Post Bikini Contest Fitness Plan & TCBY Frozen Yogurt Giveaway
Last year, when I got in the best shape of my life and competed in my first NPC bikini contest, it took less than six months for me to get back out of shape! The contest was July 2014 and by Thanksgiving, I had gained about 10 pounds (a lot on such a short girl) and had lost a lot of my muscle tone. Right after the contest, I stopped working out with my trainer and then wasn’t going to the gym much. My eating was all over the place and I was indulging in too many sweet treats (my weakness!). So, I returned to my trainer at the end of 2014, and by March 2015, had committed to a second bikini contest in July 2015 to really help me get back into great shape.
Now that the second contest is over, I’m determined to do things differently to stay in shape. And, even though I have a MAJOR case of the summer lazies, I am still training with my trainer 3 days a week and I plan to continue indefinitely. It’s been hard to get the motivation to get up for my 8:30 a.m. training sessions since that gym isn’t particularly convenient and who wants to fight morning traffic in the summer, but I don’t want to lose my spot, because it works out so perfectly when my son is in school and he starts back soon. I love getting my workout over with first thing in the morning so I don’t have to think about it the rest of the day and it helps me eat better. And, I’m tying to do two days of cardio – 45 minutes each. Usually running outside or on the treadmill.
ASICS running shoes | Zella socks (on sale) I swear by these socks for workouts. They don’t slip down my heel or make my feet sweat.
BUT, I have to admit, I’m over the contest meal plan. I just don’t want to eat that strictly and that mundane anymore. I can’t even make myself eat a meal of chicken breast, veggies and rice right now. I know I have to find the right kind of meal plan that I can sustain as a lifestyle and not just as a 12-week “get-in-contest-shape.” I’m finding my way. I need to continue to eat a healthy balance of protein, veggies and carbs, but I want to eat them in more interesting ways and with more variety. I love to cook and have missed creating new dishes and tasting different flavors.
So, for example, I still like my morning protein pancake, but I also like steel cut oats with a splash of milk, teaspoon of brown sugar, a few raisins and some walnuts or sliced almonds. Or bacon and eggs. And grilled chicken is still fine to eat, but with a side of tomato and avocado salad and corn on the cob.
I made burgers with lean turkey breast this week and instead of a whole wheat bun (I found that was too much bread), put it on 100% whole wheat toast (crust cut off) with low-fat cheese, light mayo, ketchup, arugula, tomato and onion. I’d do a lettuce wrap bun as an alternative to bread, but I didn’t have any on hand.
This summer salad with tomato, avocado, red onion, feta, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper is a favorite around here. I also took it to a party recently and every last bite was gone and I was asked to bring it again. You can make variations of this salad with olives, cucumber, chickpeas, and white beans too.
This flat bread prosciutto, mozzarella, arugula pizza with fig spread is delicious! The flat bread is high in calories (240), so I don’t eat it that often. I put a light dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper on the arugula before topping the pizza.
Caprese salad is another thing I’ve indulged in lately as a light snack. I add a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic too (not pictured).
I’m also crazy for greek yogurt, topped with a handful of granola and blueberries. So good!
And occasionally, for breakfast or even dinner, I want bacon and eggs. I used two whole eggs and could’ve went with two pieces of bacon, with 100% whole wheat toast dry.
And of course, to satisfy my sweet tooth, I have to have some ice cream. Or so I thought. I’ve found that TCBY Frozen Yogurt tastes just as good (really!) and saves me half the fat and less calories than regular ice cream.
TCBY has some super delicious flavors including Sea Salt Caramel, Chocolate Moose Tracks (has peanut butter in it!), English Toffee Crunch, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (my fave!), Mint Chocolate Chip, Double Chocolate Chunk, Classic Vanilla Bean and Extreme Cookies and Creme.
It sure starts to melt fast in the Houston summer heat! Better get to licking! 😉
I feel like life is too short to live without sweet treats! Makes me think of that Maroon 5 song, “Sugar” – “Need a little sweetness in my life!” Ha! But also so true. It’s surely about balance, eating well and healthy most of the time, making “better bad choices”, indulging in desserts, and being active and moving to make us feel physically good on the inside.
And TCBY is giving away Frozen Yogurt for 3 months (6 cartons, a $30 value) to one lucky reader! Just visit the TCBY site and leave a comment letting me know what flavor you are most interested in trying! I’ll tell you based on personal experience the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough does not disappoint and neither does the Moose Tracks!
The TCBY website will also tell you when the TCBY truck is coming to a store near you and you can stop by for a free sample and a coupon for $1 off any flavor. #GetTheScoop!
Thank you to TCBY for sponsoring this post. As always, all opinions and frozen yogurt indulgences are all my own.
I'd like to try extreme cookies & creme.
Double chocolate chunk!
Ooh… I'm all about the mint chocolate chip!
Double chicolate sounds fantastic
Chocolate moose tracks!
Cookie dough!!!
All about the double chocolate chunk!
If I must choose, English Toffee Crunch!
Sea salt carmel and double choc chunk….mmmm!!!!
Cookie Dough all the way!!!
The mint chocolate chip chip would be my choice.
I am most interested in the Sea Salt Caramel Swirl =)
English toffee crunch or sea salt caramel! Yum!
Megan, you look fabulous!! I so admire you! I am now craving that avacado tomato salad. That looks so so yummy. I can't wait to make it. So many delicious flavors…hard to choose just one. I would have to go with mint chip.
Mint choc chip
Double Chocolate Chunk!!!
You look amazing !! Thanks for sharing !
Mint chocolate chip
Sea salt caramel!
Sounds like a good plan. Love the workout clothes and shoes…those bright colors are so pretty!
Cookie dough-all day, every day!
I would love to try the extreme cookies n cream!
