12 days out from the competition!

I am 12 days out from the competition!

This morning I put on my heels and bikini and practiced and filmed my walk and posing. I look great! Except, since I didn't do it before I didn't realize I have visible fat/cellulite in my lower back...It cool though, I think within the next week I might be able to get rid of it. Jada suggested to split 60 minutes of cardio (30 minutes AM; 30 minutes PM) each day until competition day and eat super clean. She also suggested I eat asparagus for my vegetables all next week so that the asparagus can flush me out (asparagus is a diuretic). We will see if this works to get rid of my fat at the last minute! :-O

This is my timeline...

This Friday 5/20:  I will go get my shoes, accessories and sportswear outfit in downtown LA. This Friday I also plan on gettign my  make-up from MAC but I am not sure if I will get it from there. MAC has made some racists or intolerant comments against people of color, I think. I will have to double check.

Saturday 5/21: I will get my bikini line waxed! I might get the Brazilian wax to get rid of all my hair, ouch! I'm also going to practice on my make up and hair style.

Wednesday 5/25: I already ordered my tanning lotion and MHP's Xpel (diuretic) that I will take a few days before competition day.

Friday 5/27: I will get my nails and pedicure done. Drink little water and go to bed early.

Here is my diet and workout for today:


6:30am 1/2 medium banana

7:00am Meal 1
Protein pancake: 1/4 cup oats, 3/4 cup egg whites,  1 tbsp ground flaxseed; 1/2 medium banana slices; 2 tbsp of sliced almonds (Maybe I had too much (healthy) fat in this one meal, but it was so yummy! I just have to limit my fat intake through out the day.

3 scoops SuperPump  before workout

AM Workout: Heavy Legs and Cardio

• 2X30 walking lunges/ each leg
• Deadlifts- 1X15 - 50 lbs; 2X12- 60 lbs; 1X10- 70 lbs
• Split lunges of Smith Machine- 3X12-70 lbs. each leg; 1X20-40 lbs each leg
• Butt blaster machine- 1X18-80lbs; 1X15-90 lbs; 2X12-100lbs each leg/glute
• Leg Abductor machine- 1X15-80lbs; 1X12- 90lbs; 2X10-100 lbs.
• Lying leg curls- 4X12-60 lbs. (alternated fast; slow; up fast and down slow; 1/2 way-45degrees) 
• 27 minute cardio workout: uphill walk 3.5-5.1 mph; 5.0-8.0 incline

11:30am Snack 1
1 scoop of vegetable protein (~18 grams)
2 oz soy milk

1:15pm  Meal 2
2 grape tomatoes; Large salad (spinach, red lettuce, broccoli slaw, shredded carrots,  radish; cucumber), balsamic vinegar and lemon pepper
1 chicken patty  with chipotle sauce
1/4 cup boiled sweet potato

4:30pm Meal 3
4 egg whites; 1/2 cup zucchini

5:30pm Cardio- 30 minutes- elliptical machine

7pm Meal 4
Chicken-less chicken; 1/2 cup asparagus; 1/2 cup broccoli

9:30pm Snack 2
Vegetable protein powder; 2 oz. soy milk

A few days ago I had a revelation...

 “Whatever you hold in your mind will tend to occur in your life. If you continue to believe as you have always believed, you will continue to act as you have always acted. If you continue to act as you have always acted, you will continue to get what you have always gotten. If you want different results in your life or your work, all you have to do is change your mind.”

I added the above quote to my last blog. I was left with that that in my mind from that day on. I cannot seek to make changes if I carry the same mentality. I need to change my attitude and change my thoughts if I want to create change. 

The following days I had a revelation....

A couple of weeks ago, I realized that I am weeks away from turning 30 (on August 18th). I am a grown woman and I am not getting younger. I want to be the healthiest I can be, TODAY! This means that my life is taking a turn: I will now enter my 30's! It is not a sharp or drastic turn My actions, behaviors and habits in the past have lead me to the point where I am today in every single aspect. What it turning 30 means, however, is significant turn in my life because I can no longer remain in the same state. I want to improve and by that it means that I must approach life a different way, a better way and smarter way. In order to improve my mind, body, heart and spirit, I need to change my thoughts and challenge what I am used to.....


