jstar

7/31/04

Hi everyone! Welcome to my journal I have missed this board, and everyone here! Not much has been going on since I have left. (well that isn't true - i will get into that later!)

On the diet/training front I started getting really bored with recording my workouts and food intake. Not too mention I was having problems with bingeing. Since I decided to stop recording everything I - surprisingly - stopped all bingeing! My diet was pretty clean and healthy for the average person, but not really helping me get lean enough to compete. I tend to hover around 15-16% these days without a real game plan. In order for me to get to where I need to be for a show, I need to get more serious. I mean I was eating bread like it was going out of style - bread & ff cheese sandwiches - ha - that was not good!

This whole summer I have been going out a lot more than usual. You see my boyfriend - ex-boyfriend now that is - broke up with me a few months ago after 5 yrs together. He was very mean and nasty about it too and I felt absolutely crushed to say the least. Having him break up with me like that & being rejected over, and over and over and over again on job interviews...my self-esteem was at an all time low. It would have been very easy for me to turn to food for comfort but since I stopped being so anal about food it just didn't appeal to me the way it used to anymore.

Instead I began going out all the time with my friends - which is great. It really helped my mood. I even talked to other guys - something I haven't done at all in 5 yrs - so that helped give my self-esteem a boost too. The only problem with going out all the time is being tempted by crap food and alcohol. Actually, I usually do well with the food, I know how to order, but still you never know how much oil, etc. or whatever is in your meal. I normally never drink but the past few weeks I have been having 1-2 Smirnoff ices when I go out. Now I realize I can't do that anymore~ but at the time I needed it

I felt I was getting too far away from feeling like a health-conscious person, let alone a figure competitor! So I decided that I should get back to it and begin using my anger, sadness, frustration, etc. in a more positive manner. I started hanging out with my fitness/figure friends and hearing about their plans, and upcoming shows. It really made me miss competing and I decided I am going to compete at least once during the upcoming fall season! (There are 5 shows in my area this fall - starting the last week in Sept - all the way through the month of October!)

I'm not sure which show(s) I will do yet but I am gonna start training my heart out - TODAY!!!

"I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed." Michael Jordan

jstar

Yesterday I spent 2 hours driving to this nutrition store I heard great things about. I was planning to buy SAN Tight and possibly the NHE book which they were supposed to have. I get there and they don't have the NHE book, but the guy working there gave me a free copy of Jay Robb's book "The Fat-Burning Diet." (the new one) I also bought the SAN Tight and a couple protein packets. He also threw in a few whey protein packets in my bag for free! This made the trip worth it!

Since I have the old Fat Burning Diet book I suspected this book would pretty much be the same, but I was wrong. Yes, he has the same principles of course but his diets are quite different. I decided what the hay, I will give this a try for my shows. **Up until now I had been eating pretty high carbs, low-mod protein and low low fat. And doing too much cardio. And not losing an inch/pound!**

His plan is pretty much:
*2 low carb days followed by one high carb day
*cardio 30 minutes every other day - no more, no less
*not alot of info on weight training for the competitor - but I also have his BB book so I am going to use his 5 day routine he has in there

The one thing I feel unsure about in his recommendations is that he advises only eating 3 times a day. This goes against everything I was ever taught about bodybuilding and proper nutrition, so I am antsy to try to it. The reason he says is to aid in digestion. He believes eating or snacking between meals interferes with digestion. He believes that carb/sugar addicts should follow the 3 meals a day plan until they get their cravings under control then it is okay to add in snacks. From a food-obsessive point of view, I think it will help me to be less focused on food and possibly may help with my cravings for carbs and sugars. Although I have my reservations I am going to try it for a while and see how it goes. It's all about experimentation.

Here we go!

"I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed." Michael Jordan

jstar

"I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed." Michael Jordan

jstar

Low-Carb Days:

Breakfast:
1 egg
1/2 cup eggwhites
1-2 slices ff cheese
veggies
yolplait ultra low carb yogurt
1 TBL Peanutbutter
**optional = 1/2 cup berries

Lunch:
Big Salad:
3-5 cups mixed salad veggies
steamed veggies on top
1 hardboiled egg
4-6 oz lean meat
low-fat cottage cheese
1 oz almonds
**optional = 1/2 apple

Dinner:
Grilled mushrooms, peppers, onions
4-6 oz lean meat
1 slice ff cheese
protein drink
**optional = 1/2 cup blueberries


High-Carb Days:

Breakfast:
1 cup oats
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 cup berries
1/2 cup eggwhites
veggies
2 slices ff cheese

Lunch:
1-2 ezekiel buns/tortillas
2-3 oz lean meat
1 cup mix veggies

Dinner:
6 oz potato
2-3 oz lean meat
1 cup broccoli
1 slice ff cheese
1/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1 ezekiel bun

Training:

M - Chest
T - Back
W - Shoulders
T - Arms
F - Legs

*cardio = 30 minutes everyother day

"I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed." Michael Jordan

Paynne

Hey Jstar, glad to see you're back

atherjen

Glad your back StaryStar! youve been missed! Glad to hear that all is well and that you have found more peace with yourself in life and enjoying it the best you can!

