Tag Archives: women’s bodybuilding

Pumpkin Protein Bread

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I have been making this bread weekly now for the past month so I thought it was time to share. If you weren’t aware, I am about 10-12 weeks out from competing in the bikini division in the NANBF. I track everything I eat and I have specific macro goals for each day which are split up into ~5 meals. This bread was designed to meet my macro goals for one meal. If you are eating more calories and get more carbs have 2 slices, top with almond butter or just enjoy as a snack. If you are a cookie and bread eating person that is not really into health and fitness this probably won’t taste good to you or your family. It is just a creative and convenient way for me to get my carbs and protein with some additional vitamins from the pumpkin. A normal breakfast on prep would be oatmeal and egg whites so I just switched it up a little.

Recipe:

  • 1 can raw pumpkin
  • 1 cup vanilla muscleegg (you can use egg whites but you will want to add additional stevia and vanilla extract)
  • 3 scoops GNC Sustained Blend Protein Powder in Peanut Butter Puffs flavor (you could use vanilla but this won’t work well with straight Whey protein)
  • 4 tablespoons powdered peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup Protein Oat Pancake Mix from Aldi (you could use Kodiak mix)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp. walden farms maple syrup
  • Stevia to taste
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 3 servings dark chocolate baking chips (I use food scale for all ingredients)

Mix and pour into greased bread pan, bake at 350 for ~45 min but you will want to watch it.

Makes 6 servings total, 194 calories each, 4g fat, 18g carbs and 23g protein.

Pumpkin Protein Breakfast Muffins

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Oatmeal and egg whites is the traditional breakfast for a competitive bodybuilder but I am far from traditional. My breakfast is typically eaten at the gym between my morning clients so I don’t have much time and need something that travels well. These muffins topped with a thin layer of peanut butter hit the spot every time!

What you need:

  • 1 can all natural pumpkin
  • 6 egg whites
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsps. of walden farms pancake syrup (for taste)
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 – 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • Stevia to taste (I use at least 6 packets)
  • 48 g of PB Fit Powdered peanut butter
  • 2 scoops (66g) GNC Sustained Protein blend in Peanut Butter Puffs
  • 120 g quick oats
  • .5 – 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk (for consistency)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 12 Parchment paper muffin cups

Pre-heat oven to 350, mix all wet ingredients first and then add the rest.

Fill 12 muffin cups evening and bake at 350 for 20-30 mins (check to see if cooked through. They will be dry if you overcook and too moist if undercooked)

Macros per muffin: 113 cals, 13g carbs, 11g protein, 2g fat

Peanut Butter and Banana Protein Bread

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Okay, this bread is too good not to share! I make it weekly with my overripe bananas and even my husband eats it.

First step is to mash your extra ripe bananas into a creamy consistency, beat in egg whites, vanilla, Greek yogurt and unsweetened almond milk. Add in dry ingredients and mix well. Pour into a greased bread pan, sprinkle on chocolate chips and bake at 350 for approximately 50 minutes or until center is done.

This is low fat and contains protein and quick carbs so I recommend pre and post workout.

What you need:

  • 3 extra rips bananas
  • 6 egg whites
  • 3/4 cup plain greek yogurt
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 6 tbsp. powdered peanut butter
  • 2 scoops GNC sustained protein blend in peanut butter
  • 120g rolled oats blended into oat flour (or use oat flour)
  • 6-12 packets of stevia (personal preference, taste test)
  • 1-2 tsp baking soda
  • 1-2 tsp salt
  • 2 tablespoons dark chocolate baking chips

Macros: 8 servings

198 Calories 4g fat, 26g carbs, 17g protein

Pumpkin Protein Bread

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Alright, it’s has been way too long since I have posted a recipe so what better time than pumpkin spice season!?!? This one is amazing and I have made it multiple times with no issues. It’s all natural, low in fat, high in protein and contains whole grains. If you are a competitor then just create recipe in myfitnesspal and account for macros. You can make in bulk and freeze 1/2 or refrigerate. There are zero preservatives so do not leave this out on your counter or in the mold quickly.

What you need:

  • 1 can of all natural pumpkin
  • 1/4 cup Walden farms maple syrup (optional, you could use additional stevia)
  • 8 packets of Stevia
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 5 tablespoons of organic cacao powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 6 egg whites
  • 3 tbsp organic chia seeds
  • 2 scoops peanut butter GNC protein blend
  • 4 tbsp powdered peanut butter
  • 150g rolled oats blended into oat flour (or use oat flour)
  • 1 cup unsweetened cashew milk
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder

Mix all wet ingredients first, add dry ingredients, mix well and pour into greased bread pan.

