Category Archives: Diet/Nutrition

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What’s for lunch? Korean sweet potato [goguma 고구 마 ], pork and cabbage

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Lunch

I wish I was a better photographer, but I’m not. However, this is a picture of my lunch. It is sautéed cabbage and pork tips over goguma (  고구 마  ), or Korean sweet potato. I took a photo of the plate with my handy-dandy measuring tape beside it to relay how much food I eat.

Lunch Macronutrients

  • 6 oz. goguma
  • 5 oz. lean pork  tips
  • 2 cups white cabbage
  • 1 cup Savoy cabbage
  • 1 oz. red peppers
  • 1 oz. onions
  • 1 T soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame oil

Total Calories 435, Fat 7.0, 61.7 carbohydrates, 36.7 protein

Fat 14%, Protein 32%, Carbohydrates 54%

More on Goguma ( 고구 마 )

The macronutrients on goguma are 90 calories per 3 oz. serving. A 3 oz. serving size has 21 grams of carbohydrates, and 4 grams of protein with no fat. This information was found on Myfitnesspal.com. 

Korean sweet potato (goguma)

You can find goguma in most Asian grocery stores; try H Mart if there’s one by you. Depending on the store they are named “Korean yam” or “Korean sweet potato” as they are called this interchangeably. They are sweet, but not as moist as an American sweet potato. The color is yellowish-white versus orange, and they have a chest-nutty type of flavor. It’s easy to steam or bake them.

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Longer bodybuilding contest prep: Is pork on my menu?

I spy the McDonald’s iced coffee.

I  began contest prep early. Am I going to regret it? Most likely, since the diet becomes very monotonous and boring, but I want to come in a little leaner this time. I also plan to eat my way into the diet. My calories are between 1806 and 2027. They are higher than I anticipated, but these numbers are better for me. I am also eating one biscotti and a tasty coffee each day. I’m far enough out that I still have a treat.

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Eat, sleep and recuperate: Four days out

Four days out from the NGA Mt. Rogers Bodybuilding show

Saturday is nearly here and I don’t feel ready; which is usually the case for every competitor.  It’s funny…For the most part each competitor who sets out on a bodybuilding journey feels confident until those last days. For  me, I always know that I worked hard, but the likelihood that someone else worked and dieted harder is always present.  I can’t do anything about the way anyone else does their bodybuilding program, but I’ve done my best for this season.

This season I worked smarter, not harder, and maintained far more muscle than I have in the past. The diet, though restrictive, was balanced compared to other seasons. No, I am not as lean, but I didn’t have health issues like bronchitis, aching joints or the loss of my eye lashes.  In all, it’s been a good season.

Saturday will end my third season (second fiscal year)  and I’m ready for the break. Not a permanent bodybuilding break, but a break from the diet and training.  I always take ten days off at the end of my competition season. I eat, sleep as much as I can with the kids, and give my joints, muscles and mind a break to recuperate from a tough sport.

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Ketosis stinks

I’m over-tired and hungry, but thought I would share this.

Dreaming of a double cheeseburger and fries.

This morning, after working on my projects for several hours I got back into bed fully clothed, including my sneakers. I left my feet hanging off the bed, but covered up my body. Josh likes the room frigid and I was freezing as the fan blew on me.

While Josh and I are talking he asks, “Are you in Ketosis?” I told him I hadn’t thought about it, but probably. Why? “Because you smell different.”

I immediately ask if I have dong-breath (dong is Korean for poop), since he told me I had it the other day. That was after I brushed my teeth and flossed.

Bad breath and body odor. Yeah, I’m in Ketosis.

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Four weeks, four days and on the home stretch

When I learned it was four weeks and four days until my show,  bodybuilding reality hit me. This means I’m on the home stretch and it’s time to

Posing practice for the 2011 bodybuilding season.

make the necessary changes. My nutrition program has changed again. I adjusted my macros and am eating around 1770 calories, but that does not include my late night casein shake. Including the shake it’s 1900 calories a day.