Another reason why this turn in my life is meaningful is because pretty soon it will no longer be about me, but about my future children. I want to be the healthiest I can be so that when I am ready and chose to get pregnant my body will be the healthiest environment for my baby to grow. I want my every organ in my body to be healthy. I want clean blood running through my body and I want every organ function to work well. I want to have a healthy heart, brain, a HEALTHY BODY! 
 
On July 1st, I made the commitment to myself to go vegetarian because of multiple reasons (health, the environment and animal rights) . After re-reading the book Skinny Bitch, I decided that vegetarian is the best and sensible thing for me to do because eating a plant-based diet makes a difference in the way you live. I've researched somewhat on the health benefits and living a less impactful lifestyle by being a vegeterian and I gotta say that I chose to live this way. I am actually an ovo-vegetarian because I still eat eggs (organic, free-range, that is). I don't drink cow's milk, eat very little cheese/cottage cheese and yogurt (almost none) . I want to cut the "almost none" out completely though. This will be a step forward to veganism (maybe),  but we will see if that is even a long term option for me....The most important thing to me right now is to be the healthiest I can be and be the least  impactful I can be on this earth.

The less toxins, chemicals, junk I have in my body when my baby comes, the healthier the baby I will give birth to. I intent to raise a vegan baby. I know it is do-able because my sister Laura is raising her 8 month old baby girl, Adrianna that way. Adrianna is such a happy and healthy baby! It is amazing to see her grow eating all natural/organic and animal-free products!

Bret was very influential in this decision. Bret has been a vegetarianism for the past 1.5 years (before that, he was vegetarian for 3 years in college) and ever since 2010 we do not buy meat, chicken or fish. I use to call myself a "flexi-terian" because I would eat animals when I was away from home...but now I cannot conceive the thought of eating it again after all I know of the cruelty animals suffer and all the chemicals that go into their bodies, poor things... I also dislike the meat industry very much. Ugh, I also dislike and the bad ethics of the USDA and FDA, including the fast food industry. A great movie to watch is Food, Inc. (http://www.foodincmovie.com/); it is easy to understand how the whole animal (meat) and food systems work.
 
Anyway, going back to NOW! I am going to compete for the 2nd time on September 24! I am 11 weeks out - 76 days out! I wanted to start contest-prep 12 weeks out or 90 days out, but I wasn't ready. The weeks after the show I was over eating, eating tons of sweets and not working out as much. I weight myself a couple of weeks ago and I was exacly 118lbs. In contets day I was 111.5lbs. All the weight I've gained is water weight, sodium, sugar and fat, yuck!

This past week I got sick and it really threw me out of control. I was eating okay, not so much indulging on sweets and larger portions, but I did not train as hard. I took the week off to recuperate and give my muscles and joint a break before training hard for contest-prep. Dieting and training hard to get bikini ready once again has arrived!!!

I can't take it anymore. I am ready to go back and get in the best shape of my life ever! This time around it will be much better because I have learned so much from last contest-prep.  I am so excited for these next 11 weeks. I am determined to limit my sweets and cheat meals. I already have my diet and training planned out. My diet will be much more stricter and cleaner and my training is going to me much more rigorous and focused. My sleeping habits will be better. I am aiming at 8 hours of sleep a night!

So here I go on to the gym to get back into shape! I look forward to a great day today!

Love,

Bea


I have to go back to my training and dieting to get disciplined and get to the health and fitness level I want to be at.

I'm starting an exciting 30-day challenge!

It's July 1st. What a beautiful hot summer day! Half of 2011 has flown us by...Are you where you wanted to be in the beginning of 2011? Have you accomplished your goals or resolved something by this time of the year?

If you resolved to be healthier this year, for example, but fell off the bandwagon -- no worries. Get back up on your two little feet and start over! Se vale volver a empezar! ("It's allowed to start over!"). If you haven't gotten done what you said you would on January 1st, go out there and start doing it today. You still have 182 and a half days left!

Lately, I have been thinking and meditating more deeply about the way I live and the quality of life I want today, tomorrow and for the rest of my life....I have set some new exciting goals for myself to accomplish the rest of this 2011. I started a 30-day challenge today that is worthwhile! Whoo-hoo! (I will tell you in a private message what is if you really wanna know what it is ;-)

Really though, I'd also like to encourage you to do the same :) For the next 30 days try something new or different. Develop a healthier habit or stop an addictive/unhealthy one, pick up a new hobby, learn a new skill, etc. Take baby steps that will lead to sustainability. Be patient, take one day at a time and believe in yourself. The next 30 days are gonna pass you by whether you do it or not -- so why not do it ???