Bake at 350 for ~45 minutes

Cut into 8 servings: 186 calories, 4 g fat, 23g carbs, 15g protein

Time to reveal my abs!

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So I’m officially going into a mini-cut to lose 5lbs. I have not purposefully tried losing weight since October. My metabolism and hormones were out of whack due to extreme dieting. In the span of 2 years I competed in 5 bodybuilding competitions. Losing fat for each competition became more and more difficult and the amount of cardio I was doing toward the end was ridiculous. The same drama happens a few months after each show where I start hating my body and can’t stand the way my clothes fit. Typically I go right back into a cut to shed some fat and then the cycle happens again. I’m no longer able to maintain a lean physique (this references my personal standards of “lean”) with just eating healthy and exercising daily. This kind of sucks and I’m ready to get my body and metabolism where I want it. First thing I did when I decided I wanted to shed some fat was not cut calories or add much cardio. Instead I kept calories up, continued to exercise regularly (~ 1 hour per day of strength and stability) and maintained my weight. This allowed my metabolism to adjust to the higher calories and gave my body a break. I try to track my macros each day using myfitnesspal and I’ve been consistently weighing myself and checking my percent body fat bi-weekly for the last few months. Things have been pretty stable and I’m ready to lose a little fat. I will be doing a mini cut that will be 3 to 5 weeks depending on the rate of my fat loss. Once I hit my goal of 5 pounds and maintain it for a couple weeks I will increase my calories up a little bit and come out of a calorie deficit. My ultimate goal is to have my abs back for summer (Vegas trip in early June to be more specific) without being on a crazy restrictive diet. I have zero plans of competing again in the next year and would like to get to a comfortable bodyweight that I can still enjoy red wine with. If it takes me 6 months to achieve I am okay with that.

I’ll post regular updates of my progress via Facebook and Instagram.

Today I am celebrating

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When it comes to body image and my emotional state I’m pretty much like a roller coaster. Before the holidays I was going strong and feeling good about where I was physically. We took an extended 12 day vacation to Florida where I still exercised (mostly cardio and body weight stuff) but I allowed myself a break in my diet. Unfortunately because my body is not used to drinking alcohol continuous days in a row or skipping weight training workouts, all those extra calories immediately went to my back and waist. Nothing puts you in a bad mood like back fat hanging over you Lulu tights! Thank God for high waisted tights to hold in my pouch. So here I am 10 days after returning from vacation and I woke up feeling f*cking awesome finally! Because I noticed the weight gain while I was on vacation I immediately decided I would give up alcohol New Year’s Day and I did. New Year’s eve was the last time I had a glass of wine. I cleaned up my diet for the most part but still indulged in a few sweet treats here and there. When I returned home from Florida I came down with a horrible cold which kept me out of the gym for a few days and made getting back into my routine a bitch. My cold has lifted for the most part, I stayed within my macros the past 4 days and I trained with weights consistently. Guess what happened?!?! My belly fat has decreased and I’m slowly reducing the amount of hangover on my tight ass pants! Do I look amazing? No. Does the fact that I see progress in the right direction make me feel amazing? Hell yes! Sometimes you just need to celebrate small progress recognizing that small progress is still progress. Never quit because of small progress. Keep pushing and the results will come slow and steady. It will be worth it!!

Where it all began

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For those of you that have only known me for a few years you may not know this, but I have not always been healthy and fit. I was actually the complete opposite. I ran my first mile (not a typo, my first 1 mile) when I was 30 years old. My weight has always been like a yo yo and I’ve only been thin when I was able to eat less. I never liked my body and had a unhealthy relationship with food.

So how did I change my life around?

Today’s blog is dedicated to my friend and coach Omar Henderson with NuGro Wellness. I met him six years ago when my cousin mentioned she almost puked at a boot camp class the night before but was planning on going back. The trainer was running a 21 day challenge for $50 that include attending unlimited classes and a 21 day meal plan. I dreamed of having a great body and being confident in a swim suit and was sick of being unhappy. I went to class the next night , almost died and signed up for the challenge. I will never forget my hands shaking from the workout while I wrote the check.

I was added to a Facebook team of women on the same journey, assigned a coach, given a 21 day clean eating meal plan and attacked the challenge. Holy shit! In just 1 week I saw changes and by the end of 3 weeks I was a new women. My jeans were large (even after my husband put them in the dryer), I had more energy and I was addicted to the results. 6 years later I am a personal trainer, Beachbody Coach and competitive bodybuilder. I love what I do and sharing my passion with others!

