My Weekly Progress Reports

If I’m honest, watching Tamara Judge from The Real Housewives of Orange County compete in (and win) her first fitness competition at 49 was what first inspired me to want to compete.

That season chronicled her getting into the best shape of her life (and let’s be real, she’s always been gorgeous!) after having four kids (now mostly grown!) and while approaching her 50th birthday. What’s not to love about that?

They didn’t make it look easy – she worked her butt off at the gym, sacrificed in social situations (which I’m sure there were A LOT of with the show) and kept her eye on the prize.

Basically watching her journey unfold “live” on television over several months inspired me to want to attempt the same.

Not to win.

Not for attention.

But to become one step closer to becoming my best self.

Because becoming as physically healthy as possible is a BIG part of that.

This post contains a week by week recap of my progress as I prepare for my competition. You can learn more about bikini competition prep here.

17 Weeks out from the competition

Being a fan of tangibly being able to measure my progress, here’s a snapshot of where I’m at in pictures:

Have you seen those cute Instax cameras by Fujifilm yet? It’s the new-school version of a Polaroid and takes these adorable mini photos – I’ll be taking weekly progress photos with it (plus my phone), so I can physically see my progress over the next four months.

The top right photo is an Omron fat loss monitor, which I’ll use to assess my body fat percentage each week. We also use calipers from time-to-time at the gym.

Lastly, the bottom right is an old digital scale I have from my days working for Jenny Craig (here’s a similar one) – I’ve always had a strong interest in health and fitness and helping others become their best selves.

What happened last week:

To keep things nice and to the point, I’m going to offer up a list of highlights/lowlights bullet-point style:

• I made it to the gym 6/7 days (which was the plan) after taking a much-needed rest week the week before (over the Christmas/New Year’s holiday).
• I started to track my food, but wasn’t overly diligent about it…
• I started weighing myself daily – I don’t see myself getting obsessive about this, but time will tell! ?
• My time of the month came, making me feel all bloated and stuff.

Pssst… Cindy and I are doing regular video updates via our Facebook page – here’s the latest where we dish about a few fun things!

What’s coming up this week:

I’m flying out to Destin Florida tomorrow (which isn’t the warm, sunny Florida we all had hoped when planning this trip months ago…) and shacking up with five other ladies to mastermind about our online businesses.

So probably dining out, more wine than planned… that kinda thing. My goal is to go with the flow, try to get some beach runs in and consider each food/drink choice individually.

Luckily I’m still at the beginning of my journey, but I can only say that so long…

Predicting the Future

For me, a lot of this is going to come down to my diet.

And that’s one big reason that I’m blogging publicly about it. Because if I know others are watching, I’ll be more accountable to my goal.

You might think that’s weird. That’s cool, I am weird.

If nothing else, I plan on telling it like it is. So I hope you stay along for the ride!

The time’s ticking…

16 Weeks Out

Here’s a snapshot of where I’m at in pictures:

That’s a SUPER unflattering angle of my legs, LOL!

What happened last week:

To keep things nice and to the point, I’m going to offer up a list of highlights/lowlights bullet-point style:

• Most importantly, I LOST 2.2 POUNDS! My body fat percentage stayed the same, but I’m happy to see a number on the scale that I haven’t seen in quite a while!!
• I only made it to the gym 3/7 days due to traveling to Destin, FL for a mastermind retreat.
• While I didn’t do any strength training, I did get to walk and talk with my new besties on the beach! And walking in sand counts for something right?!?
• I didn’t track my food, but tried to be conscious about every food choice I made and whether I was eating because I was hungry or due to being tired or out of boredom.
• As anticipated, I drank to0 much wine. ?

What’s coming up this week:

We leave in less than two hours for Texas!

First up is ~18 hours on the road driving overnight from north of the Twin Cities in Minnesota to Austin, Texas where we’ll be spending Saturday and Sunday night. I’m hoping to do a meetup (totally last minute!) with my regular Horkey HandBook community and my friend Holly. This could mean coffee or cocktails…

Then Monday morning we’ll be traveling the last ~6 hours to our final destination in South Padre Island, TX. I’m SO looking forward to daily walks (or runs) on the beach and SUNSHINE!

