Nightmare on Prep-Street

1,2 fatty muscle's coming for you! 3,4 you better run some more! 5,6 you better hope for change! 7,8 you look the same!!  

And that was me...the same!!...I'm following diets, working out, doing cardio  but I don't  see a change! I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong? I started to think it was time for me to see a doctor! Maybe I have a thyroid issue? Or perhaps some sort of hormone embalance? 

Nope! None of that!!... It was more like I had the wrong diet. When I decided to do this competition, I told myself I would do all the necessary research to train myself. I realized it was a lot harder than I thought. Eating right is actually a science. Instead, I got lazy and hired a coach. He was highly recommended so I didn't ask any of the necessary questions like... Have you prepped females before? How many of your clients have won? Did you win any of your competitions? I failed to do my part! I judged a book by its cover. I assumed since he looked the part he would get me where I needed to be. 

Wrong!... ALL WRONG! As a matter of fact, it was so wrong that I was consuming three times more protein than the average gym goer. The diet I was on was for a person twice my size trying to bulk. It was not for someone like me. Now you tell me if I'm the average gym goer... I do 45 minutes of cardio in the morning(when work permits) , teach 2 Zumba classes (back to back) and I train in the evenings. You be the judge! .... Far from average if you ask me! In his defense, I also stopped checking in and I wasn't able to meet up with him like I should. I started to doubt him and wasn't feeling motivated. 

Everything  happens for a reason. While talking to another competitor, she explains her transformation process. As I listen, I realize I wasn't doing any of those things nor was my diet as hard as hers. My instinct made me ask if she could look over my menu. The look on her face was as if she'd seen a ghost! She said she never ate the amount of protein on my menu. I couldn't help but to ask who her prep-coach was. Immediately after our conversation, I emailed her. In such short time, my new coach has transformed me! I've lost weight, inches and gained new muscle! To give you an idea of what my diet was like before, here's an example,... I went from 5-6oz of protein to 2-3 oz, 5 egg whites to 2, 1/2 - 1 cup of carbs(every other meal) to 5 oz ! Yes I'm SUPER hungry but my new transformation is what keeps me going.  

Now, not everything about my previous coach was bad! He's a great person and an AMAZING personal trainer. He's got a lot of fitness knowledge. I learned a lot about working out so there was some benefit in working with him.You live and you learn. 

I'm three weeks out and I recently purchased my swim suit for the show. I had no idea how expensive they were and not to mention little! It barely covers my booty 😳.....A little uncomfortable considering I will be on stage in front of a bunch of strangers(judging me), family and friends!! I'm trying to get comfortable with the whole idea. 

The thing I was most excited about was eating JUNK after the show but then I remembered I'm doing two shows back to back so no cheat meals for me 😩!!... What was I thinking?? But I guess it will make my cheat meal taste that much better. 

I've learned a lot throughout my journey. It hasn't been easy but I wouldn't trade this experience for anything in the world!!

SI SE PUEDE! 💪

(Picture on the left was take 5/30... Pic on the right was taken 6/24)

Thank you Doris Barrilleaux

Ever wonder how women's bodybuilding got started?? Check out this article. Really cool unknown facts!

http://www.xbody.gr/doris-barrilleaux-interview-first-lady-of-bodybuilding-part-01-en

Update! Update! Read all about it!

Tupperware life!... I never thought I'd be living it. For the last seven weeks I've prepped 249 meals but who's counting?? I thought as time would go by this journey would become easier but actually it's the exact opposite. I'm over it! Eating the same thing is no fun!! I no longer have much of a social life... Meal prepping, fasted cardio, training and sleeping have become my new hobbies. Boy have times changed! 

The seventh week has been the hardest for me. I'm tired of eating the same foods, I can't seem to get up for fasted cardio and I'm not seeing progress as fast as I would like. I have 3 months left which is plenty of time to prepare but it has become exhausting. Next week I will finally get to add some fats to my diet in addition to new foods! THANK YOU JESUS and BABY JESUS!!

