyone but yourself on stage. There will be first time competitors along with seasoned veterans on the same stage. You can't compare yourself to other woman who have been naturally building muscle for years, when you have just started building muscle for less than a year. Compare yourself to your previous self, the changes you have made in your body, and just how far you have personally come. You may have a long way to go, but this is where you are at the present moment, and you need to embrace and appreciate all the hard work you have put in. Of course Cathy Savage has told all of her competitors why you don't go to stage looking to win a trophy. Your expectations of a show should be so much bigger than that. There are so many factors that go into who wins a competition, some of which are completely out of the competitors control. Cathy explained, in order to have a positive experience you don't go into a competition looking for a placing, you go in there with your own personal reason for standing on that stage. For me, its all about proving to myself that I have the confidence and pride to do this. To set a big goal, believe in myself, and follow through with it to the end. Show my daughter she can do anything she sets her mind to!

Here's a sneak peak at my gorgeous suit! Thanks Maggie! xoxo

18 days out, Progress pics & 'Easter!

Happy Monday everyone! 

What a weekend I had. It was a whirlwind, after my ME day. I'm pretty sure karma got me for having too much time to myself. Friday night Olivia woke up in the middle of the night with a 102 temperature and spent most of the night in and out of sleep. She was miserable and I of course couldn't sleep either. Fevers are scary business and it was really the first one she's ever had! We've been really lucky. Saturday morning we had a coffee date planned with one of my favorite girls Des. We went to Plum Island Coffee Roasters where I enjoyed a small reward meal of granola (I also had an extra large egg white omelet before heading out)! The granola was great, it gave me that crunchy carb that I've been craving all week. Des got my favorite, a Cinnamon walnut scone, and Olivia had a piece of Cinnamon swirl coffee cake. Everything looked delish. Plum Island Coffee Roasters is my go to for an amazing scone. I'm normally not into scones but there is something about theirs that I love. 

The rest of Saturday was spent running errands to prepare for Easter Sunday. A quick visit to my parents house and Olivia started to really crash again. She is normally a crazy, playful, energetic 3 year old, but instead sat on the couch with Grandpa watching tv. By the time we got home she was asking to take a nap instead of helping me make our Easter Rice Krispie Treats. (They came out amazing everyone told me in case you were wondering) Saturday night was a lot like Friday, up all night with Olivia not feeling well. Adam and I had planned on doing my functional workout at the track before Easter Brunch but we both woke up exhausted and in no mood to rush around or leave Olivia, so we skipped it. My parents house was filled with delicious treats, monkey bread, bagels, home fries, bacon, cookies, cakes, and lots of chocolates! It was really hard to avoid everything since I really do love easter candy and I've been craving carbs like bagels. Thank goodness I had brought over my healthy dishes though and left feeling proud that I didn't give into any temptations. I was able to enjoy a little baked oatmeal, asparagus with turkey wrapped around it, a couple strawberries and of course hard boiled eggs!

After brunch at Mom and Dads house, I headed down to Norwood for a private posing session with Coach Jules! I've come a long, long, way but I still have a lot of work to do! Practice, practice, practice, every single day! Oh, and must do "cat vomits" to bring out my abs! haha more on that later, Thanks Jules for a great session. I always learn a lot from you! 
I got home around 5 and still had that dreaded workout to do. I was so exhausted but I knew it had to get done so I ran over to the track and did my functional workout. It wasn't easy, I was tired, out of breath, just wanted to go home, but I got it done! 18 days out from the show is not the time to take it easy. 

19 days out!

Speaking of being 18 days out, here is this weeks progress pictures! I am starting to see some changes from last week. This close to the show I am trying to get over any doubts I have in myself and let my excitement and adrenaline get me through the next couple weeks diet, workouts, and confidence! I pickup my figure suit tomorrow and my bikini and theme wear should be arriving any day now! Adams ticket to the show arrived in the mail the other day...there's no turning back now! 

A "ME" kind of day!

I love being a Mom more than anything else in the world. My life is dedicated to this little girl and I love it, but at the same time every once in awhile I need a breather, to regroup, to be a better person, a better Mother, Wife, Daughter, Sister, Friend. So, when my friend Shawna offered to take Olivia to the aquarium for her Birthday I graciously accepted! She is an amazing person and friend and Olivia simply adores her! I knew she was in good hands and would have an incredible time in the city with her! Shawna and her amazing sister Krista picked Olivia up at the house at 8:30 am......and they just got home about twenty minutes ago....It's 5:45pm. Yeah, I literally had the whoooole day to myself! Thanks again Shawna and Krista!! 
I started the day off by sleeping in until 6:45 (I'm normally up at 4:20) I leisurely made breakfast, ran to Starbucks for a coffee, got Olivia's stuff together and her dressed and ready for her fun day! After Liv left I spent time actually talking to my husband about my plans for the day. There was no little voice interrupting asking us to play football, or to turn on her favorite movie Toy Story, or asking for help going potty. It was glorious. Then I got ready for a gentle flow yoga class at The Yoga Tree. It was just what I was looking for. A deep relaxing stretch. Nothing strenuous, I didn't leave there sweating, but I did leave feeling refreshed. After Yoga I headed straight over to Royal Nails for a pedicure! I started the third book of the Hunger Games Trilogy Mokingjay and simply relaxed. From my pedicure I headed straight to Dellaria Salon for a cut, color, and blow dry! Man it feels good to be pampered! 