My goal is to choose wisely when it comes to food while on the road and take advantage of both the pool and workout room at the hotel. I’ve also packed resistance and booty bands, my scale and fat loss monitor for the trip since we’ll be gone a month and a half or so.

#PlanningForTheWin!

14 Weeks Out

Here’s a snapshot of where I’m at in pictures:

What happened over the last TWO weeks:

Here’s a weekly summary of what’s happened over the last week:

• I let myself take a “bi-week” (football term for having a week off) while we traveled from our home in MN to SPI, TX where we’ll be staying through March 2nd.
• While I’ve been KILLING IT at the gym (and walking four miles each day on the beach!), my diet has been in “vacation mode.”
• Bringing my weight a pound above my “starting” point – eek!
• I’m strength training six days per week – shooting for two leg days, one back/bis, one chest/tris and two full-body workouts.
• I’ve also added HIIT sprint intervals to the end of half of those workouts – 10 sets of 45 seconds on (7.5-10mph) and 45 seconds off (4.3 mph).

What are my plans for this week?

Now that we’re all settled in and our last set of company is heading home soon, it’s about to get SERIOUS!

Ha! I should have been “serious” the entire time, but sometimes I lack self-discipline. ?

In addition to killing it at the gym (with some new workouts from Cindy!), I plan on:

1. Actually tracking my food
2. Snacking regularly with healthy options to curve hunger
3. Saying no to temptations more often
4. Wearing my fat burning belt daily

Or mostly getting my nutrition in check.

14 weeks will go by fast! But as long as I log my workouts, hone in on my nutrition and stop pretending that I’m “on vacation,” I should be good to go.

I’d love to return from Texas at 155 – down from my initial 10-pound loss goal, but more realistic now that I realize how challenging it is!

To a very successful upcoming week!

13 Weeks until competition day

Here’s an updated snapshot of my progress:

Here’s what happened over the last week:

To keep things nice and to the point, I’m going to offer up a list of highlights/lowlights bullet-point style:

• I got my head back in the game when it came to eating right and logging my workouts – we were company-free for almost the entire week, which helped a ton!
• I’m continuing to KILL IT at the gym shooting for six workouts per week (I think I only logged five though?).
• My Fitbit shows me that I averaged about 15,000 steps per day, resulting in about 50 miles last week. I ? running barefoot on the beach!
• I’m almost back down to my lowest weight so far.
• Better yet? I’m at my lowest body fat percentage EVER!
• In addition to walking/running the beach every day (it’s about 3.5 miles round trip), I’ve added HIIT sprint intervals to the end of half of my workouts – I’m up to 10 sets of 60 seconds on (7.5-10mph) and 30 seconds off (0mph).

What’s coming up this week:

I’m using my brand new SELF Journal to track my workouts, my food and plan my days.

I’m actually considering working out as part of my “job” (I’m self-employed).

My main objectives this week are:

1. Track my food
2. Consistently drink my protein shake post workouts
3. Drink less wine!
4. And continue killing it in my workouts

Predicting the Future

I’d love to return from Texas at 155 – 4.5lbs to go! That’s down from my initial 10-pound loss goal, but more realistic now that I realize how challenging it is!

12 Weeks to Go

Here’s a snapshot of where I’m at in pictures:

Bottom Left: Super fun new purchase from a surf shop in SPI, Texas – 40% off Billabong swim bottoms? Hell yes!

What happened over the last week:

To keep things nice and to the point, I’m going to offer up a list of highlights/lowlights bullet-point style:

• I’m at my lowest weight for this whole bikini competition prep thingy – whoop!
• My body fat percentage is slightly higher than last week, but who’s counting?
• We weren’t hosting company this last week, but there was a LOT of work trying to play catch up -and- from a HUGE promotion we were running.
• I still rocked those gym workouts, beach walks/runs and treadmills sprints though!
• I feel like my nutrition is *more* on point, which obviously reflected on the scale.
• And of course I can always get “cleaner” when it comes to my diet, so that’s still a work in progress. ?

What’s happening this week:

We have another company-free week coming up!

While I love hosting company, it makes it a little harder to work (I can work anywhere and anytime, but don’t necessarily want to) and workout.

And those gym visits (including the beach walk/run time)? They aren’t short…

We’re logging about two hours each day – but it’s 100% worth it and we’re going places, so…

Honestly it makes me better at my job (bust that stress baby!) and *hopefully* as a mother/wife, but I’m overly critical in that area!