The new nutrition plan is divided into seven meals, which includes the casein shake. My macronutrients alternate with meals set up as carbohydrates and protein, and fat and protein. The only meal with carbohydrates, protein and fat is breakfast because flax seeds are added to my oatmeal. If you decide to try this, just use common sense.

I’ve  had some inconsistencies with my cardio program because I get busy. I could be leaner with more cardio, but I haven’t lost my legs and that’s a great thing. I try to do specific amounts of cardio when training specific body parts.

Monday

  • 30 minutes morning cardio
  • Back
  • Abs
  • Posing
Tuesday
  • 40 minutes morning cardio
  • Chest
  • Posing
  • 2o minutes night cardio
Wednesday
  • 30 minutes morning cardio
  • Legs
Thursday
  • 30 minutes morning cardio
  • Shoulders
  • Posing
  • Abs
  • 20 minutes night cardio
Friday 
  • 30 minutes morning cardio
  • Arms
  • Posing
  • Abs
  • 20 minutes night cardio
Saturday
  • 30  minutes morning cardio
  • Conditioning 30 minutes
  • Posing 30 minutes
Sunday
  • 30 minutes morning cardio
  • Conditioning 30 minutes
  • Posing 30 minutes
A pose I will do during my T-Walk.This schedule is what I try to adhere to, but some days it just doesn’t get done. If my kids are up early or I sleep in late; I do what I can. Last year, I would make up the time and struggle through the cardio, but  killing myself is not worth it. I know…there is a competitor who may read this and totally disagree, but my life is not defined by how well I do on stage. It would be great to win my pro-card, but my character is much deeper than the tanner I’m wearing.
***I’ll post my nutrition program next time. I can’t seem to find it right now.lol
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Thick compared to 2010

It’s only eight weeks and one day until show time. 57 days, but that’s including peak week, which I never count. Peak week is watching water, sodium (for some), resting or doing last-minute things to get dry and hard.

Low carbohydrate tacos

Anyhow, my weight is  134 lbs.  I’ve got some time left and it’s needed. Josh watched my T-walk, gave me some pointers, and told me I was “thick” compared to last year. This is not an insult, but an honest-eye that has judged bodybuilding shows and trained professional athletes.  And, he is right. Although my abs are better this year, they are thick, and I don’t mean the density.

Thick can mean several things, but in my case, it’s a layer of fat and the ass load of water I’m carrying. Hence, the reason I cut out the dairy at some point in my diet. Milk makes my stomach churn, gurgle and bloat due to my intolerance, so I limit it for the use of coffee. While ice cream and cheese never bother me,  milk sets the gastrointestinal tract off!!! I do eat cottage cheese for the protein and calcium, but will exclude it soon because of the excessive sodium(@900mg) per serving, which makes me swell.  I don’t like it anyway, so I won’t miss it. Well, I might miss it on my tacos…

I also have more muscle this time than before. It’s about damn time! lol I’ve worked my butt off, and the amount of food and training is working.  I still may not be lean enough by show time, but I’m very happy with my gains.

On the other hand, the posing is killing me. I took a break for over a week with the move, and now I feel like my back is about to break. Yes, I’m more sore from the posing than the weight lifting. Crazy, but it’s common. After a couple of days, the soreness will die down. Until then, I must carry on.;)

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Choco-Peanut Buttery Sweet Potato Souffle

I have a couple of regular readers for this blog, and I just wanted to say thanks! I was also asked by Dara, to share the recipe for my choco-peanut buttery souffle for contest prep. To be honest, if I were not in contest prep, my souffle would be made from chocolate ganauche whipped into my sweet potatoes with extra cream and peanut butter. Add a couple of shaved pieces of dark chocolate to that  and you are looking at a decadent treat.

Hence, the reason I get pretty darn heavy in the off season!lol What can I say, I love my food.

The sweet potato souffle for contest prep is simple, and sweet, so it nips my sweet tooth. It’s super easy to make and I like to eat it after a heavy work out for back or legs to restore glycogen.

