LaReina Mae's Bikini Competition Journal!

[cassiegose]

Done correctly, oatmeal and eggwhites (with cinnamon and stevia) almost has a custard like quality about it that reminds me of dessert! The warm and gooey goodness makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. I love life's simple pleasures! Ahhhhhhh!

I do love me some oatmeal and eggwhites! This is one of favorite things in the whole wide world. bowl was especially tasty this morning. Not sure what i did differently? You're sooo right... its one of lifes simple pleasures. I skipped noon bowl of oatmeal and eggwhites and was pretty much cranky all afternoon as a result.

[cassiegose]

Done correctly, oatmeal and eggwhites (with cinnamon and stevia) almost has a custard like quality about it that reminds me of dessert! The warm and gooey goodness makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. I love life's simple pleasures! Ahhhhhhh!

I do love me some oatmeal and eggwhites! This is one of favorite things in the whole wide world. bowl was especially tasty this morning. Not sure what i did differently? You're sooo right... its one of lifes simple pleasures. I skipped noon bowl of oatmeal and eggwhites and was pretty much cranky all afternoon as a result.

All right, explain one more time. I make the oatmeal (1/4 cup? or 1/2?) like normal and then add cooked eggwhites? Or I put the eggwhites in the oatmeal while it's boiling? Then add cinnamon and stuff?

Ok so you take 1/2 cup oats and you mix in a GOOD amount of water. I never measure but would guess about 2 cups. Add cinnamon and stir. Microwave this for about 3-4 minutes. Add eggwhites and stir really well. I probably stand there and stir for about a minute or more. Stiring well helps to prevent eggwhite lumps. So stir WELL... then microwave again for another 2-3 minutes. I usually stop microwave about every minute to stir it again... it will begin to boil up so stop the microwave and stir it back down. You really have to watch it because it will boil out of the bowl if you let it go too long. I like mine fairly runny so if you find its too thick with only 2 cups water add more as i have no idea how much i usually put in there.

Let me know if it works.

[cassiegose]

Oh i'm sure the stovetop would work also! I have to use the microwave because I make mine at work and don't have access to a stove. Plus its faster and I don't like waiting for oatmeal to cook on the stove. I'm sure it would work though.

[lareinamae]

It's been a while since I've updated journal...

I've been really, really busy lately. It seems like each and every day schedule is overflowing, and with that schedule I have food shopping to do, food preparation to put together, meals to make for both myself and family, weight training sessions with trainer, cardio sessions morning and afternoon. It gets tough. Really tough. There was a day last week that I thought I was going to have a meltdown, so I nicely asked husband to take the kids out to dinner to allow me some 'alone' time to think about the reasons behind me doing the show, what I can do to make the whole hectic schedule easier on me, ect., ect. The solution, or at least the best one I could come up with is to get up earlier each morning. One extra hour early... I started that new routine last Thursday and I cannot begin to tell you what an improvement it has made on schedule and overall mental health! HA!

Getting up early allows me to wake up on the elyptical in our home gym while watching what will soon be the morning news (right now it's a slew of chick flicks I've checked out from the local video store - cable guy is coming end of the week to hook up the TV, which is NEW!)...afterwards I mosey downstairs to make oatmeal and eggwhites...and have a cup of coffee. The best part about all this: NO MORE MORNING RUSH! I sure enjoy taking time getting ready, sitting down and enjoying oatmeal and coffee. Man. What a difference an hour makes. Of course, the rest of day is crazy, but for that hour in the morning...the world is mine for the taking.

In other news, I'm down another pound...or at least I think I am. I have been weighing myself at the trainer's gym on her scale...but her scale broke this week. Luckily I have weighed myself a couple times on our scale at home which says that I am 6 pounds heavier than the scale at the gym says (hence the reason I like the scale at the gym better!)...Workouts are going good. The new tv makes doing cardio more fun...I lose myself in those chick flicks and forget I'm even on the elyptical (ok. maybe not...but you get the picture)...

[Boss Man]

You're doing briliantly, so keep up the hard work and GOOD LUCK

[lareinamae]

Posted new pictures...but I'm frustrated because I don't see any progress.

[starlet]

I can see a very good improvement in your abs!!
You're looking great, it really is paying off.

[lareinamae]

It's been a while since I've posted. I have been frustrated with progress! I have been putting in such hard work and dedication towards training and diet that I would expect to see better results...but I guess I'm going to have to accept slow and steady progress. I have literally been working booty off lately. typical week includes 3 weight training sessions, 30 minutes minimum of cardio daily, and usually one super cardio day where I do various active activities like long, hilly walks, long steady elyptical sessions, and most recently...yoga!

The diet is going...I miss some foods, but I can't say that I have necessarily been having any cravings for anything. Usually if something sounds good, I can find a clean, healthy way to make a satisfying 'substitute'. I've found some food that I really enjoy and I really look forward to eating too! I'm at about 1600 calories per day right now, and typical day looks like this:

skinny latte
1/2 cup steel cut oats
5 eggwhites
1 whole egg
cinnamon and stevia to taste

fat free greek yogurt
1/8 cup blueberries
1/8 cup raspberries
15 almonds

1/2 cup steel cut oats
5 eggwhites
1 whole egg
cinnamon and stevia to taste

veggies
2 skinny cheese sticks
15 almonds

veggies > this meal changes daily for variety!
lean protein >

low carb protein shake
1 tbs natural peanut butter

I like this meal plan for during the week, and on the weekends I mix it up a bit.

Other than that...all is well. I can't believe the show is only 14 weeks away. I sure hope I can be ready in time!!!!

XOXO

LaReina

[ironwill]

Bump Bump Bump.........HellOOOOOOO!! How are things going in here? Hope all is well!