The clock continues to tick and we are not getting any younger. What are you waiting for? This is your life. Live it and love it.

Love,

Bea


Check this out:http://www.ted.com/talks/matt_cutts_try_something_new_for_30_days.html

My mind is playing tricks on me

These past 3 weeks I have been eating a variety of foods, vegetables, fruits, salads, nuts, tortillas, whole wheat bread. My old habits are kicking in and my mind is beginning to play games on me....

I feel that since I am not in a contest diet I can eat whatever I want at what ever time I want, ugh! Just this week, I came home at 9am and although I had told myself I would come home and brush my teeth so that I wouldn't eat, I still chose to EAT! I ate 2 rice cakes (one with almond butter and the other with PB)!!! I've also indulged in SWEETS these past 3 weeks!!! I have developed a love for sweets that is beginning to really bother me. I've notices cravings for sweets much more now since I decided to compete. Also, this week at my parents house I ate an entire banana nut muffin from Porto's (http://www.portosbakery.com/content/portos-downey) all by myself. It was probably more than 500 calories. I do not do stuff like that...Why did I do that???

Eating sweet stuff once in a while is okay. Eating every day, or even every other day is NOT -- especially if you eat  too much of it. Sometimes I feel that I have this angel on my right shoulder whispering to me to be good, work hard, eat well, go to bed early....On my left shoulder, I have this little evil devil that tells me to eat,to "eat one more cookie or maybe 2 more", that I am too sore to work out, stay up a little late, be mean and lazy....I have to master my mind so that the devil disappears and my little the angel wins!

I have to re-evaluate myself and why I want to do this. I need to seriously analyze my thought process today. I need to re-set and start again with a new way of thinking and doing things so that I am able to reach my health, fitness and life goals. Come on now -- I'm a psychology major! I read a lot on psychology, human behavior and habit behavior! This should be easy! But knowing, and not doing is really not knowing....So I have to learn and DO IT!

It is amazing how one continues to learn every single day in life. Life is a never ending learning process. I will always be a student learning about ways to live my life better. I am on my way to learning how to master my mind. Here are two quotes:

• “Be master of mind rather than mastered by mind”

• “Whatever you hold in your mind will tend to occur in your life. If you continue to believe as you have always believed, you will continue to act as you have always acted. If you continue to act as you have always acted, you will continue to get what you have always gotten. If you want different results in your life or your work, all you have to do is change your mind.”

 Today, my fitness and nutrition goals today are:

• Hit the gym for 1 hour (cardio, 45 minutes; abs)
• Eat healthy fats during snacks only (post-work out shake, snack 1, snack 2)
• Eat clean at all meals today (and tomorrow so that I can enjoy eating on Father's Day this Sunday -- but I will just narrow my focus and eat clean TODAY). 
• If I get too hungry between meals, I will drink 2 cups of water.
• If I come home late today (after CPR class, go straight to brush my teeth).

I believe that the little steps I take are part of the big picture. I can do it!

Here is my food journal for day:

5:45am Breakfast
Protein pancake (1/4 cup steel cut oats [dry], 3 egg whites, 1/2 banana cut in slices and chocolate sugar-free syrup)

9:15am Post-work out shake
6 oz. water, 4 oz. soy milk, 1/2 scoop whey protein, 1 tbsp. ground flaxseed, 1/ 2 banana, 1/8 cup blueberries

11:15am  Snack 1
1 rice cake with 2 tbsp. almond butter (mmmm, so good!)
1/2 cup soy plain yogurt, 1/4 cup blueberries, 1 sample small box of Total cereal

 1:45pm Lunch

4:45pm Snack 2

7pm Dinner BRUSH TEETH AFTER DINNER!




Love,

Bea

Be Productive, and Love and Enjoy Every Second!

I feel that today I have a million things to do....

1. I am just about to head out to the gym for my cardio-bootcamp and abs session.
2. I am going to the SAESL, Scholarship Association for English as a Second Language StudentsTardeada at 12pm in East L.A.
3. Stop at the Dollar Tree to buy decorations for my bother. Javier's bday celebration.
4. Javier's birthday party and spend time with my wonderful family in Norwalk.
5. Pick up Bret in Palms and head out to Stuff I Eat in Inglewood to meet Cindy and Chris. 
6. Review the Latino Health Access Interview Questions and Orientation PPT. 
7. Pack my meals for the next day
8. Go to bed by 9:15pm!

