Its fun to stay at the.. YMCA

I hope you're doing the motions to that lovely song right now, either in your head or right out in the open. That would be great.
Random? No.
Today, I got to work from the comfort of the DuBois YMCA's conference room.. Not from the office, because we have no internet - and not from my house, because we have no power. My only other option? The Y.  Which is very fitting, seeing as I practically live there anyway.. It is, however, very difficult to concentrate on the computer for 8 hours when all I can hear are the weights upstairs.. And all I want to do is throw them around a little...

Anyway, today is a much needed Shoulders & Abs day, after a long 2 day break from the gym due to the immense pain in my legs. I couldn't even walk yesterday, and Leg Day was Saturday.  Needless to say, Rob is a very good trainer :-)

This Friday is 12 weeks out. That means Clean Diet (no more random Peanut Butter binging) and Progress Pictures taken weekly. I'm super excited for this next contest season, I think its going to go very well.  Three shows over the span of a month.. September 2, 10, and October 8. Let's see what this girl can do!

Oh AND I found an amazing PB Oatmeal Cookie Recipe that may be my newest addiction (especially in dough form - who doesn't love cookie dough?!)
Enjoy!

Protein PB Cookies

1 Egg White (preferably from a real egg)

1/8 to 1/4 Cup Pumpkin (see note below)

1/4 Cup Oatmeal (not instant)

1 Scoop Protein Powder

1 Tablespoon Natural Peanut Butter (or any nut butter)

4 drops French Vanilla Stevia (or vanilla extract & sweetener of choice)

1/4 Cup Bob's Red Mill Low-Carb Baking Mix (If you don't have this, you NEED to look into it - amazing Product)

*Note: IF you use Bob's, use 1/4 cup pumpkin, if you don't have Bob's (shame on you!) use 1/2 cup oatmeal & 1/8 cup pumpkin.

Combine all ingredients and eat raw (yum) or bake as one lage cookie, or small cookies, or (as I chose) in little muffins.

Bake at 350 10-25 minutes, depending on the size of your cookie(s). Check frequently.

They make a lovely mid-day snack, and have killer macros for pre-workout:

380 Calories

11.25G Fat, 27.5G Carbs, 8G Fiber, 45G Protein, 485 Sodium

*I used Bob's, and VPX Zero Carb SRO in Graham Cracker.. Stats may very.

And thats my day in a nutshell.
Time to go move so serious weight!!
:-)

Leg Day & Microwave Brownies (Take 2)

Happy Hump Day!

I’ve always found that saying amusing... And very unfitting this week, seeing as it’s a 4 day work week! Even though it feels like it’s taking twice as long as usual… I blame the sunshine! I have to sit inside and stare at it all day, I just want to play in it!
…Which is exactly what we did all weekend, played outside (and got a hefty sunburn).  It’s fading into a nice tan now, but my goodness does it hurt!  Unfortunately, I got no progress pictures L
Hopefully this week, if not, cell phone pictures will suffice.

Today is leg day, which USED to be my all-time favorite day of the week, but for some reason I just can’t get into it lately.  Maybe it’s the twice a week training that’s the problem, my legs are probably begging for a break, so this week I think I’m only lifting legs once. It kills me to say that, but I think it needs to happen. Sometimes twice a week every 6 days is just too much.

Anyone ever made a microwave protein ‘brownie’? I don’t know why they call them brownies, they’re not very similar, but they are pretty darn tasty!

My version includes:
¼ Cup Liquid Egg whites & the whites of 2 real eggs (I like the texture, sometime I just use double the liquid egg whites though), one scoop of protein powder (I’m in LOVE with VPX SRO Zero Carb Graham Cracker at the moment), and a square (1/2 OZ) Unsweetened Bakers Chocolate.
Pop it in the microwave 1-2 minutes (check after 1, it’ll puff up and look gigantic, but it deflates almost immediately).

Like my gallon? Never leave home without it!

Wanna see my intakes from the past 2 weeks?
I am very particular.. 5/29 was a free day, the figures I put in are estimates for record-keeping purposes…

Food	Calories	Fat	Carbs	Fiber	Net	Protein	Sodium
5/18/11 Total:	1755	38.25	146	47	99	220.5	2640
5/19/11 Total:	2157	52.75	206	49	157	236.5	2380
5/20/11 Total:	1952	40.25	180	49	131	240.5	2040
5/21/11 Total:	2187	53	194.5	44	150.5	242	3465
5/22/11 Total:	2147	58.25	197	55	142	233.5	2480
5/23/11 Total:	2900	105.5	272	50	222	221	1710
5/24/11 Total:	1712	18.5	164.5	38	126.5	230.5	1575
5/25/11 Total:	1765	5.5	177	36.5	140.5	255.5	1730
5/26/11 Total:	1740	2.75	176	44	132	268.5	2070
5/27/11 Total:	1792	24.75	194	54	140	221	1115
5/28/11 Total:	2010	47.25	232.25	75.75	156.5	210.75	3195
*5/29/11 Total:	3000	100	350	75	275	300	4000
5/30/11 Total:	1960	43	218	78	140	227	3100
5/31/11 Total:	2027	34.75	202.5	56.5	146	252.5	1870
6/1/11 Total:	1917	30.75	195	42	153	229	1290

And that’s all I have today!

Why, hello there.

I'm new to this, so bear with me..

I suppose I could start with the basics:

I'm 22, fairly attractive, and I like to lift heavy weights.

I live with my super amazing boyfriend and our 3 crazy dogs (trust me, you'll hear all about them).

I am aspiring to be great, at something, preferably in the world of Fitness.. I have competed in 3 Figure Competitions (Kumite Classic - May 2010; NPC Natural Ohio - April 2, 2011; NANBF Pittsburgh Championships - April 16, 2011) and I am planning on making the switch to Physique this fall after a much needed off season.

The 2 places I feel happiest are in the gym and in the kitchen, I have a never-ending obsession with trying to make super clean, ridiculously healthy "treats" (as my mother calls them). Just because I'm pretty much ALWAYS on a diet doesn't mean I can't have a sweet tooth too!

Hmmm...

I work for an explosives company and I handle Procurement and Accounts Payable (among other things).  I am also studying to get my Personal Training and Fitness Nutrition Certifications through ISSA.

Do you care?

Do you want a sweet recipe?

I thought so..

Brownie Protein Bars

1 Avocado

4 T Chocolate Powder

1 Cup Black Beans (I use dry, not canned, but canned can be used instead if necessary).

1/4 tsp Baking Powder

5 Scoops Protein Powder (I use 3 different kinds to get the right Macros, you can use as many as you please)

1/2 Cup Egg Whites
Sweetener if desired (I use Stevia)

Prepare black beans as directed on package.

-Soak overnight, drain, rinse, simmer on low heat uncovered for 2 hours. Drain, rinse, let cool.
Preheat oven to 350.
Line 9X13 cake pan with parchment paper (or Pam); you can also use muffin liners for little brownie cookie creations.
Combine all ingredients in a food processor until smooth.  I use the Ninja, nothing has worked as well on black beans to date (and as you will soon find out, I LOVE to puree black beans).
Bake 20-30 minutes, checking fairly often.  They are done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

:-)