10 Weeks Out

Here’s a snapshot of my current progress:

Pretty sweet raccoon eyes from tanning with sunglasses on, huh?!? 

What happened over the last week:

To keep things nice and to the point, I’m going to offer up a list of highlights/lowlights bullet-point style:

• I ended up taking another (unplanned) bi-week – it’s possible I was acting like I was on vacation again and didn’t want to actually be accountable…
• Which might have resulted in a two-pound increase on the scale, undoing some of my very hard-won progress. ?
• My body fat percentage is officially the lowest it’s been since starting my bikini competition prep though – #winning!
• We’re just finishing hosting our last round of company – I took the week off from work and we’ve been very active (think long walks on the beach, swimming, etc.), but haven’t been as diligent with the gym or my nutrition as a result.
• I’m getting faster when it comes to running, which is fun to see!

What’s coming up this week:

This is our LAST week in South Padre Island, Texas before heading home to Minnesota after sixish weeks away.

It’s going to be a busy one! I’ll have to play catchup from taking the week off, figure out how to fit in everything we want to do before we leave, pack to go home and of course fit in my workouts. It’s going to be a challenge, but I’m up for it!

Hopefully I’ll do a better job on the nutrition side of things – that’s usually my downfall and extra difficult when dining out more often and trying to use up all that we have left before hitting the road.

But it’ll be my last week of true vacation prior to “getting back to reality,” so I plan on living it up a little too! Everything in moderation, right? ?

Our Last Week in Texas

There will not be another bi-week in our future though – frankly there’s no time for it!

10 weeks will go by fast! And once I’m home? It’s GAME ON. I’ll become a meal prepping pro, cut out the booze completely and ensure that all of my workouts are scheduled in and completed.

My goal of losing weight while in Texas was ambitious, I’ll admit. At first I thought I’d lose 10 pounds while away and then quickly cut it down to five to allow for some enjoyment while here.

At this point, I’d be happy returning weighing anything less than when I left (I’m currently about a half a pound more) and making a little more headway on the body fat percentage loss that I’ve been able to achieve. I’ve gone from 22.3% down to 21.5%, which is almost 1%. It may not sound like a lot, but it is – just not for the time I’ve been working on it!

Could I have done better while here? ABSOLUTELY! Am I disappointed with my lack of progress? A little bit. But I’m pretty sure I gained at least 10 pounds while here last year, so that’s something, right?

Here’s to a very successful last week in Texas! (And getting back to a normal routine at home, which includes an easier ability to meal prep, a full-size gym and CINDY, my personal trainer – miss you girl!)

9 Weeks left

Progress is progress — here’s where I am this week:

What happened over the last week:

To keep things nice and to the point, I’m going to offer up a list of highlights/lowlights bullet-point style:

• This was our LAST week in Texas – what a wonderful 6 weeks, but man it’s hard to lose weight while at the beach.
• I did return in WAYYY better shape than when I left though, so I’m chalking the trip up to a success!
• Boom – newest LOW on the scale!
• No movement in body fat percentage, but I’m cool with it.

What’s coming up this week:

Homeward bound! The entire weekend was spent in the car and I’m not going to lie, my nutrition wasn’t that great.

I did quit drinking alcohol, however, and am excited to clean up my nutrition even more now that we’re back at home with our normal stores, kitchen, etc. We also have no plans of dining out for the rest of the week.

And MY GYM – I’m SO excited to get back to my gym and working out with Cindy. I’ve missed them both terribly, but I’m really proud of what I was able to accomplish with the accommodations that I had available to me.

8 Weeks Out

Here’s an update of this weeks progress in pictures:

What happened over the last week:

A week ago Friday we left SPI, TX after our six-week stay to head back home to MN. We left right after dinner and drove through the night so our kiddos could spend the majority of our drive sleeping – making it easier on ALL of us!

Suffice it to say that my eating habits over the weekend while making our way back home weren’t competition diet approved!

Could they have been worse? You bet! But they could have also been a lot better with more research/planning.

I also didn’t get any activity in, unless you count a few laps in the very small pool.

Waking up at home on Monday, I was finally able to get back on track with both my diet and my activity.