After all that papmpering I was feeling hungry so I headed to Whole Foods for a Salad Bar lunch! I did a little shopping there then headed towards home for an afternoon Starbucks pick me up! I decided I was feeling really good and full of energy so I started to conquer my to do list. I ran into the grocery store for some Easter items I needed to get for those yummy healthy brunch items I told you all about. I also picked up a couple things to do Easter baking tonight with Olivia once she got home! The grocery store was mobbed, but it didn't bother me today since I was alone, and going to the grocery store alone, child free, is almost better than a night out! Since that was so successful and I still hadn't heard from Shawna telling me they were back I headed over to Target to cross Easter Baskets off my list. Holy Easter candy you are so hard to resist!! Peanut Butter M&M's would be the death of my diet if I had picked any up for Liv's Easter basket, so I stuck to a solid chocolate bunny, a new movie "The Lorax", a baby doll, some jelly beans, and some peeps! definitely a success since none of those things really appeal to me.
Finally, I headed home to cook up some dinner and a few minutes later Olivia arrived home. She had so much fun and she is already laying on the couch ready to go to bed. 
Being a stay at home mom is something I am so happy to be able to do! I know how blessed and lucky I am to be home and watching Olivia grow everyday. That being said, I feel like a new person spending the day away from our everyday routine. It makes me appreciate everything I have in my life that much more. A pretty flexible schedule, children's laughter, being able to get stuff done around the house while  the kiddies nap and play. Being a stay at home Mom is certainly not an easy job, and since we are together 24/7 I think we both sometimes need that time off from each other! I know Olivia loves spending time with other people and doing new things that don't always involve Mommy. I know a lot of times as Moms we feel guilty about wanting to take time off for ourselves. That time is well deserved! Whether you are a working mom, stay at home mom, work at home mom, we all deserve some me time, and there is no reason to not take it and enjoy it! If you are lucky enough to have someone offer the help, take it.  So, thanks again Shawna and Krista! It was a perfect day for both of us! 

Feeding a 3 year is frustrating!

Seriously, I never thought the most tiring part of my day would be getting my daughter to eat something....anything really. Every meal we spend over an hour at the table trying to get her to eat just a couple of bites at dinner. She finds a million and one reasons why she can't try it....She's full, has to go potty, just doesn't like that, it smells stinky. She always has an excuse and most of the time her meals end up in the trash. It's frustrating, but I continuously try to offer her new things, or bring back things she refused in the past. 
With such a picky little eater on my hands I've done my share of researching ways to sneak in some healthier alternatives for a girl who thinks she can live off chocolate, fruit snacks and popcorn. 
One of my favorites is smoothies! Since Adam and I drink protein shakes she's always asking to have some of "Daddy's chocolate milk." She loves to help me put together her own milk shake. We throw things like milk, yogurt, fruit, peanut butter, and spinach into the blender and she helps me push the button and watch it all blend together. It's probably the most nutritious meal I get into her body. 
Another meal I plan on trying is whole wheat pita pizzas. I'll use mini pitas and let her build her own pizza. She can spread the sauce and choose her own toppings. Sandwiches....fun to put together. We use whole wheat bread and I make a spread with topping choices, meat choices, cheese, and vegetables. I think any meals she can help me make she is more likely to eat! 
There are lots of cookbooks out there that get really creative! Meal Makeover Moms is a great website with tons of ideas! The Sneaky Chef is amazing!!! So many great recipe ideas and hidden vegetables in all her meals! I mean really, speedy chicken parm pops....made with sweet potatoes, carrots, and squash, Brownies made with blueberries, spinach, oat bran, and wheat germ and Mac n Cheese made with cauliflower, zucchini, sweet potato's and carrots! Be sure to check out her website and book, they are incredible! 
This morning I started my day off bright and early with 1/4 cup of oats and 1/4 cup of blueberries with Cinnamon sprinkled on top! A 4:45am gym date with shoulders, core, the stair climber, and the second book of The Hunger Games, Catching Fire. I'm obsessed and can't put this book down so I love reading it during my stair climbing sessions. Added bonus, it keeps my hands from holding onto the rails! I was out of the gym by 6:15...which is the best feeling ever! Grabbed my normal Venti Iced Coffee with a splash of soy from Starbucks and headed home for my vegetable egg white omelet! This breakfast never gets old to me! So delicious! All this was done before my nephew arrived at 7:30! Success! 
I can not believe it's already almost Friday...which means another week has passed! The weeks are dwindling down quickly before I hit the stage. I am feeling nervous, excited, overwhelmed, not exactly sure what to expect! One thing I know for certain, I have worked my butt off over the last few months and there's no giving up now. Just full throttle ahead during these last few weeks! 
I can't thank everyone enough for the support! It means more to me than you will all ever know! 
xox 

Leafy Green Vegetables and cardio season!

