Bikini Contest Prep | 5 Weeks Out Recap

Thank you so much for sticking with me through this bikini competition prep.  Your support and encouragement has really helped me through these last few weeks.  And now we are finally in the home stretch with the contest being just just 4 weeks away!  We can do anything for 4 weeks, right?!?!  As bad as I feel like I’ve been sticking to my diet lately (the cheats I’ve reported to you each week), I’m going to try my hardest to just stick with it the last 4 weeks!  I want to finish strong, make my family proud, you proud, my trainer proud, and myself proud!

And this week, I’m sharing with you a new food that was sent to me to try out and giving you a coupon as well in case you want to try it.

5 WEEKS OUT 
Below is my 5 Weeks Out picture on Sunday, June 7, 2015.  We measured my body fat via calipers on June 10 and it was holding steady at 19.5%
Bikini Contest Prep - 5 Weeks Out | Honey We're Home

WORKOUTS 

Monday:  Cardio (65 min run park steady 3 miles, then alternate sprints 3 miles)

This morning I was so tired, having gotten my sleep all messed up the night before that I woke up thinking, there’s no way I can workout today (And I’d worked out the previous 3 days, so this was the 4th in a row).  But, after dropping my son at camp in the morning, I figured I might as well get a workout in then or it would nag at me all day.  And I wouldn’t have time in the evening because I had a PTO meeting.  So, I drove to the park because I knew if I started running the loop, I’d have no choice but to finish (whereas at the gym, I could get off the treadmill anytime).  It really was a brutal start, but, I surprised myself by running not just one time around (3 miles), but continuing on for another 3 miles.  I share these things with you just so you can see what you can do even when you think you can’t.  

Tuesday: Train Legs + Cardio (48 minutes on treadmill- running at a steady pace, then alternating sprints)

Wednesday: Train Back + Chest + Cardio (48 minutes on treadmill- running at a steady pace, then alternating sprints)

Thursday a.m.:   0 
And doesn’t it go to show that this is the day I ended up cheating on my diet.  🙁

Friday:  Cardio (70 min run park steady 3 miles, then alternate sprints 3 miles)

Saturday: Cardio (30 minute run park + sprints)
Left my iPod and headphones at home.  Grrrrr . . . . .  HATE that!

Sunday:   0

Total Calories Burned 6 Weeks Out = ???


This picture is right after Wednesday’s training and cardio.  
Bikini Contest Prep - 5 Weeks Out | Honey We're Home
shorts (order 1 size up) | shoes | watch (similar

I finally got my heart rate monitor up and going again.  It just needed a new battery.  I am so surprised how addicted to it I’ve become!  I’m super excited to be able to track my calories burned again starting next week!!

The running and sprints are going well in terms of making me feel like I am toning my body in the most efficient cardio way possible, but my legs do get sore and I need a break for sure after 6 days in a row.  The week leading into this, I had trained the prior three days, so Thursday was a rest day.  I should have worked out on Sunday, but I didn’t because I know next week is going to be killer and I wanted to rest up.

Sometimes the runs are so good and you feel fierce and strong and confident.  It’s almost like a meditation and you get so much out of it – way more than just the physical aspect.

Other times, running is a total struggle the whole time.  Your mind becomes a battlefield where you feel like giving up, you can’t do this, you can go any more, or keep going.  It’s gritty and hard and awful and sucks so bad.  But, thankfully, experience always tells me “I can”.  I KNOW I can do it because I did it the day before, and the day before that.  And I made it through.  I didn’t die.  So I keep going.

Also, you can see the past few weeks, I’ve only been training with my coach about twice a week because he’s been out of town traveling with fitness competitors or judging fitness contests.  This week coming up, we will be training together Monday – Thursday and I must admit, I’m a little scared!  Our training sessions are intense and I’ll have to be sure to get good rest so I can make it through training plus cardio.  But, the good thing is, with all that heavy training, I know I’ll be less likely to cheat on my diet.

Which brings me to the food . . . 

FOOD
Like I mentioned above, my body fat remained at 19.5% for the last two weeks, but I lost a couple pounds.  We had cut down my food portions and carbs for the carb cycling, but now we’ve adjusted it again slightly so that I’m always getting 5 oz at each meal, instead of sometimes just 4 oz.  This is so that I can maintain/build muscle and not lose it.  If I’m still hungry after my 5th meal, I can eat egg whites or drink another muscle egg or have a protein shake.  
But, I can’t say I’m 100% shocked that my body fat didn’t go down when I’ve continued to have “cheats”.  I’m not supposed to be straying AT ALL from my meal plan, but I admit I have been.  Sometimes I get so down on myself when I eat a cheat meal and then I think I don’t deserve to win this competition.  The women who deserves to win and place high are those that had the fortitude and determination to stick with their meal plans and not give in as often as I have.  
My cheat this week was:  Greek frozen yogurt with 2 chocolate caramel Ghirardelli squares mixed in.  And peanut butter with chocolate chips.  And an iced tall two-pump mocha.  All on the same day (Thursday).  Of course, my tummy was so upset for 24 hours after that and I felt so guilty.  I don’t even want to put this in print because I don’t want to tell my awesome coach who works so hard with me and has such faith in me.   (John Sherman @ johnjsherman@sbcglobal.net).  

