What I EAT

I thought you might like to know the foods I eat when eating clean,  while getting in shape for a contest.

It's pretty simple.

1. Hardboiled Eggs
2. Brown Rice Cakes (lightly salted)
3. Protein Powder
4. Banana
5. Natural Peanut Butter (nothing but peanuts)
6. Russet Potatoes
7. Yams
8. Whole Made Salsa (on the spicy side)
9. Carrots
10. Green Beans
11. Boneless, Skinless, Organic Chicken Breasts
12. Ground Turkey (97%lean)
13. Black Beans (made from scratch with organic chicken broth)
14. Walnuts (unsalted)
15. Corn Tortillas
16. Fish
17. Apples
18. Pears
19. Usually Broccoli (but this time around I've been eating lots of Green Beans instead)
20. Promax Bars (but I haven't been eating them. I had 1/3 of one about 3 weeks ago). 
21. Greek Yogurt (fruit on bottom. Last contest I  ate Greek Yogurt (almost Fat Free) but didn't have the fruit on the bottom. I thought I was going to be completely dairy free, but then I wouldn't be able to eat yogurt. And I like yogurt.

There may be other foods I forgot about and didn't list, but this will give you an idea of the types of foods I eat. 

I cook for the family anything from casseroles, lasagna, BBQ, soups, and Stir Fry...but whatever I cook I tend to pull a portion of the vegetables and meats for myself before I have added any butter, sauces, or flour.  It's actually pretty easy to do once you get the hang of it. 

Last night I made a potato soup with extra vegetables in it and turkey patties. I ate a turkey patty that had onions and seasoning in it and had some plain green beans, potatoes, and carrots on the side. 

Portion size is a HUGE deal if you are trying to reduce body size. You can't eat restaurant size portions and think that just because you are eating clean you can get away with that. And of course, the older I get the less my body actually needs, which I discovered really sucked during the last competition.

Two months left until the competition day, I realized that I wasn't being able to drop the weight steadily anymore. So, I started to reduce the portion size and viola! The extra 5 pounds came off easily. Was I depressed to see how little food I was eating at that point? YES!!!!! But, it was just another adjustment to make that your mind has to wrap around. As long as you are eating whole foods that are clean and have substantial staying power....your cravings and appetite will decrease. 

You can't get locked into believing something that you think should be or you want to be when you have never mastered it. It's like doing something that you know will most likely achieve results, but you have no concept of what it will really look like in the end. You must go through the unknown. That's a hard thing to do if you are anything like me, who wants proof or control.

You just have to hang in there and know that any movement forward is a step in the right direction. 

Remember, it's a waiting game...and you have to know how to wait it through until the end. This brings me to my next point, which I will discuss tomorrow.....

what do you do when you are waiting...."to arrive"

Today's Workout (1 hr. 10 minutes)

30 minute run (averaged about 4.3 on treadmill)

4 sets V-Ups on bench for abdominals

4 sets Leg Presses (25-30  lbs each side)

4 sets glute lifts with 25 pound weight on thighs

4 sets Butt' Blasters on knees using the ankle strap to bottom of lat machine.