My husband & I have had a lot of success following Paleo loosely. Hubby's kept off almost 50lbs for the lastor so years & I've maintained well. We are not strictb& eat small servings of dairy, chocolate, etc. I think the biggest thing for us is really limiting our carb intake.
I would love to try the extreme cookies n cream!
Vanilla Bean!
Chocolate chip cookie dough!
Sea Salt Caramel sounds divine!!
Chocolate Moose Tracks, please and thank you!
Chocolate chip cookie dough sounds delicious! Awesome job on your most recent competition. You are such an inspiration!
Yum! I love TCBY…did not know they had it out here in Houston!
Ok, now I'm hungry. So miss not being able to eat tomatoes. It is definitely all about balance, and making healthier choices.
Looking forward to the Mint Chocolate Chip!
Vanilla Bean for me please!
Chocolate chip cookie dough for sure! We used to have a TCBY store in my town and I loved it. It shut down though 🙁
English Toffee Crunch looks so good!
I will have to give TCBY a try! I would be all over the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough! And probably the Mint Chocolate Chip as well!!
Cookies and cream AND Mint Chocolate Chip!
English toffee crunch and the cookie dough!! ?
Definitely want to try the sea salt caramel. ummm yumm!!!
Sea Salt Caramel!
EXTREME COOKIES AND CREAM!
I am most interested in the chocolate moose tracks variety.
Mint Chocolate Chip! I've been waiting on this day for far too long. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like TCBY will be at any of my local grocers.
Extreme Cookies n Cream sounds awesome!
Mint chocolate chip would be my choice.
Chocolate chip cookie dough!
First, I want to say that you look amazing! Congratulations on your hard work! I am a fellow petite girl (5'1) and a runner. I saw a while back during your training that your trainer had you run slower to tone up before the contest. Would you mind elaborating on this? I typically run pretty fast (8 min/mile) for about 40 minutes but I am feeling the need to change things up. Also, you say you're doing 45 minutes of cardio twice a week-what kind of cardio? Thanks for being an inspiration!
PS, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough for sure!
Chocolate chip cookie dough please!!!!
Sea Salt and Caramel!
Ummm all of them?! Probably sea salt caramel first!
I would try chocolate moose tracks and mint chocolate chip
You look amazing and thanks for the chance at winning!! It would be a toss up between extreme cookies & cream and the mint chocolate chip!!
Sea Salt and Carmel sounds amazing. I really miss my Blue Bell No Sugar Added 🙁
I get you with the bland diet burn out. I had gestational diabetes that was diet controlled and didn't mind the diet so much when I had to do it but now that my peanut is here it's much harder to want to follow it even though I know it would help with weight loss watching carbs and sugar so closely.
Wow! You look amazing in these pics…so fit and healthy! And the food looks divine…especially that yogurt!!!
Sea salt and caramel for me!
You look amazing! I can't wait to try the summer salad. It looks so fresh and perfect for this Texas summer heat!
Chocolate Moose Tracks
Fab picture of you jumping!
Mint chocolate chip is my jam!!
Moose tracks! We have TCBY near us and love it!
I can not wait to try that cookie dough! YUM. Thanks for sharing this with us!
Sea Salt Caramel sounds delicious!
Sea Salt Caramel, pretty please with a tiny bit of chocolate sauce on top 🙂
Love to try mint chocolate chip!
english toffee crunch!
You look great Megan! If you're looking for new recipes, I second the paleo comment above. I've found most of my favorite recipes – lots of fresh fruits, veggies and meat on the Against All Grain blog – and in the author's cookbooks, both of which you can probably find at your local library. I use the AAG cookbooks multiple times a week! 🙂
I can't decide if trying the sea salt caramel or the tomato avocado salad is more exciting!
Sea Salt Caramel for sure!
Sea Salt Caramel Swirl or the Moose Tracks!!
Sea salt caramel or moose tracks!
Sea salt caramel sounds amazing!!
Sea salt caramel swirl, hands down!
English Toffee!!
Love reading your blog. Thanks for the inspiration and keepin it real!
The chocolate moose tracks looks great. You can't go wrong with chocolate and peanut butter!
I would love to try Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough!!
Cookie dough ice cream is my weakness but I'm also love all things salted caramel lately, so I can decide which I would be more eager to try!
Ok I'm dying to try the Moose Tracks!! That sounds heavenly!
Yum! I would love to try the chocolate chip cookie dough!
Yum! I would love to try the chocolate chip cookie dough!
I would like to try English Toffee Crunch.
Mint Chocolate Chip? Yes please!!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough please!!!
I'm a sucker for cookies and cream…extreme cookies and cream sounds like something I need in my life.
Chocolate peppermint bark!
They all look amazing! I love peppermint!!
Definitely the Sea Salt Caramel Swirl! Yum!
Sea Salt Caramel
choc chip cookie dough!
You have the best healthy food ideas, I love making better choices-but I hate things that are low in flavor & you have really helped me come up with better ideas 🙂 I also love your workout clothes, they're all so cute!
xoxo, SS
The Southern Stylista
I think the peppermint would be good!
Sea Salt Carmel
Cookie Dough for me all the way!
Double chocolate chunk or sea salt caramel!
It's all about moderation! Good for you for making plans not to completely reverse all the hard work you've done!
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Oh I would have to say the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough or the Double Chocolate Chunk!
I will have to mix the english toffee with the chocolate! yum!
The sea salt caramel swirl OR cookie dough is calling my name!!! And actually, this might sound creepy…but I was backstage with you at the Branch Warren Classic! I recognized you instantly, but I didn't want to go all "fan girl" on you, but we were in the same novice class! As I'm a little less than 6 weeks out from my next show, you KNOW this ice cream has me drooling! 🙂