Some say "meditation" is to be calm and do not think, etc.  But meditation can also mean being self-aware of what you are feeling, thinking and being at any given moment. I gotta seize the day, be productive, love and enjoy every second of the day.

Love,

Bea

Some plans...

Ever since I posted my picture wearing my purple bikini competition suit and photos, I got a lot of positive and sweet comments from many friends. I posted the picture because I worked hard to get in the best shape of my life. As a result I am healthy and strive to be healthy in every single aspect I can. My profile picture is my nicest bikini pose wearing y bikini suit. How would I not post that picture? My bikini was $100 (including shopping) of course I was going to post it! LOL

I have been wanting to get my personal trainer certification for years... I think the time has come and I will begin studying for it. Bret suggested I do it this summer so that by the fall I start training people. Becoming a personal trainer I can help people become healthier by exercise and eating well, two things that I love! I am mostly interested to help other women get in the best shape of their lives and be healthy and the best selves they can be in this moment.


By choosing this his career path part-time I will be addressing two of the most crucial problems this country is facing: overweight and obesity by teaching and helping people eat better and being physically active. I want to provide the right support in women and young girls journey to change into a healthier lifestyle.

It will take some time to plan carefully and develop methods to executing my plan. It will not come easy, but I am ready to do the work. Before I do that though, I need to continue staying focuses on....

1) Begin the first stages of my thesis, (Dr. Rios-Ellis wants me to have 2 chapters done by the end of the summer) and;

2) Start studying for the the GRE which I will take by the end of September. Perhaps a week before my next competition. I will also sign up for a GRE prep class that is 5 weeks long from UCLA Extension (from August 5 - September 8).

I have not laid out a contest pre-plan. I will create my plan very soon!

After my competition I need to start gathering my application materials so I can apply to Schools of Public Health for, my PhD and meet the December 1st deadline.

Monday, June 6, 2011: Heavy Leg Day

Legs - HEAVY

SuperSet 1 - 3X's
Squats: 8reps (50lbs. B [barbell])
Plie Squats: 8 reps (30lbs. DB)

SuperSet 2 - 3X's
Jump Squats: 15 reps (no weight)

Stiff Legged-Deadlift: 8 reps (50lbs. BB)

SuperSet 3 - 3X's
Squats: 8reps (50lbs. B [barbell])

Plie Squats: 8 reps (30lbs. DB)



SuperSet 4 - 3X's
Leg Extension (only 1 time): 15X 75lbs
Leg Press (2 X only): 15 reps (75lbs.)
Walking Lunges: 20 reps each leg (2-10 lbs DB)

SuperSet 5 - 3X's
Stationary Lunge: 10reps (50lbs. BB)

Lying Hamstring Curl: 8 reps (60 lbs. )

Standing Calf Raise
15-100lbs
12- 110 lbs
10- 120 lbs

CARDIO: 20 minutes
5 min warm-up
HIIT X7 (30 seconds at 8.5; 60 seconds at 3.5)
5 minutes cool down

May 28th, competition day!

So it has been over a week since my first bikini competition!

 The morning of the show I was so ready to put on my bikini and walk on stage. I packed my stuff, my meals and 1/2 gallon water (to drink after the show) and Bret and I walked to my car and head out to Brea (Orange County) at12:30pm. As we drove I was feeling like an actual competitor. I was feeling the excitement of showing my hard work and diet on stage. My weight-loss journey, my ups and downs, my depression and euphoria from working out, my self-control and will and tenacity to be in the best shape of my life brought me to that day.

On my way to the competition location I ate a medium banana, 1 rice cake and almond butter. I didn't measure the almond butter because it tasted so good I wanted to enjoy it and not worry about it. I had read that eating carbs and fats on contest day is a great idea to keep your energy levels up.

The girls at the show were gorgeous and had great physiques. I was in no way intimidated by them -- as I appreciate what I have and what I have worked on. I knew very well that the reason I was there to compete with myself and see what I have accomplished. I happily shared with people that it was my first time competing! I was overly excited to see fit bodies, meet great people and was ready to do this.

