3 TOUGH WEEKS FOR ONE AMAZING DAY

Nothing worth having comes for free. You want something real? something worth having? You gotta work. You have to earn it. - “If it were easy everyone would be doing it”

I have finally reached the mark of three weeks out and this is a phrase that keeps me going. That feeling of giving in and giving up mocks me all day long. Carb deprivation is starting to kick in, my body is starting to weaken and it is hard to think positive sometimes. What was so easy suddenly became such a challenge it is crazy how much your energy levels effect how you function in day to day activities. Something I used to love (working out) has now become something that I can't bear the thought of. Getting the energy to go to the gym seems like trying to perform a miracle to me right now but it is something I continue and will continue to do because there are only 3 weeks left - when I step on stage every second of this time will be worth it.

What I have learned this week:

1. Family and friends make life great. Without close connections your life is far less fulfilling.

2. Always have dreams to keep you occupied- let your mind wander to things you wish to achieve and don't be afraid to daydream about future goals :)

3. Praise success- set mini goals for yourself that you can feel good about accomplishing always be your most positive self.

4. Plan- What do you want to accomplish this week? You are far more likely to follow through when you have written out when you will do it.

5. Try new things- whether it is a new recipe, or a new exercise in the gym don't be scared to stray from your routine and be adventurous!

Last of all- enjoy life. There are moments in any diet or part of life where you feel like giving up but you need to remind yourself why you are doing what you are doing and who you are doing it for. If the answer is you and your goals then all of the pain will pay off. It is best to enjoy the small things and small moments so that when the big ones come you will appreciate them most :)

CONSISTENCY

Deciding to compete also means deciding to accept the same food's meal after meal. Yes I go through phases (a phase being fish for nearly every meal one week and chicken the next) but the food's I eat remain consistent.

Consistency is not only important for a fitness competitor but also for anyone aiming to reach a weight loss goal. You need to be eating clean every meal every day. I can't stress this enough- when you mess up don't skip your next meal! So many people think that a mistake can be fixed by eating less- it is the opposite. If you eat off your plan for one meal continue as usual for the next meal DO NOT get the mind set that when you mess up it is best to eat nothing for the rest of the day. This in fact is worse for your diet as your body will think it's starving and your metabolism will in turn slow down.


Another common mistake is when someone messes up and decides "whatever" taking the next few days as a "free ride"- Aim to make your mistake better by having a great next meal- don't ever skip a meal just because one meal was bad. Everyone makes mistakes but it how you overcome them that will determine whether you win or loose your day :)

Normally I encourage clients to plan cheat days into their meal schedules to ensure that feeling of deprivation never kicks in. The moment you let yourself feel like you are on a strict diet the second you will be opt to eat everything in sight!

Everyone has weak moments but every time you overcome one you become that much stronger and should feel a sense of success! I have days where I too want to give up and fall victim to a treat but I remind myself how bad I want this and that giving in is giving up. The treats aren't suddenly going to disappear (although it may feel that way sometimes!) When you put it into your plan to have and enjoy one it will not only be without guilt but taste that much better satisfying you that much more!

MOODINESS

One of the toughest battle's I have been facing lately has been moodiness! Anyone who has ever jumped on the diet train can attest to this as well I am certain.
To help combat this I take a B-12 supplement - B-12 is a natural energizer and I have found it helps balance my mood as well as provide me with a boost in my energy levels.

By consuming foods high in amino acids tryptophan and tyrosine you can boost your mood as well. Some foods that contain trytophan are chicken or turkey and brown rice. Some food's that contain tyrosine are banana's, avocodo's and almonds.

HOW TO STAY FOCUSED

QUESTION “Do you ever get cravings?”

Yes! Like anyone else I crave things perhaps more then I normally would if I wasn't on such a strict regimen. Here are some of my best kept secrets that can be used if you are dieting down for the summer or just trying to follow a clean eating lifestyle.

1. Stop obsessing- keep busy. Don't drive yourself crazy thinking of all the foods you are missing out on. It really is not as bad as it seems.
   

2. Are you hydrated? Often times you can confuse hunger with thirst- aim for 8-10 glasses per day- Tea is great because it takes longer to drink and often times before you are even finished your cup you forget about what you were craving in the first place! Don't be shy with flavours try a few different variates. Tetley has lots of great flavours- vanilla roobius or warmth (cinnamon spice) are very sweet tasting tea's I also love loose leaf tea and you can buy a ton of flavour from chocolate to almond at speciality tea stores. Yes I have a slight obsession with tea :)

3. When was the last time you ate? Are you aiming to follow a clean eating diet- every 2-3 hours? Make sure you don't skip out on meals- Try setting an alarm in your phone to go off on your eating mark to remember or keep a food journal in your purse or bag. Sometimes I will even write in the times I plan on eating in my agenda is though they are appointments- sounds silly I know but it works!
   

