Cardio, carb-cycling and mood swings

I thought, I would give a little idea about the way and amount of cardio I do 5 times a week, since some of you already asked me about that. Here we go-
Mondays- 55 min. Spin class and afterwards 35 min running steady on the treadmill to flush legs out
Tuesday- 40min intervals on treadmill ( 3min on a 3.0incline for a speed of 6.5mph....1min same incline speed gets bumped up to 8.5mph-sprinting....back to 3 min on 6.5mph to recover...and continue the same intervals until 40min is up!)
Wed. 45min intervals ( same as above)
Thursdays- 40min stepper with interval periods of 1 minute to make sure the heart rate gets up to my 85% max
Friday- 20min stepper intervals and 25min running on steady pace (6.0speed and 2.0incline)
I make sure I stretch for at least 15-20min right after to keep my flexibilty up!
This is my cardio schedule, on top of that I weight train mondays, tuesdays, thursdays and fridays. I am trying to take saturdays completly off to rest and sundays I uaually add one more session of cardio ( light intensitiy), loooooots of stretching ( at least 45min) and practicing my choreography and my holds!
This week is my first week of carb cycling. Carb cycling means everyday I have a different amount of complex carbohydrates allowed to eat. some days I can have 5 meals incl. carbs and others 1 meal, needless to say which my favourite days are from now on!!!! I love carbs....actually I think I am a carb junky (as most of women). I love my bread, crackers and cereals and miss those foods the most! The other night for the first time since being on this diet I thought I have to cry and literally had to ask my husband to leave the living room or I would physically hurt him. He had the NERVE to eat RIGHT BESIDE ME a fresh, soft, doughy slice of bread with THICK peanut butter on top..... if that wasn't enough...no he also while chewing beside me, giving me a kiss.....that THREW me over the boarder.....I lost it....yeah....mood swings are def. showing these days....!!!!!!!!!

7 weeks out -skinny, fat and nightmares! + some pics

7weeks out and I start feel like it's not enough time left. uuurgghhh...the weeks RUN, the days fly and the hours don't seem be 24 anymore. These past few weeks I get every single day the same comment from people....DI, you're getting too skinny, Di how much more are you going to lose?  Di, you look good but you fading away to nothing......i know some people might be a bit concerned about my dramatic change in body fat but com'on skinny? You might as well call me fat, cause the comment of being too skinny gives me the same frustration. I also know that most people just wanna say I got lean and use the term skinny.....well, whatever it is, skinny is not the term us fitness girls like to hear. The most bizarre thing about it, is that I DO FEEL bloated, not tight enough and a bit too lean....controversy...but true...one day I feel too lean the other day too big....the water retention can do that to people and totally plays that mind game with me. Nightmares of failing and standing on stage forgetting my routine is another "mind game"...at least 3 times a week do I dream about the show....something always goes wrong but always fix it somehow....proof how nervous I already am...not even to think about how much more I will be a few weeks before show!

I am going to start my carb cycling diet this week, we'll see how that go. I seem to lose bodyfat, inches and weight very quickly these days, so I already been told if the carb cycling speeds things up even more, we have to stop it and re-start later on in the weeks before show. My cardio has been bumped up from 3 times to 5 times a week on top of 4 days of my reg. weight training. These next 7 weeks will be busy with training, practicing my routine, getting all my things together ( tanning, hair app's, nails, practicing how to apply make up- which I am horrible at-cause i never wear any, body waxing app's,....and and and....sooo much more) and def. trying to stay on track with the diet. These past 2 weeks since I only have 4 meals incl. complex carbs, def. make a change in my hunger feeling. My body notice that I have one meal less carbs and so is my mind. BUT, it is totally worth it every minute of it. I got a very good question from a girl ( friend) in my gym the other day: Diana, how will you ever go back to eat "normal" food, like peanut butter, bread, fruit....pretty much anything I haven't had in a while. How can you ever put something in your mouth again, when you exactly know, if you don't put it into your mouth how your body can look like. Wouldn't you always be scared that your body will change again after you introduce those types of food again....?

My answer...- I WILL have to work on that! I have to give myself a cheat night or 2 on the weekends again...def. I HAVE TO learn to treat myself once in a while ( thats the key---once in a while---not every single day). I like-want to compete next year again...I already wanna work on a much stronger physique and that means I need to eat after this show to put on some fat, so when lean down in Jan 2012 starts, I have enough to play with and enough to lose without losing the muscle! This is my big fear right now.....5times cardio, and change in the diet hopefully won't consume all my muscle. But thanks to Jeni ( my trainer) I know it won't happen, she will keep an eye on me!!!!!