[lareinamae]

Hey guys! Sorry I've been a little MIA lately! Our internet modem at work broke, and by the time I get myself home, fed, finished with cardio, dealt with pets and children and a husband...I'm ready to curl up and do nothing! I'm sure some of you can relate!

Workouts have been going really well. In a couple days, Saturday actually, I will be TWELVE weeks out from very first show ever. Nervous? Me? Um...YEAH!!! I can see some big changes in body - upper body is leaning out nicely, abs are coming in, arms and back are well defined. I feel like I'm competition ready....from the waist up. Things haven't been going as well in lower body as I'm still sportin' some 'junk in the trunk'. It seems like body is taking the fat from everywhere but booty. Ugh. I'm doing 30 minutes of cardio every morning except for the mornings of leg days, and every evening except Saturdays. I've also added 3 sets of 15 (each leg) bodyweight lunges, 3 x 25 calf raises, 3 x 30 sit ups, and 3 x 15 leg extensions every day but leg days as well.

The diet is going well...most of the time. Sometimes I just wanna bite into a nice big slice of gooey chocolate cake. But, alas...I must refrain if I want booty pudge to budge!

Time for dinner!

[lareinamae]

Ah, Amen for weekends!

I woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed this morning and immediately headed upstairs to do 30 minutes steady on the elyptical, new morning routine. What a pleasant way to wake up! It seems like I'm half way through workout before I actually 'wake up' and by the time I get downstairs for breakfast I'm ready and rearing to go for the day. Most mornings start with a big, giant bowl of oatmeal and eggwhites, but I like to mix it up a little on the weekends so I don't get burnt out on the same foods. This morning I had a small baked potatoe with 2 tbs fat free sour cream and a little seasalt and pepper. Man, I cannot begin to express how much I enjoyed potatoe! I haven't had potatoes since Christmas! I'll follow it with a protein shake...which I'm also looking forward to.

As of today I am officially 12 weeks out from competition. We booked our hotel room for the show...which made it "official". Today I was thinking about browsing some bikinis and some competition shoes... Next Sunday I'll have fat pinched again and see where I am at with . I've got fingers (and toes) crossed. I received a second hand compliment from trainer...one of her clients asked if I was doing a competition...I LOOK LIKE I'M DOING A COMPETITION!!!? What a compliment!

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day! XXOO! hubby is going to be taking me to a nice restaurant called Anthony's...and I've already decided to have the Ahi with a nice big salad. Mmm-mmm!

Hope all is well with everyone! Happy Heart Day!!

[lareinamae]

Hope everyone's Valentine's Day was fantastic! hubby and I spent the day shopping and finished the day with a wonderful dinner. I was kinda sad because I had to send food back...butter on Ahi...no good! When it came back out it was perfect! I loved every bite! Makes me wonder why people bother with sauces on foods anyhow!!?

One of the things I picked up during our shopping is a pair of shoes for the competition. I was sooooo excited to find them, and also to find that despite the 4 inch heels, they are rather comfortable. When I got home I put bikini and new shoes on and stood in the mirror to see how they looked. WOW! What a difference shoes make! quads and calves really 'popped' and looked very defined! I was pretty pleased. Also, bowleggedness seems to have straightened itself out quite a bit due to the more balanced muscle structure and newfound calves. I should mention that despite years of running, I have NEVER had calves before, so I'm pretty pleased with that. Unfortunately, with legs slimming down a bit, skin looks loose which also magnifies the visibility of cellulite on legs. Yuck! Hopefully that will subside over time as well as I continue to lean down.

Monday was chest and arm day. trainer was VERY pleased with how I'm progressing and said I should be very pleased with progress as well. For the first time she said that she thinks I will be ready for the show. What a relief it was for me to hear those words from her mouth. Pfew!

I have been fighting a cold, and seem to be losing the battle. I'm really congested right now and it's a struggle to breathe! Cardio has been especially challenging due to this. I've been drinking a ton of water..and have been struggling to make sure I'm eating enough due to the fact I have no appetite. I sure hope I get over it quickly!

In other news, I've been browsing bikinis for the show online. Haven't found any yet. I found a site with competition bikinis, however they want $160! Holy cow! Still looking...and still have heart set on neon orange (hopefully with crystals)...

Hope all's well with everyone!!

[lareinamae]

I haven't been very good about posting lately...

I have been making progress! But I have to admit that I had some slips ups this week. It has been a real struggle and I am beginning to think I don't have as much support as I originally thought. The family has been eating junk in front of me...and I know this is choice, but it makes the diet sooo much harder when people are eating ice cream right in front of you! I had a cheat meal Sunday night, which I really enjoyed, but I have been having a hard time getting back on track since cheat. 10 weeks from the show as of next Saturday (two days away)...it's time to get serious! I MEAN IT!

On the plus side...I found suit today...and I bought it! It didn't cost me an arm and a leg either! Yay me! It's coral colored with sequins. Really pretty. I can't wait to get it (it's in the mail).

Other than that all is well! Hope all's great with everyone!

[ironwill]

Hellooooo. Good to hear from you. Hey take the ice cream out of the freezer and heave it........that stuff is pure wasteline additive........ I don't even allow it in house, kids have to go to Grammy's to get it...... Glad to hear about the suit. Your doing gr8...keep on truckin' it'll be here b4 you know it.

[lareinamae]

weakness has been wheaties lately. And fruit. Bananas...really carbs. Any kind of carbs...

I had ice cream for cheat meal, and haven't really had any urge to eat it again...it's just when the family starts snacking while we're all sitting around together watching the new season of American Idol...I get the munchies too. I need to start eating some celery instead.

Thanks for the kind words, Iron...I really need all the support I can get right now!