Omar’s gym has changed locations, I moved to the other side of town and I do most of my own training; however I always fall back to him for guidance. He was my coach for my very first competition and took me somewhere I thought only others could go. Three years later he guided me to the stage again and I couldn’t be more grateful. We worked together as a team on this prep and he gave sound recommendations when I was crazy and carb depleted. Although I hid it well on stage, I was scared and insecure. I stood backstage second guessing my physique and posing. He was there to build me up, provide me guidance and make the final tweaks to my posing. I hit the stage with confidence and sass and I crushed it.

Whatever your goal is, don’t go at it alone. Two is much stronger than one. Will I compete again? I’m not sure, but one thing I do know is that it won’t be on my own.

Be proud of your accomplishments

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As I look back at this competition and analyze what I could have done differently to have brought a better package I realized I’m being too hard on myself and need to tell these thoughts to shut the f*ck up. Do you have this problem? Like nothing you do is good enough? I’m my own worse critic.

This was my fifth competition and 3rd year competing. In the past if I followed the plan the weight seemed to magically fall off. Well not this time. After 4 weeks of prep (8 weeks out from my competition) I found myself discouraged and blogged about it. Instead of changing my goal we just changed our approach. We got more aggressive with my diet and lowered both my carbs and protein. I also increased the amount of cardio I did. On show day I felt pretty confident with the package I brought to the stage but would have liked to have been about 5lbs less. I was still holding on to fat in my mid-section and thighs. Today I pulled up that 8 weeks out photo from my blog and said “damn, you killed this prep!” Yeah, I complimented myself and it felt good. Go ahead, try it! Look in the mirror and see how beautiful you are. Does your hair look good today? Go ahead, tell yourself that. How about your smile? Whatever it is,remember that you are beautiful and you should be proud of your accomplishments no matter the size. Stop cutting yourself down and build yourself up. When that crazy bitch in your head starts telling you that you shouldn’t have had that cookie or that you are fat just say “shut the f*ck up bitch” and move on. Unless you violated one of the 10 commandments you didn’t sin and you can give yourself a break, just move on and smile.

The Final Outcome

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Well it’s over, my competition that is. It’s the morning after and I can’t sleep so why not walk on the treadmill and blog about it? (I did eat way to much chocolate yesterday and could use the cardio)

So yesterday I competed in The Michigan State Natural Bodybuilding Championship through the NANBF. My previous 4 competitions were through the NPC (separate organization). Since I’ve competed before and placed first in my division (Masters) I was only allowed to compete in the Open class for the competition and not Novice. 1st place in this class wins a pro-card in the natural league and is kind of a big deal. Honestly, going into the show I wasn’t confident with where my physique was at. I struggled with weight loss through this whole process and could not lose the extra weight around my midsection. When I found out that there were only six other competitors in my division I was a little worried that there would be strong competition but when I saw all the strong and beautiful women backstage I knew it was a great competition. All six of us looked fabulous and fought for that trophy. I ended up taking third overall and then won the best female posing award. I feel very comfortable with my placing based on the package I brought to the stage and know that 1st overall is just within reach. Winning overall poser shows how far I have came with my stage presence and confidence. Although after the show I found myself feeling slightly down and out I woke up with a much better outlook. Going into this show my only goal was to beat the girl I was last year on stage and nobody else. I crushed my goal! I brought a whole new confident woman to that stage and left last year’s Nicole in the dust. Will I compete again? I honestly don’t know. Today the competition is fresh and I’m hungry for the win but in reality, the stress of prep isn’t something my body or family can handle back to back. I was over impressed with this competition and might just plan to come back next year and go for gold. Now it’s time to hit the gym and putting all those calories to building up my glutes!

If you are curious about my coaching I did hire help. I am a personal trainer and confident in coaching others but you are your own worst critic. I’ve always had a coach and will never go at this alone. For this prep my coach was my friend and the man that helped me transform my lifestyle 6 years ago when I attended his boot camp class and almost died. He watched me go from not being able to run 400 yards without puffing on an inhaler to the strong woman I am today. He has his own gym here in the Grand Rapids area and promotes overall health and wellness. You can check him out on Facebook and Instagram@NugroWellness .

Only four weeks to go!

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If you would’ve asked me how I felt about my upcoming competition 4 weeks ago I would’ve had a negative response. I was feeling discouraged and I was not happy with my progress. Instead of quitting I decided to change the plan but not the goal. We made some pretty drastic changes to my macro nutrient intake and I brought the focus every day to my strength workouts and cardio. Four weeks later I couldn’t be happier with my progress pics and I am beyond excited to push myself even harder the next four weeks. I have three more full weeks of working out in the gym until peak week. There’s only one month between these photos. I cannot wait to see what one more month will do before I hit the stage. Happy Monday friends! Today I am feeling good and I am working one day at a time toward my goal.