You know me- Ill be quite frank, Id have more meals. 2.5-3hrs is plenty of time for digestion.. just my opinon.

Best of luck with the new goals!

" To dream anything you want to dream: That is the beauty of the human mind. To do anything you want to do: That is the strength of the human will. To trust yourself to test your limits: that is the courage to succeed."

NPC Southern Classic, June 3rd
NPC Cajun Classic, June 10th
NPC Mississippi State July 22nd

jstar

Hey Paynne! Nice to see you again

Jen Jen - How are you? I have missed you too girl! Yeah, I am not totally sold on Jay's 3 meals-a-day either but I figure I will try it out for a couple of weeks at least. If I don't notice any significant benefits with that approach then I will simply break these meals down to 5-6.

So far I am on day 2 of the program (my second low-carb day) and I feel ok - so far - so good.

"I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed." Michael Jordan

atherjen

Ive been great thanks
how far apart are your meals? what are you doing for post workout? are you tracking macronutrients and calories?

" To dream anything you want to dream: That is the beauty of the human mind. To do anything you want to do: That is the strength of the human will. To trust yourself to test your limits: that is the courage to succeed."

NPC Southern Classic, June 3rd
NPC Cajun Classic, June 10th
NPC Mississippi State July 22nd

jstar

Jen,

Yes I will be tracking macros and calories. I just started this today so I don't have meal timing etc. But shoot, my meals are going to end up 5 hours apart on this plan.

Whaddaya think? I am thinking I should keep the 2 low, 1 high cycle but just add meals so I get 5-6. As far as calories go that is something I need to figure out. The past 2 weeks I have been eating high carb (not 100% clean either) and 1600 calories (weekly average). The first week I dropped 2.5 lbs and inches, the 2nd week I was UP 1/2 lbs and my measurements were basically the same (slightly lower).
I am sure this was due to the crapiness of my diet, not because my calories were too high. Then week 3 began and I was HUNGRY, like a bottomless pit. I was eating the same things (ie - lots of carbs/bread) but more like 2400 calories. Then I realized I needed to change my approach in order to continue to drop fat. When I say high carb I mean I was eating carbs at all meals - 60-70% or more per day.
What would you recommend for calories? (I'm 5'8", 142, 15-16% BF est.)
What should I do postworkout on low-carb days vs. high-carb days?
I am surprised he doesn't address these issues in this book, but he does in his other books.
I just believe that I overdo the carbs so much that I am unable to get into contest shape without some form of carb restriction. I would rather cycle them though than take the 40/40/20 approach, or similar approach.

"I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed." Michael Jordan

atherjen

carb cycling works, so your defintly on the right approach that way. Personally if you want to suceed with your goals to properly diet down, save muscle, loose the fat and keep your metabolism elevated, if much rather see you go with 5-6 meals instead.

for calorie at your current stats Id start off with around 1700 for average during the week. One thing with carb cycling is that one day you may have less than that and then the next have more. ie. 2000 one day, then 1400 the next... you keep your body guessing. how about a traditional carb cycle, high-low-no. try that for a bit and see how you respond to it. I know you have troubles with being a carb-glutton (Im not picking on you.. you can pick on me and my peanut butter issues..lol). Centralize carbs around your workouts. on low carb days just have the majority of carbs post workout.
Im also thinking that you personally may struggle with the no carb days, being just veggies... if you feel that mentally you would not be able to handle that(ie.leads to binge) then perhaps the 2 day low carb and 1 day high carb would work. although on low carb days I would keep them lower than the other plan. (approx. 1g/lb bw).

Just throwing some ideas your way.. If your still keen on giving this current plan a go for a couple weeks, then I will try not to pester anymore hehe

" To dream anything you want to dream: That is the beauty of the human mind. To do anything you want to do: That is the strength of the human will. To trust yourself to test your limits: that is the courage to succeed."

