"If it ain't broke, don't fix it." - Bert Lance
This was a really really good week.
I was satisfied with my meals, I never felt overly hungry or run down and I had great workouts. In fact, this week was so good that I'm hardly changing a thing for this coming week! This is a critical week for me - my last "normal" week of prep before the final week before my show, commonly referred to as 'Peak Week' among competitors. I don't want to risk having any set backs this close to my show, so I am basically sticking to the same meals and workout routine for this coming week.
Progress
I'm so happy with where my body is at right now! My measurements are the lowest they've ever been (except for my weight...that just stays largely the same, ha!). A lot can happen in the next 14 days since these photos were taken, and I can't wait to see where I end up.
I made some big reductions in my waist, abdomen and hip measurements this past week. Since the beginning of my prep I've lost 1-1/2" in my waist, 1-1/2" from around my hips and 2-3/4" around my abdomen!
Measurements 2 Weeks Out:
- Weight [lbs] - 144
- Waist [in] - 26.5
- Abdomen [in] - 28.25
- Hips [in] - 37.75
- Thighs [in] - 22
- Upper Arm [in] - 11
- Bust [in] - 32.75
I'm hoping that I keep this progress up through the next week considering I'm not changing much from what I did this past week.
Workouts
I am prioritizing plyometrics and cardio over heavy lifting right now. I have plenty of muscle mass and with my daily macros so low, it doesn't make sense to push out heavy reps. I'm staying smart and maintaining my strength, but saving the heavy lifting and PR setting until after my show.
I've surprised myself with the fact that I've come to enjoy plyometric drills - gasp! I've decided to begin my non-Olympic weightlifting days with a few rounds of plyos, then do my lifts, followed by lighter steady-state cardio for 15-20 minutes. I'm still keeping my HIIT training on my non-lifting days as-is.
Nutrition
Now that I'm down to the last 13 days of work for my show, I'm getting extremely strict on my macros. Its a big cut but it is only temporary.
Lifting Day Macros:
- 1,475 Calories
- 155 g Protein
- 135 g Carbohydrates
- 35 g Fat
Non-Lifting Day Macros:
- 1,279 Calories
- 160 g Protein
- 45 g Carbohydrates
- 51 g Fat
You've probably noticed that I've become a bit of a creature of habit. I ate the same thing for lunches 6 days in a row this past week. This included turkey and cheese lettuce boats with pickles and also my go-to snack of celery and sunflower butter.
Dinners were mainly comprised of my newest recipe for Greek Lemon Chicken and another upcoming recipe I'll be sharing, Twice Baked Sweet Potato Casserole.
I still managed to have a sweet tooth this week and was craving dessert. I got creative and made this AMAZING Chocolate Raspberry Protein Mousse. This is definitely one that I will be making again and sharing the recipe for!
I took a break from the gym for my weekend workouts and headed up to the mountains for some snowboarding. It is a serious workout (especially with all of the powder up in Tahoe!) so a solid base was needed before a day of snowboarding. Here is a peek at my breakfasts for Saturday and Sunday!
Peak Week
Next week my post will be a bit and instead of discussing my progress, I'll be laying out what I'll be doing for the final days leading up to my show! There is a lot to be done in those last 7 days!
