Bikini Prep – Peak Week – Progress and Change

I don’t have much to say this week other than I feel amazing.

I had my last training session this week with my coach, Joe, at the Colosseum in Columbia. A light upper body day with some posing. We talked about our game plan for this week’s diet (when to drop sodium and carb load). Peak week is very scientific, so everything from the amount of salt on my fish to the ounces of water I drink on Friday and Saturday is specific and calculated to produce a certain result, a super tight stage physique on show day. I got the stamp of approval from him and left feeling more ready than ever for Saturday. I also got to see my spring competition photos which are now on the walls of this famous local powerhouse gym.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This morning I was reviewing my blog post from my peak week this past spring, which was titled “A Rollercoaster of Emotions,” and I smiled because there in the title showed my progress from last show to this one. I feel like I am on the opposite of a rollercoaster today, more like a steady slow train, on a track that is not veering off to anywhere but its final stop: show day. In these past 4 weeks, my energy level has been extremely high and my mood very stable. This is surprising to me considering that my daily diet consists of mostly protein, green vegetables, almonds, and the smallest bowl of oatmeal that you’ve ever seen. Running on 1200 calories a day and burning between 2000-2500, I should be feeling much worse. But I’m not. I’ve actually never felt better. Despite my toddler interrupting my sleep earlier this week, I’ve been sleeping better as well which is paramount to this stage in the game. Reduce stress, rest, recharge.

Besides my physical progress, my mental progress is even more noteworthy. I had one weak moment this past weekend where I really wanted a bite of my husband’s Mission BBQ pulled pork. I miss meat, having lived on fish alone for the past 2 weeks as my primary source of protein right now. Until that moment, I had not even the desire for food outside of my strict diet. I don’t even have a big indulgence planned for Saturday night after the event. Carrot cake is usually my go-to from Stoney River, but I’ve gone without sugar for so long, that I know a few bites will make me feel awful, and I like feeling good.

The point in sharing all of this you is to remind you to look back at your progress from time to time. Mine is documented in pictures and blogs to remind me, so it is very easy to see. There are many ways to measure progress: numbers, pictures, feelings. Progress can be found in many things in many ways.

Progress is much more than a number on a scale.

Progress is much more than a number on a scale.

Progress is much more than a number on a scale.

Thank you for following my journey this fall. I am incredibly grateful for your support. If you would like to attend on Saturday, you can find the details for my show here on the Official OCB page. Off to rest and relax. The heavy lifting is done, and now it’s time to enjoy the moment.