Love,

Bea

Competition day is here!!! :-O

It's funny to think back that 5 months ago I made the decision to compete. I am here today typing this and knowing that I have worked hard. I have prepared for this day to be in the best shape of my life!

So the day has arrived. I am ready to do this. I have been cutting down my water little by little. I drank 1 gallon on Wednesday, 3/4 gallon on Thursday, 1/2 gallon yesterday, and today I will drink about 4 cups of water -- or less....I have never done this! I also started taking a diuretic on Wednesday. I haven't been peeing much, but my feet and hands get sweaty at times. I also feel hot and sweat. I have seen some ab definition that I am liking a lot! Today I am eating carbohydrates as my meals, every three hours:
6:45am; 1/3 cup cream of wheat, water, 1 cup soy milk, 1/2 banana, 1tbs. flaxseed, 1/2 scoop whey protein
9:45am; 1/3 cup cream of wheat, water, 1 cup soy milk, 1/2 banana,
12:15pm; 2 rice cakes, 15 almonds
2:45pm; 2 rice cakes, 1 tbsp. almond butter
5:15pm- 3/4 cup yams; 1 tbs.almond butter
7:30pm - dried fruit

 I have my outfits ready, including the jewelry and shoes. Now I have to go buy my rice cakes and hairspray :)

When I was 24 -- about 5 years ago, I said to myself, "I want to be in the best shape of my life by the time I am 25. Boy, I had a lot to learn! I had to go through a crazy roller coaster for the next 5 years to get to this point.

Before I hit 30, I am in the best shape of my life, will have competed in my first bikini show and I have learned about myself more than I ever have. It took so much work, effort, sacrifice, commitment, self-awareness, motivation, inspiration, belief in myself, perseverance, consistency and more to get to this point.

I am proud of who I am what I have achieved. I am proud of where I come from, who I come from a and where I am going. This is only a stepping stone to become the woman I am meant to become. This journey has taken me to places I have never before.

Let's see how it goes tonight!

Mexican sweet bread and competition-prep!

Over the past several weeks I have made dramatic changes in my fitness and health. I have learned about my strengths and weaknesses. I have learned to admit those weaknesses and figure out steps I can realistically take improve.

I signed up for this bikini competition to see what I can achieve. If I never try, I will never know what I am capable of! I am ecstatic to think about how I will feel when I stand on that stage and the lights shining on me wearing nothing my a bikini and heels on! When I walk on the stage, I will be confident stutting my stuff at the audience and judges to see all my hard work! I have never done this or gone this far and that is why I am so happy to do it.

Life is about living it and loving it. This journey has taught me a great amount of thing about myself and about life. I realize that I can do anything I set my mind to. Although at times it is hard to say no to food -- I have learned that that is alright. This is the first time I do something like this, so I am still new to all of this. I don't have to be perfect. As long as I control ,y portions and my indulgences, I will be alright.

A couple of days ago I went to my parents' house to visit. I told myself I would not have sweet bread (which I always seem to give in to and have 1 bread piece too much) because I am so close to the competition that I want to eat as clean as clean means! So I decided not to think much of it and just go and visit. I've read that the more you try "not to think" about something, the more you think of it!

 ...But guess what, a few minutes in my mom and dad's I made myself a cup of cafe con leche and I started eating sweet bread! Ah! It was a conscious decision I made. I felt my tummy and I remembered my hard work at the gym that morning, but I did not put that bread down. I did not want to feel guilty any longer. I did not want to feel the responsibility to eating super clean or being on a contest-prep diet. I decided to eat and enjoy my bread and cafe con leche! After wards, and after drinking a few sips of my dad's sopa de letras con pollo and after feeling full and bloated. I stopped. I had eaten enough and was ready to move on and continue with my goals until competition day.

That evening after dinner I told Bret that I love sweet bread and I love preparing for a contest, but that I decided that sweet bread is something I do not intend to give up for now. Restricting myself to it only makes me feel guilty and sick! I will work on my portion control, however, but I plan to eat it :) Sweet bread and a cup of cafe con leche makes me happy. Yes, I call it "emotional eating". I admit it. My goal is to one day go to my parents' house and NOT have sweet bread when it is there. I need to work on my self-control and self-gratification when it comes to this. I know I will achieve it...but for now, I will eat it :)

Love,

Bea