4. Plan- Most important of all- poor planning can sabotage your diet very easily. Plan the night before what you are going to eat, what time you are going to eat at and if you are super organized prepare your food so it is already made and ready to go.
   

5. Don't let your diet feel like a diet- make things feel like treat sometimes- I HATE asparagus but unfortunately it is at the top of my diet list. I have found different ways to make myself like it- don't be afraid to get creative! :) Here are some ways I have adapted different meals into treats.
   

Greek Yogurt- I have got so many of my clients onto this stuff! Not only is it thicker than regular yogurt but it also contains ALOT more protein and LESS carbs!! Here is my trick to making it tasty! :) Add in 1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa and a few packets of Stevia- You now have a healthy protein filled yogurt that tastes like chocolate pudding.

Egg Whites- This sounds odd I know but it tastes amazing. Egg whites do not have much of a taste on their own so when I am craving something sweet I add unsweetened cocoa, cinnamon, stevia and vanilla into my egg whites while they cook. When they are half cooked I then add 1 tablespoon of flax seed and 1 tablespoon of protein powder giving the outside a crunchy texture making it feel more like a treat. Try adding some greek yogurt and berries into the middle for a crepe like dessert if you want to add more flavors.

These are the tricks that help me through hope they can help you too :)

SIX WEEKS OUT

In the midst of mood swings and deprivation dieting for a show often times makes you selfish. It is not that you demand things or make yourself the center of attention but start to believe that your life (including the people in it) get put on hold. It takes big moments to make you realize that it is not and the world keeps turning no matter how many weeks out you are or how tired and stressed you feel. Constantly I remind myself that this is not a punishment it is a choice. I have learned to understand that I must continue with my everyday events instead of centering myself and my life around my show preparation.

This past weekend my family travelled out of town. A night away sounds easy but it means major planning and preparation. Packing baggies of supplements and 8 meals into my large cooler had me prepared to go. Pulling out containers on the road was easy, sneaking food into my purse to eat during a 3 hour ceremony was fine but sitting through a buffet of no thank you's was the hardest part of all. It is in these moments of weakness that you begin to realize how strong you are and how bad you want the win.

I have finally reached my six week mark- changes are starting to become visible and mentally I am more focused and motivated then I have ever been. More challenges? “bring it” I fight a new battle everyday and am prepared to keep fighting.

I was given an opportunity to shoot a video this past week with my boyfriend and coach Tyler - he has put up with me through the ups and downs and I am blessed beyond belief to have him in my life. Take a glimpse of how we train legs together and how we work as a team! :)

http://www.athleticlife.com/sarah-rennick-opa-competitor-trains-with-personal-trainer-tyler-brennan/

day 3

There is no feeling like knowing all the hard work you put into something is paying off. I have reached day 3 of step mill and finally conquered my goal of reaching 50 minutes- I didn't even care that I was dripping sweat, starving or ready to drop just that I had finally did it.

In your progress it is good to set mini goals that way you are always able to accomplish something that can fuel your drive to succeed. I have a lot more mini goals to reach and still that one BIG goal but today I have won my day :) tomorrow is nothing but another challenge.

" A goal without a plan is just a wish"

<--- SOME MOTIVATION FROM IFBB BIKINI PRO/ WINNER AT THE ARNOLDS (my goal to be there too!)

I have let contest prep get both the worst and best of me. The last 10 weeks have been a crazy ride and i still have seven left to go. To most people that seems like a long time to be dieting and working like an animal in the gym but to a competitor it is hardly enough.

Questions and thoughts run through my mind every second “will I be ready?” “do I really want this” and at the end of the day when I picture being on that stage every question is erased and only the drive to win remains. Some days I don't know how Tyler puts up with my constant doubting, mood swings and complaining- but I always feel so blessed to have such an understanding coach and boyfriend. Friends and family are such a big part of my life and I would not have made it this far into my prep without them. I have four weeks before I get to see my beautiful suit again and in those weeks I plan to make drastic changes, I know it won't be easy but I also know it will be completely worth it. What is four weeks out of your life for something you want as bad as winning a show anyways? :) Coach Tyler has given me a challenge this week in itself STEPPER- This machine kills me and I will conquer it both AM and PM until I reach my goals. I will prove to the machine, my coach and myself that I deserve to be on that stage and I deserve to win!