But really, when you cheat on the diet, you are only cheating yourself.  
So I didn’t eat the Marble Slab on Saturday. Not even a lick. 
For my breakfast now, I can eat 1/2 cup oats + egg whites with blueberries or other fruit.  I typically opt to make my oats and egg whites into a protein pancake because I felt like oatmeal and cooked plain egg whites are too much food to eat in the morning.  But, when I’m not on prep, I do like to just eat oatmeal in the morning (without the egg whites).  I would get some protein in there with nuts and milk.  
You might remember from my Honey We’re Healthy blog that I used to mix all my dry oatmeal ingredients into a big glass container because it made for suck a quick grab-and-go breakfast in the mornings.  
Quick & Easy Morning Oatmeal | Honey We're Home

Quick & Easy Morning Oatmeal | Honey We're Home
I don’t have to do that anymore because Nature ValleyTM Toasted Oats Muesli-Blueberry & Nature ValleyTM Toasted Oats Muesli-Original is a new product that combines whole rolled oats, fruit, nuts and seeds into one blend. Nature Valley Toasted Oats Muesli comes in two flavors— blueberry and original. 
Blueberry Flavor: Whole Grain Oats, Sunflower Seeds, Dried Blueberries, Pumpkin Seeds, Raisins, Almond Pieces, Dried Cranberries
Original Flavor: Whole Grain oats, Sunflower Seeds, Dried Cranberries, Raisins, Toasted Coconut, Almond Pieces, Pumpkin Seeds
It just came onto the market June 1, so you should be able to find it at your store now.  Use this $1 off coupon when you buy it to save some money. 
Quick & Easy Morning Oatmeal | Honey We're Home
Although you could incorporate the Nature Valley Toasted Oats Muesli into muffins, breakfast bread/muffins/cookies/bars/energy balls, or top your yogurt with it to make a parfait, I’m happy with it just as my morning oatmeal (when I’m not on prep).  
I’d measure out 1/2 cup of the Nature Valley Toasted Oats Muesli and add water, then microwave it for about one minute.  I like to add a bit of skim milk for extra creaminess.  Yummy! 
Quick & Easy Morning Oatmeal | Honey We're Home
4 WEEKS OUT 
My 4 Weeks Out picture was snapped yesterday, Sunday, June 14, 2015.  
I figured I should try on my old bikini from last year’s contest and see if it even fits.  I was so surprised to see that it does!  I do think I’m getting leaner, but sometimes it’s hard to tell the slight differences from week to week.  As far as posing goes, I still need to practice!  And, I’m still debating on whether I should wear this same suit or get a new one in another color (considering red).  

Bikini Contest Prep - 4 Weeks Out

MORE BIKINI PREP POSTS

If you missed some of my Bikini Prep Posts, you can get caught up here:

And check out my FITNESS tab for all health & fitness related posts.
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keep in touch! 

Thanks to Nature Valley for sponsoring today’s post.  

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Meet Megan

Hi! I’m Megan, mom to a thoughtful teenager and spunky young girl. We call Houston home and recently moved into our dream home. I traded my lawyer hat to become a full-time blogger in 2010. I love sharing my passion for affordable fashion, home decor, organization, & fitness to help inspire you to take care of you!

13 Comments

  1. Keep up the good work! I so admire your determination and it's always good to hear that we're not alone in our struggles. Sugar is my weakness–ugh, it's awful. But, I do love running and always feel so good when I finish.

    Also, love the suit from last year, but you'd look fab in red 🙂

    1. Thanks Michele! My major sweet tooth is killing me!!! It's so hot here lately and lots of time that's when I run, but it does feel great AFTER! 🙂

  2. I just started following your blog and appreciate all the fashion and fitness tips! I live in the Austin, TX area, so we are in the same boat trying to dress and workout in the hot humid climate. I've lost 20 lbs over the past year with the help of a nutritionist and regular exercise. I was wondering if you work on your abs regularly or do they look that toned with the running and weights? I do both, not to the same degree as you, and definitely would love some tips on improving that area.

  3. Looking good, girl! Love seeing your updates each week. Even with your "cheats", your progress and dedication shows! Great work, and the muesli looks delicious!

    1. Oh my gosh, that is such a great question! I do get really sore sometimes and I just take Advil or my trainer recommends a soak in the tub or icing the sore muscles. I also try stretching more and when I've worked out 6 days in a row, I rest on the 7th. I find the soreness was the worst when I first started training and it's not as bad now.

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