NPC Southern Classic, June 3rd
NPC Cajun Classic, June 10th
NPC Mississippi State July 22nd

jstar

Your not pestering me at all sweetie
I've thought about it and decided as of today to go with 5-6 meals a day as opposed to 3. I don't think I ever ate only 3 times a day, even as a kid! Why start now???

As for the hi, low, no cycle...I know I would have troubles with the "no" days.
For now I will keep it 2 low, 1 high, repeat and of course tweak it as need be.
The way I am doing this now my carbs on "low" days = 40-80g or so. Maybe I will just have a shake PWO on the low-carb days? If I am following this book it says no starches on low-carb days but I can have low GI fruit, veggies (non-starchy), dairy, protein, and fats.

One thing I have noticed (and this may be just me but) when I do low carbs sometimes I feel like my body can't handle the higher fat content. Yesterday I ate:

1297
42.36C
133P
68.85F
(full diet posted below)

In looking at this I should've had more protein and less fat, as this morning I am feeling blooooated! Funny, but on high carbs I don't feel bloated, but if I overdo the fats I do get puffy.

"I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed." Michael Jordan

jstar

**As of tomorrow I will be going back to 5-6 meals/day***
**Veggies not included in carb count***

M1 - 1 SAN Tight cap
yoplait ultra
1.5 slices ff cheese
1 egg
1/2 cup eggwhites
1 tomato
1 TBL PB
370 14C 38.5P 15.5F

M2
1 Boca Burger
1 cup peppers
lettuce
1 oz almonds
1/2 cup lf cottage cheese
4 oz turkey
520 18C 60P 17F

M3
Cobb Salad
1 egg
1 oz gorgonzola cheese
1/3 cup black olives
2 oz grilled chicken
salad veggies
**added 1 oz almonds
407 14.7C 34.5P 36.35F

1297
42.36C
133P
68.85F

**comments - TOO much fat for me to handle. I feel bloated now (next am).
Next low-carb day I will limit fats to 40-50g max and up that protein. Probably will through in a shake or too as well to increase the calories. It is tough to get a lot of calories on low-carb day w/o also adding too much fat (speaking for myself!)
**I started taking SAN Tight today. I will start off with one cap at M1 everyday for the first week then up it to 2xday next week if no sides occur.
So far, I feel fine!!!

"I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed." Michael Jordan

Jill

Its nice to see you back darlin....I was wondering where you were hiding!!!

Just curious-if you said that when you were journaling, you were binging, but when you WEREN'T journaling, your eating was better, and normal. WHy on earth would you start a 'diet type' of journal??? Wouldnt that almost be a trigger????IMO

What ever makes you happy darlin!

jstar

Thanks Jill!

Actually I always keep a notebook and track my food intake; I just wasn't journaling online anymore because a) I was too lazy b) at the time I didn't want the criticism or suggestions (allbeit well-intentioned because I was in a funk from all the other junk going on in my life.

Over the past few months while I wasn't online I was tracking my meals in my notebook for myself, but not following any food rules. To my suprise I ate pretty well - no cookies, cake, fried foods, sugary cereal, ice cream, chips, etc...none of that crap! Some days I ate more than others, but not bad. The worst thing I have had in the past couple months is a couple of smirnoff ices...but I think I am over that phase
(ie the "have-a-few-drinks-and-forget-about-what's-his-face-
stage)

Seriously though, journaling doesn't make me binge or cause any trigger...I think it will help me just refine what I am doing. And get some constructive criticism along the way.

"I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed." Michael Jordan

JLB001

J....I have faith in you. You will do just fine. Glad your back and doing better.

"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on."

jstar

Thanks sweetie It doesn't feel as difficult this time around. (as she bites her tongue....

"I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed." Michael Jordan

atherjen

I like this plan much better Glad that you changed your mind. Id starve on just 3 meals a day. lol
as for the PWO on low carb days... are you counting veggies in the carb count? Id think there is room for 1/2c.oats post workout for sure. then just make the rest from small amount of fruits and veggies and naturally occuring in cottage cheese, etc.

about the fats- yes you needed more protein girlie... some people cant digest fat as well as others.. that could be to blame (no secreting enough bile salts or something of that line...). OR it could have been the sort of fats that you ate which were high in sodium (makes me feel veryyyy puffy) like cheese, olives,.. even the ff cheese is very high in sodium. Just a thought.

what are your marco's/cals going to be for low and high carb days.. ?

" To dream anything you want to dream: That is the beauty of the human mind. To do anything you want to do: That is the strength of the human will. To trust yourself to test your limits: that is the courage to succeed."

NPC Southern Classic, June 3rd
NPC Cajun Classic, June 10th
NPC Mississippi State July 22nd