Picture used from http://www.theluxuryspot.com/2012/02/04/health-spotting-kale-is-awesome/

At this point in my competition prep for vegetables I am eating leafy green ones only, and for fruits, berries and citrus only. I had been eating my regulars over and over again. Spinach, kale, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli were staples in my diet. Strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries for my go to fruits. I decided to do a little research and get some more variety into my diet! Turns out kale is actually the number one leafy green vegetable. It is an excellent source in vitamins A, C, and , has a good amount of calcium for a vegetable, and contains folate and potassium. Kale is easy to cook and versatile. I use it in my stir fry and omelets or on its own lightly tossed with olive oil and garlic powder then baked at 375 for about 10 minutes! Others great options I also found were collards, turnip greens, swiss chard's, mustard greens, Romaine lettuce, and cabbage! I can't wait to experiment a bit in the kitchen with these other greens! Some fruits I would like to add to my diet are raspberries, oranges, clementines, and grapefruit! 
Since I am only 3 weeks out from competition, it is all about leaning me out. We have added more cardio, less fruit and carbs, and I am tired! I now do 6 days of cardio, and by the 6th session I am pretty burnt out. They are not all high intensity, but from doing so little cardio while building muscle to doing much more on less food I am feeling the effects. I am just keeping in my mind the results that will follow all this hard work and discipline. I have been really lucky at the way my coach Jules was able to ease me into the diet and workouts gradually so nothing has been drastic or overwhelming. 

Last night I had a 30 minute HIIT sprint workout on the treadmill planned, but it was just too nice out to not be outside! So, a 45 minute steady paced jog with my little took its place! It was glorious! Sometimes the weather will motivate me more than anything else. This whole week is looking to be really nice so I'm hoping track workouts are in my future as well! 
Olivia and I are getting ready to head outside for some hopscotch fun! 
Happy Humpday everyone!! (Thanks Katie!) 

What are you cooking for Easter Brunch?

With Easter coming up this Sunday I started to get anxious about what I was going to eat 3 weeks out from my competition. I believe in balance and a healthy realistic approach, which means that the holidays will have some indulgences! That being said there is no reason to not have some healthy options available! When my Mom who is hosting our Easter Brunch asked me to bring over one of my healthy dishes I jumped on pinterest in search of the perfect brunch item! That's when I found this.....Banana Pecan Coconut Baked Oatmeal! 

Source: pbfingers.com via Candace on Pinterest

 Julie's blog Peanut Butter Fingers is actually one I read regularly and love, but had completely forgotten this was a recipe I've been dying to try out! I may omit the Banana and replace it with a berry type fruit since right now bananas are off the competition diet! Another dish I may bring to get our greens and protein in is turkey wrapped grilled asparagus! So quick and easy and so delicious!! Just bake the asparagus for about 15 minutes at 375 degrees, take thin slices of deli turkey and wrap 2-3 pieces of asparagus with the turkey slices, then bake for another 5 minutes or so! 
A simple pinterest or google search will land you hundreds of healthy brunch items! If you're creative in the kitchen create something of your own! Everyone will appreciate the healthy options that are available over the holidays when sometimes the sweet, heavy foods get a bit overwhelming! Thanks for the great idea Mom! 

Happy Birthday Princess!

What an amazing weekend I had! We celebrated Miss Olivia's third Birthday by going to The Chocolate Bar  in Boston at the Langham Hotel. It was pure chocolate heaven and so beautiful! Everything about it was perfect. Since the competition is so close the only thing I was able to have was the coffee and a couple of strawberries. The coffee was amazing! Seriously....everything about this place was perfect! From the decor, to the waitstaff, our amaing company, and of course the chocolate! Adam took one bite into his and said "WOW, that's good chocolate!" We have plans to go back right after my competition so I can indulge a bit in the chocolate heaven! The Birthday girl ended up being obsessed with the cotton candy and gummy bears...go figure! 
Before heading into Boston Adam and I were able to get in a 30 min HIIT sprint workout at the track! It was great, it always goes by so much faster with a workout buddy and being outdoors. It was cold but we dressed appropriately and warmed up quickly! 
That night Adam and I went to see The Hunger Games. It was really good but really long! I also thought that if you hadn't read the book it might be a little bit confusing since I didn't think the movie did the best job at describing some important details...Although I guess I am a the books always better type of person! It was a long, fun day and the movie was a late one so we didn't get in until around 1:30 am. I had Sunday Session in New Hampshire at 9 and was awake at 6:30 to get ready. I was exhausted, but when i got home was able to lay on the couch for a bit! 
Today is Olivia's real Birthday so we are off to pick out a Birthday cake and have a little Birthday fun! I can't believe my princess is already three! Happy Birthday to my sweet little princess! Being your Mommy is the greatest gift I've ever received. You give me a whole new view on life and show me that simple things are really the most special. Love you Olivia Taylor!

The show is quickly approaching...Here are my latest progress pictures!! The diet is changing now and the next couple weeks will be all about leaning me out!