Have great week everybody and keep training hard!

8 weeks out - FOCUS!

8 more weeks to go until Kelowna show time. Woke up this morning with the worst chest-peck's pain ever. I have absolute no idea what I did to hurt it this bad. I can't hardly straighten my upper body, needless to say that i am more than  frustrated, upset ( pissed off describes it a bit better) and grumpy this early morning. I did have a chest workout on friday and used my peck's quite hard.....but I am hoping this is just a " I slept wrong" kind of a ache in there...CLAY! (my chiro) I am on my way to make you work on me). I have no time for injures right now, I am this close to show and now another chest injury again? Well, I am gonna work on it....unfort. this comes with the sport I chose! 

Anyways, otherwise there are not many changes in diet or workout. This was my 2nd week of no carbs in my fifth meal. So, meaning my first 4 include complex carbs and the last 3 protein and veggies. I have to say I miss my 5th meal which usually was pancakes ( 1/2 cup egg whites, 1/2 scoop visalus protein powder and 1/2 cup oats)....used to be a nice treat...BUT no more oats at that time of the day, so egg whites and veggies it is ( by now I must have been eatin' an entire greenhouse). One more week until I start carb cycling, this is where it gets a bit more different than now and I will def. post you about what's going to happen.

My moods...oh well....I guess you better ask the people around me...I think I have good and bad days. Now that I have only 2 month left, I know I can't afford to focus on anything else BUT my physique and training. My husband actually asks me all the time if I have anything else in my head accept the competition....to be honest- NO . I think to be able to get through this your body and MIND has to be 100% committed and has to be the focus otherwise I am sure you can't do this ( i wouldn't be able to anyways). If your focus gets distracted YOU have to be able to find it back and keep it up. I think the month before my competition I have to make sure NOTHING absolutely NOTHING distracts me....upsets and makes me in any way sad or mad. I have learned a lot about myself in the past few month since preparing for this and I did not know I could pull this through the way I do. My strength mentally has grown beyond my expectations  and I know after competition I will carry myself with more pride and self esteem than ever before. One part in my life though which gets a bit less attention than usual is probably my husband and child, thats one down fault when getting prepared for this. I am constantly at the gym working out,  training for posing, gymnastics and stretching, but the mental focus takes by far most of my time and energy. I am trying hard not to bring up the subject diet, training or competition in my house too often unless I got asked or I have a change in my diet or training routine. It's not the easiest to keep everything under one roof and balance the focus between all the things which are important in life! 

Thank's to the friends out there which support me everyday and have the faith in me to do well....I def. have to thank my very close friend Brandy, who supports me, motivates me, picks me up when I am down and goes with me through every single step on this road hand in hand....I can't ask for a better friend in my life! I am so glad that I have her coming with me to my shows and being there for me (even if I might scratch her eyes out from being hungry by the time showtime is on...lol)!

9 weeks out to comp. - Pic's

9 weeks out- I am thrilled these past few days with my progressions. I always told myself, i will get myself a super tight "ass" jeans as a reward for my hard work and I can proudly say I DID IT! Took all my courage and went into a jeans store and looked at a pair I thought were most suiting for my personality, the hell with the price tag. Now, this is bizarre cause the way I see myself is not the size I would have picked in my life. So, I grabbed 1 size smaller than usual...cause that even looked a bit tight to me, but whatever gotta try. Ya....I ended up with a size 3 sizes smaller than I expected! I was sooooo thrilled that I did not even cared about the price....never in my entire LIFE have I thought I would spend this much on a jeans, but hey, i also never in my life expected myself in this small of a size! YEHA! HURRAY! This feeling alone means gold to me...I have no more appetite for Peanut butter or gummie bears...well, almost! It is something sooo little what can make you stick to your goals and motivates you for going the next step! My competition entrance fees are paid, so I AM In and NO MORE WAY OUT! My flights are going to be booked tomorrow for the Kelowna BC show as well....KELOWNA I AM READY, hope you are ready for me to ROCK THE STAGE! Watch for the german girl! lol.