I've learned some things along the way. I've never liked protein shakes but I discovered I more than dislike them, I HATE THEM! Unfortunately, it's something I have to have so I had to get creative. I pour the protein powder in a bowl, add a little water(has to be cold for me), mix it up and VOILA!! You got yourself some protein pudding!! Probably the best thing I discovered. Not only does it beat having to drink it but when I have a sweet tooth, it's a great "go to" treat! 

Another thing I'm not crazy about is chicken. Unfortunately, it's a big part of my meal plan. It seems like every time I cook chicken it's either over cooked and chewy or just plain NASTY! I didn't think I could jack up chicken on the Foreman Grill but guess what?? I still over cooked it! So here's what I did.... I went back to the good old days and brought out my crockpot! I know what you're thinking? Duh Marisol, everyone knows the crockpot will make some mean chicken. I know but being the impatient person that I am, I avoided it! So here is the new thing I do.... Put frozen chicken in the crockpot , season it, pour lemon juice, season a little more, add a tblsp of ghee butter, cook on low over night and WALLAH... You got some chicken falling off the MOTHERFREAKEN bone! No more chewy over cooked chicken for me! 

I'm no fitness guru and for some the things I've discovered may be old news. But for a newbie like me, it's been a challenge playing with my food. I will NOT GIVE UP and I REFUSE to let food overwhelm me 😁! I'm in control and I have to remind myself each day... 

 Xoxo ... MARISWOLE 💪

Is running barefoot the new thing!?

Wasn't a tennis shoe designed for sports/fitness activities?? It seems as though new gadgets for fitness are always on the market. Call me old fashion but I want my shoe to cover my entire foot for protection? Check out the link below and tell me what you think about these new "Nike foot stickers". Would you buy them!!??

http://inventorspot.com/articles/barefoot_running_next_level_nike_footstickers

The Start To My Journey

Growing up in a Mexican household eating healthy was not talked about. Steamed asparagus?...Grilled chicken?..Baked fish?... Que es eso??("What's that" for those of you who don't speak Spanish). Greasy tamales..Why yes of course!! Enchiladas... HELL YES PLEASE!! Fajita Tacos... Can I get 4 of those?? So that's a little glimpse of what it was like for me growing up. I was chubby, yet active. I can't say I experienced the "bullying" in school for being chubby but none the less, I was chubby. The weight finally fell off for me when I got into middle school. Puberty happened and I was a size 0... THANK YOU JESUS!!! All through high school I was active. I was involved in dance and soccer so fitness is no stranger in my life. I remained pretty fit after graduating high school. I didn't gain the freshman 20 but that was probably because I wanted to remain cute for the boys..lol



When I went back to college the second time around; I was working and going to school full time. Now it was all about convenience. What can I pick up on the way to class and on the way home? Fast food now was a thing of the present and no longer a thing of the past. I slowly began to gain weight and next thing I knew I went from a size 4 to a size 12. Naturally I felt insecure. As I look back at pictures, I notice that I'm hiding behind someone to avoid showing my body. I would hear about others who would feel insecure about their weight, but I never thought I would experience that emotion. Regardless of the weight gain, I tried to get some sort of exercise when I could. I went from being involved with dance, boxing and jiu jitsu to almost NO EXERCISE. Strangely after graduating college, my body began to lose weight on it's own. It was almost as though my body was saying "thank you for not putting any more poison in me!" I started to slowly get back into my regular routine but now the stress of job searching was on my plate. I'm not the type to turn to food when I'm under stress but I am one to not eat which being overweight and not eating don't go hand and hand.



In 2010, my aunt decided to open a gym. Because of my dance and fitness background, she asked if I would be interested in becoming a Zumba Instructor. I immediately said NO! I'd seen the classes at the gym and they were so cheesy. After much convincing, I agreed to become certified in 2010. I didn’t know what to expect, I wasn’t in the best shape myself. I started my first class with about 8 people and then our class grew so big we couldn’t move. From an instructors stand point, it’s a great feeling. From a student’s stand point, it was annoying not to be able to move. I knew that I had to set an example. No one wants an instructor who is out of shape so I started to watch what I ate. I started to educate myself on proper eating, portion control and exercising. It’s all common sense but it has to come from within to really want to change. I started to see progress and I LOVED IT!! I loved it so much that I added on my bucket list  “bikini competition” by the age of 35.In 2014, I reviewed my list and realized that 35 was around the corner. I made the conscious decision to start training and instead of competing once, I now want to compete multiple times. So in 2015, I plan to at least compete in three different shows. It's not going to be easy but I'm ready for the challenge.
 