Choco-peanut butter sweet potato souffle 

  • 8 oz sweet potato
  • 3/4 scoop chocolate whey protein powder
  • 1 T natural peanut butter (or PB2)
  • 2 oz  unsweetened almond milk
  • light salt (most bodybuilders will omit this, but I don’t believe in cutting my sodium)

Macros 

  • 26.8g protien
  • 10.4g fat
  • 53.3g carbohydrates
  • 8.4g dietary fiber
Calories
  • 406

Steam, bake, or boil your sweet potato in the skin. While hot, take the flesh of your potato and place it in a large mixing bowl, or use a processor. Add almond milk, peanut butter and protein power.  Process or mash. Add a little extra almond milk if you need to for the right consistency.  And, there you have it. You can eat this alone or with something else. Since I only eat this on legs and back days, which are re-feed days, I eat it with another protein and vegetables.

I love the sweet potato skin, and eat it before hand. If baked, the skin will be sitting in the natural sweet glaze of the  potato, and it adds to the flavor. Don’t throw the skin away when making your souffle, since this holds many of the nutrients. Instead, eat it.

Read more from a National Body Building Examiner

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Starchy carbohydrates for re-feed day

Chicken, asparagus and chocolate peanut butter sweet potato souffle for lunch.

Today is my re-feed day, and for the first time, I’m going to list my foods for people to read. I have never specifically written about my nutrition because I know everyone diets differently. I also know, what works for me does not necessarily work for someone else.  Though I like to read up on other competitor’s diets, I’m not one for starving myself on 800 calories a day. I’m not judging anyone’s dieting styles, I just happen to do my own thing.

Pork tenderloin, quinoa, zucchini, broccoli, onions and red peppers placed in one bowl for dinner.

For the time being, I am carb cycling and my daily caloric intake is 1800, but today is my re-feed. I planned to eat at least 2000 to 2100 calories today, but I missed that number. I did eat more calories and starchy carbohydrates though, and it couldn’t come at a better time. I trained back today, did 40 minutes of cardio and took the kids swimming for an hour, walking to and from the pool. Yeah, it was good timing.

On every other day except leg and back day, I eat less starchy carbs.  I cycle my oats, sweet potato or quinoa and low glycemic fruits. The rest of the carbohydrates comes from vegetables high in antioxidants and water content such as cucumbers, colored peppers, mushrooms, zucchini and etc. I also understand there are disputes over low GI foods for getting lean, but there is always a dispute over something. This is what works for me, so I’ll stick with it.

Here is my breakdown for today.

Light breakfast

  • 4 oz apple
  • 1 T peanut butter
  • 4 oz milk
  • 1 tsp instant coffee
Cardio
  • 40 minutes
Breakfast 
  • 6 egg whites
  • 8 oz sweet potato
Training
  • Back, abs and posing
Snack
  • Nature’s Valley Granola Bar (I wouldn’t usually eat this, but I was at the gym and starving.)
Lunch
  • 4 oz chicken
  • 2.5 oz asparagus
  • 8 oz chocolate/peanut butter sweet potato soufflé (8 oz sweet potato,   3/4 serving ON ch. whey, 2 oz sugar-free almond milk, 1 T PB)
Swimming
  • 1 hour
Snack
  • 10 oz sugar-free almond milk
  • 1/2 serving ON ch. whey
  • 1 tsp instant coffee
Dinner ( all in one bowl)
  • 6 oz extra lean pork tenderloin
  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 3.5 oz zucchini
  • 1.5 oz red peppers
  • .5 red onion
  • 2.5 oz broccoli
  • Texas Pete to taste
Calories and macronutrient ratios
  • calories 1940
  • protein 137 g, 29%
  • carbohydrates 228 g, fiber 32, 48%
  • fat 50 g, 23%
Tomorrow, there will not be this many starchy carbs, and no milk. As of today, I am down a total of 13 lbs, and weigh 135 lbs. I am eight weeks and five days out.
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I will not be competing at the Great Lakes, Ironman or Midwest States

As life would have it, we are moving. At the moment I can’t really say where, for some silly-assed reason I’m sure, but it’s a done deal.  August 15 will be our last day in the Chicago area and I will miss it. I have come to enjoy the two and a half years spent here and the friends I have made. I will not miss icy roads or arctic winters though.

