"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!