 I didn’t know what all was involved in getting “competition” ready. Of course I’d seen plenty of youtube videos, isn’t that what we all do when we want to learn about something?? Or wait, is that google? Either way, it wasn't enough information to do it on my own. I officially have a prep coach and to my surprise he said my body type is not “bikini”. Which is and isn’t a compliment. My legs are too muscular and my back is too wide so I've been moved up to the next level of competition which is figure. Don't worry guys, I'm not gonna get manly but I'm definitely going to be LEAN and CUT! Competition day is July 25th, I officially started my meal/workout plan as of 2/9. I have 164 days to go and I'm only on day 3!! The goal is to get to 112-115 pounds of lean muscle. THE STRUGGLE IS REAL... HERE I GO!!!

Happy New Year!! It's Meal Prepping Season 😳

Happy New Year!!! Have you started working on your resolutions yet?? I'm two weeks into mine and boy has it been a lot of work! 

I'm now on week two of meal prepping and I'm already wondering how bikini competitors manage?? It's time consuming and tons of work, not to mention a bit expensive. I still don't understand why eating clean is far more expensive than crappy foods. Go figure! Just to give you an example of how long it took me to meal prep this Sunday.... I started at noon and stopped at 7:00pm. Did I mention all that work was only to prep for two days! But I don't give up easily and I'm determined to make this a lifestyle.

For those of you who know me, competing has been on my bucket list for a while. I said I would compete at least once before the age of 35. In 2014, I turned 33 which doesn't leave much time to cross it off my list. So now, in 2015, I've made it a goal to compete in as many bikini competitions before 35. Win or lose, I want to see my body transform. I will say, these last two weeks haven't been easy. Eating on schedule, making sure I pack all my food and not to mention tracking my workouts. I lack the macro tracking which I know it's something important but I'm using the month of January as my "trial and error".

My mom doesn't get why I'm doing this. She thinks I'm "thin" already but a mother has rose colored glasses for their child. However, she is supportive and thinks this whole process is still crazy. 

I have no idea what I'm getting myself into but I know it's something I want. It's not going to be easy but I have supportive people around me which helps A LOT!! 

I wanted to share how I started my meal prepping process since so many of you have asked. Here are 10 things that can help get you started...

1. dollar store Tupperware ( you can use whatever you already have or if you wanna get fancy, then get fancy!!) 😁

2. Lucky for me I got a sixpack backpack for my birthday but any lunch bag will do

3. Frozen vegetables (of ur choice but obviously none that have some sort of gravy) If you prefer fresh, that works just as good.

4. Lean meat- I was vegetarian for a while so eating red meat or any meat is hard for me. However, I found that bison, buffalo and veal are my new choice of meat. A little pricey but so worth it!

5. Fish- I LOVE fish so this is what I eat most of. Make sure when you purchase fish that it's wild caught and not farm raised. My choice of fish is tilapia or salmon

6. Food scale- it doesn't have to be a fancy one but I would make sure that it's semi decent. I found mine at TJ Maxx for $19.99. This will help measure your meat or any food, really.

7. Measuring cup- I use this to measure my rice,veggies and oatmeal(oh yea! Oatmeal is my new bestfriend)

8. Ziplock bags- I use these to put my snacks in. 

9. Water, Water and MORE WATER!!

10. Prepare everything Sunday night. This will help you stay on track and will avoid you reaching for bad food. If it's prepared and ready to heat up you will stay focused.(at least it keeps me focused)

I hope this helped. Please share your meal prep photos with me. Here is a pic of my two day, slaving in the kitchen, meal prep 

Disclaimer : I'm in no way or form an expert. I'm not a personal trainer, nutritionist or health guru. I'm just a person who is trying to eat clean for a competition I'm wanting to WIN!