First, thank you for your wonderful responses to my last post! I’m so glad so many of you found Ayurveda as fascinating as I did. And a big thanks to Carrie for sending this link for more info. And here’s another great source from the Ayurvedic Institute.
Today was definitely an improvement from yesterday, and I’m sure getting my butt moving first thing helped that!
FITNESS
I got a fantastic start to the day with a heart-pumpkin Spin class. I went back to Studio 360, a spin & yoga dedicated studio. I don’t like these classes as much as my Monday & Wednesday class at my other gym, but this certainly got a great sweat going. After that it was off to STS for a leg workout!
So I walk in and my trainer asks me, “so you want to do measurements?” My reaction was an ugly face and a grunt, “oh all right.” haha. I haven’t been measured since before the holidays so I was nervous to know for fact what I know just from feeling (that sounds funny, but I think you know what I mean). Any who.. I promised honesty.. I’m up 11 lbs from my competition weight, my caliper measurement went up but I’m thankful to still be under 10% body fat, and my measurements each went up a bit (most in my waist). So it wasn’t pretty, but I suppose it could have been worse. And after taking out nut butters and moving around my macro timing I’m already feeling so much better, less bloated and less heavy. I think building is actually harder than cutting because cutting has such a specific goal.. loosing body fat. While with building you are trying to keep your body fat down, but need to be consuming large amounts to build muscle, and frankly sometimes I just don’t want to eat all that. I suppose this is my first formal ‘build’ because leading up to my first show I was really just discovering how my body would respond to training and had a much farther way to go (when I started training I was around 133 pounds and 17% bf).
NUTRITION
I finally got around to trying my crock-pot steelcut oats. They were really good, but I think I still prefer the fresh off the stove standard variety. I was surprised how sticky these came out. I mixed in ~1/4 c UVAB and 1/2 scoop Protein Powder before heating it up in the microwave. Then I mixed in 1 tbsp Chia seeds and topped them with 1 tbsp Coconut Butter.
And a better view of the new pretty bowl..
After Spin I had a quick Protein Yogurt snack before heading off to weights.
A Lovely Cheat
My cheat meal came early this week. I had lunch plans at one of my favorite Phoenix spots, Postino Winecafe. I’d gone here for a business lunch while I was prepping for the fitness competition and spent the meal drooling over the other person’s panini while I had a plain chicken salad with no dressing. So this place had been on my list to visit post-comp.
Splendid..
Mozzerella & Tomato Jr.
My lunch was 1/2 Turkey Panini with smoked turkey, vine rippened tomatoes, provolone, fresh greens and homemade pesto + 1/2 Mixed Greens Salad with candied pecans, red grapes, gorgonzola, crispy leeks and poppyseed vinaigrette..
Postino’s is know for their Bruschetta. And checkout the spread my roommate got..
Just funny.. my tea bonding with my friend’s jug of beer 
Repeat!
Dinner was very similar to what it’s been the last couple days. One spaghetti squash makes so much and I don’t want it to go to waste, plus it’s darn good!
1 c Spaghetti Squash topped with 2 oz grilled Tofu, 1/3 c Cottage Cheese, 1/4 Avocado. Luvin..
Fun Links
Love this post from The Swanky RD on the 7 Things Experts Won’t Eat
Lots going on with STS social media Check’em/me out on Twitter & Facebook!
Gah, I can’t believe tomorrow’s Thursday, this week is flying by! My cheat lunch totally hit the shop today.. So I’m curious.. what’s your absolutely favorite restaurant and your favorite meal there?
Fun Links
Very nice blog. The pics of the food got my stomach super hungry
eating right definitely can still be enjoyable.
Your bf is really impressive! You are doing well.
Thanks for all those links. I really enjoyed reading the Swanky RD article – pretty much goes in line with all that animal stuff I’ve been talking about. Thanks for sharing it with us!
I totally appreciate your honesty. Not sure I’d ever post my weight and measurements! While I have been doing mostly muscle building workouts for the past 6 months, I have seen little building and I think you hit the nail on the head about the amount you need to consume to build. I can’t eat that much, blah. I’ll just be content to be more leaned out I suppose. It’s not like I’m competing or anything. I’m impressed with your drive!
I agree about the crockpot oats being sticky. I don’t mind that so much, my my husband pretty much hated that texture. Worth a shot though right?!
I love spaghetti squash, literally one of the best things that has ever happened to me! Have never done it with avocado and cottage cheese, must try it!
Do you ever do pre-workout smoothies? Would you like to try some Zola? I think you’d love it!
I agree with Jamie…I’m a huge spaghetti squash fanatic! I need to get my fill before it goes out of season which is right about now!
Thanks for the shout out!
I love tomato and mozzarella, that looks amazing! I am new to spaghetti squash, but found I absolutely love it!
You can’t eat enough for your building diet?! I will switch! You can have my cutting diet!
And dannnng, your body fat is still awesome!!!
Fav restaurant/meal: Madeline’s (local restaurant) – chicken, black bean quesadilla with a roasted garden veggie salad, and red wine!
Deal! hehe, I guess I’m just being lazy. I figure out cutting, I can do that. This is a whole new beast with its own set of challenges. I suppose the grass is always greener!
woah that bruschetta looks really good, it reminds me of my old high school days where I’d buy bagel with cream cheese all the time (yikes)
I tried spaghetti squash for the first time tonight! I have a big smile on my face right now because it was just so awesome!
I love these oats! I need to know how to make these bad boys in my crock pot!!!
XXOO
I just used Angela’s recipe but did a little pumpkin switch-a-roo (because I’m obsessed).. Just remembered I posted it here though.. (http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=150169043633&topic=11920)
Oh good, I don’t feel so bad about the weight I gained over the holidays, thank you for sharing. Those post holiday measurements are killer to take and harder to accept!!! On a good note I lost 5 of the 6 lbs I gained over the holidays this week alone, so I must have held alot of water (like a blow fish).
Gotta get me some spagetti squash, that looks mighty tasty.
My fave restaurant is Milestones (in Canada) they have the most delicious white fish in soft tacos, with house made salsa, shredded raw cabbage, a small amount of avocado and something spicy in there (maybe the salsa). I love it so much I have pretty much duplicated it at home (I pan fry the fish with some Mrs. Dash Cajun or something similar) I make my own salsa too so I know exactly what’s in it. LUVS IT!