My diet is going very good, accept that I wil toss out al my jellos and diet pop...( anybody needs about 50 sugar free jello's???. These days I have been punting down the sugar free jellos and pepsi's and noticed my insulin levels are raising through the roof and make me want to have more sugar. SO DONE with the sugar free treats....clean and natural is my NEW motto!

I also already heard from my trainer, that we start carb cycling within the next 2 weeks...this is going to be a bit of a new experience and I make sure you guys will hear all the details. One change, other than the jello and diet drinks, my 5th meal in the day has no more carbs.....meaning 3 meals left in a day with no ( rice, potatoes or oats)...more veggies....more hunger??? Lets hope not!

Also do I need to thank Jeni ( my trainer) for being so extremely committed and on my ass ( pardon my language) with my food journals and all the questions she answers me every time. She's just in Australia and completed her own figure competition and still reminded me through email to send my food journal and already got back to me with comments on how I was doing! WOW...she's a gem! Thank you for that Jeni!!!!!! 

Mean and Lean...10 weeks out and it's finally starting to catch up on me

Saturday, I was exact 10 weeks out to my first competition. WOW, where did the time go. I still love when people ask me how much longer until show time and their answer about that there is so much time isstill left. I think personally 10 weeks are NOTHING, def. not when you train for something and wish you could have an extra 5 on top of the 10! The past week was not my favourite week I have to admit. I can honestly say that I am getting a bit grumpy and short on my nerves. I also noticed that my "women" cycle is out of order and I am leaning everyday more and more. My energy levels are great (  THANKS to the creatine I am taking), it's more my shortness of patience with people and simple things like waiting in line at Starbucks for my coffee, could literally make me snap already! The worst is, that my friends and family noticing my changes in moods already and that's one thing I NEVER EVER wanted...so I hope you guys will ALL forgive me and I will make up for it when things a smoothin' out again! Forgetting things is another issue I have...but that might be cause my days are packed every single moment in the day.

I have no idea how I will ever live a life without constantly being on the run and communicating on my cell phone.

Training wise, things are going very good. I bumped my numbers in the weight room and my definition is getting better everyday. I am fascinated how a body can change in days...and NOTICEABLE change...people come up to me and ask me how my body can look so different within one week.

Cardio workouts are the same....still not the biggest fan of cardio but today I ran on the treadmill ( running...ME...my least fave of all) and I actually enjoyed it. I have so much on my mind these days that I think cardio is doing me very well with relaxing and just simply keeping my brain empty...I love listen to my ipod and trying to zoom out for 40 min...that's the only time in a day when I feel free of any thoughts or responsibility.

My posing and strength holds are getting very very good, which makes me super thrilled and excited! I never thought  til this day in my wildest dreams I  could do one of those things and now I can do 4 very easy!

Def. need to work on my fitness routine this week and have to spend a few hours on getting the moves and dance part perfect!

So really, I guess things are going very good, not much to complain, just the mood swings and def. that I am hungrier these days. My metabolism must be on SPEED HIGH GEAR . WOW....If i am still hungry after 2000 calories....not sure what to think about that! I added more oats to my shakes and pre workout meal, that should help hopefully soon. If somone things to compete in any kind of a competition and thinks it is easy or if I sometimes make it look easy....ITS NOT....it is hard work, extrem food limitation BUT...sooooo worth it.....I hope some people out there, who might have considered to compete but not having the courage yet and they are reading and following my blog will make the decision to pick up their dream and go for it! It is the best journey in my life! I know getting up every morning at 5:15 am eat and workout is not the easiest but your body adjust very quickly and now I wake up on the weekends before 6 cause I need the workout to give me the energy in the day! BUT having said that, I am totally a morning person, always have been. Not everybody can get up this early and is bubbly like I am, so they need to get the workout in at night, which is for me not a good time, cause when I lay once on the couch, there is NO WAY i get my butt into a lulu pants to workout! Everybody needs to find their own time to make room for a workout, as long as they make the time for it! Having a family with a 2.5 year old child, working part time ( split shifts) in a YMCA fitness facility as a personal trainer as well as fitness leader instructor can make my day challenging sometimes, but it's all about organzing your day ahaead of time and def. the support of your family. I have 12 more weeks left until my last show, so it' s close to being back to normal ( if I will ever be able to get back to normal...hahah). Now highlight of my night-------time for a chocolate protein shake....mmhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have a good rest of the week everybody!