Army Brat

I’ve been living in limbo for the past several weeks over this move and now that there is a final date, I can finally breath. What can I say? I’m an Army brat.  Let the packing begin!!! I get bored after living in one place for more than two or three years, so it’s coming at  a good time.

Competition Schedule

Here is where the problem lies. It completely wreaks havoc on my competition season. I felt  shallow for even thinking about competing, but I moved on from that very quickly. My family is always taken care of first, and competing has never gotten in the way of that before. It will not this time either.

I have been back and forth, because dieting and competing is very hard, but adding a move to the mix is something else altogether.
When we first found out that we might be re-locating, I asked my husband what he thought. Guess what his answer was? “Keep training and dieting as if you are going to do the show. You can do your shows there.” Well, that answered that.

I’m not canceling my shows

I’m not canceling my shows, and have already chosen others to do in their place. I planned to do my first show at the NANBF Great Lakes SuperNatural Muscle Classic XVIII October 15, 2011,  but will no longer be doing that show. I will, however, compete on October 15 in another state.  We will have lived in the area for two months by that time. 

My biggest issue is that I won’t have anyone who can watch my kids during my shows. So here it goes –Joshua darling, I know  you want to go to my show, but I need you at home that day. I will also need your superb tanning skills the day before  the show. Thanks babe. xoxo– Besides this issue, I will not be able to participate with my girlfriends in the Illinois shows, which included the NANBF Great Lakes, NPC Ironman and OCB Midwest States. I wanted to compete with Janie and Kris, but that is something we’ll have to do in the future. Set a date and place girls.;)

Obstacles

I’m no fool. There are going to be many obstacles presented during this competition season. I’m not going to let them get the best of me though. My sophomore English teacher used to say, “A winner finds a way, a loser finds an excuse.”  I have never forgotten that.  Thank you Mr. Rowe.

Read more form a National Body Building Examiner

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…but as an athlete, I’m fat.

Fatty McGee

I’m fat. For the real world I’m not fat, but as an athlete, I’m fat. I weigh 145 lbs. at the moment, but my body fat is 18%. That’s not high for the average woman, but it’s too high for an athlete in the off-season. I knew it would be, but I’ve really enjoyed my off-season and just didn’t care. As a matter of fact, for several months now I’ve been debating on doing any figure competitions. I do this each year, but this is the first year that I have really struggled with competing.

Playing with the idea of competing

It’s everything from the cost to the cardio, and this year, I’ll be traveling while on my contest diet. That makes things even harder. While in Georgia, we’ll visit the ATL, Jacksonville, HHI, and Savannah. That takes a toll on me when it comes to carrying my foods. It’s not just prepping and lugging around a cooler, but making sure the food stays fresh during the 105* heat.  It will truly be a test. As long as my foods are prepped correctly, I won’t falter.

Sprints are a no-go

Anyhow,  in the last two weeks I have tried doing sprints instead of solely using my chariot, the stair climber. Both times it has irritated my hip so badly that I can hardly walk when I’m finished. It’s not my joint, but one of the bands in the area.

When Chunk was in the infant carrier, the combined weight of Chunk and the carrier were 35 lbs. At the time, he was only three months old.  I stepped off of the landing at our town home in Hilton Head Island, but lost my footing on the small ledge just below. The infant carrier went in one direction, and I went in the other. I did not drop Chunk,  but the sudden movement and twist in my torso caused me to injure my hip. It was injured over 3 years ago  and it still hurts to no avail. Here’s an example of how bad it hurts. When I sneeze, my hip area feels like it’s going to explode. Yes, sneezing is very forceful, but it also hurts when I do certain abdominal exercises, cough, run and sit too long.

That only means one thing; I won’t be doing sprints for my additional cardio. I’ll stick to the floor pushes, which I actually love to do.

Pushing through

Although the debate goes on with competing, I know I’m going to do a bodybuilding show.lol Because of that, I’ve already begun my pre-pre-contest diet to bring my body fat down and to add a some muscle. I tried to do this months ago, but I just wasn’t ready.

Read more from a National Body Building Examiner.