I rocked my gym workout by starting with 15 minutes of sprints at 9.0mph (45-60 seconds on, 30 seconds off) and then had my first workout back with my trainer, Cindy. She also ran my Keto profile and I plan to start the Keto diet next week – I don’t have it down 100%, but I will share more as I gain a better understanding of it!

What I’m most proud of is that I’m still drinking water as my ONLY beverage – booze-free, baby! This is especially impressive as this was probably my most stressful workweek all year.

My workouts have also gone really well, although my energy level has been dropping as I’ve been cutting carbs. Here’s a fun, 30-second snippet of Tuesday’s chest/tri workout with Cindy. I only worked out 5/7 days this week (I’m shooting for 6/7 days), but did get in two sessions on Friday!

The only downside activity wise is that I’m not getting in as many steps per day as I was while in Texas. We were used to going for a 3.5-mile beach walk every day while down there, so it’s my goal to get in a walk or cardio session towards the end of my workday. This is also a great way to reduce stress, so I’m looking forward to making it happen more often.

I am SO happy to have achieved my lowest weight and body fat percentage to-date too – that’s super encouraging! The last time I weighed 155 was when I found out I was pregnant with Shelbs – she’ll be five at the end of June, so it’s been a while…

Plans for the next week:

The kids have Spring Break this week and I have a bunch of work projects that I’d like to make progress on, so it’ll be busy (but when isn’t it?).

I hope to do some reading on the Keto diet this weekend and meal prep on Sunday. I bought this fascia blaster on recommendation from a friend (don’t forget the oil), so figuring out how to use that is also on my to list as breaking up/getting rid of cellulite wouldn’t be a horrible thing to accomplish. We’ll see if it works!

I’m also hoping to get my schedule figured out, so I can fit in all of my normal workouts, my cardio sessions and extra booty band ones too – wish me luck!

I can’t believe we’re 8 weeks out already – the time is going to fly by, but every day is also going to count. I’m committed though and can’t wait to see how it all turns out!

7 Weeks Out

Here’s a snapshot of where I’m at this week:

People have been asking me lately if I really need to lose more weight.

The short answer? Yep!

I’m shooting for at least 139 (I’m 5’9) and 15% body fat. It seems a long way off now, but I’ll do my best!

What happened over the last week:

To keep things nice and to the point, I’m going to offer up a list of highlights/lowlights bullet-point style:

• I love seeing new lows on both the scale and body fat side of things. While neither are as big of changes as I’m looking for (and need really), at least we’re moving in the right direction!
• One of the reasons might be because I tried the Keto diet for about a week, didn’t see the pounds “melt off the scale” as promised (even though I was totally in ketosis multiple days running) and then switched to 40/30/30 (carbs/protein/fat) and tracking my macros.
• What sucks is that I totally got through the feeling depleted phase and was starting to get my energy back… basically we’re too close to competition day at this point, so we decided to switch back to a “tried and true” method instead. It was an interesting experiment – I just should have tried it earlier in the process!
• I haven’t had a cocktail in over two weeks and don’t plan on imbibing before show day. Score!
• On the workout front, I did six days of strength training as planned (one was a total flop though with the low energy/nausea from the dietary changes), two days of booty bands (gotta get that butt tight!) and six days of cardio (either steady-state via the elliptical or by going for a run and HIIT via sprints on the treadmill).
• So working out was good, but I could have pushed myself harder if I had more energy. My cardio sessions will also likely get longer each week going forward as well.
• I got fitted for my swimsuit! Jay, the seamstress (do you call dudes seamstresses?) has an awesome personality and really did make the experience enjoyable. First, we tried on a “copy” of the suit I had picked out for a look and then tried on a red number (not my suit color) for fit. I’m making him add a teeny bit of material to the front section on my bottoms… I AM a mother after all!
• I also officially registered for the show! I’m competing in the “Bikini-Beginner” and “Bikini-Open” (which is a pro qualifier). I’ve read that it makes sense to enter two divisions for your first show in order to get the extra practice, so I’m spending an extra $75 to do so.
• They then called to schedule my lie detector test (testifying that I don’t use steroids and the like), which will be another $50 the Friday before show day. I’m working on a “True Costs of Competing” post as I make my way through this process to show y’all, well, exactly what it costs!
• I also scheduled an individual posing session for next Friday, which I’m excited about. I was NEVER a cheerleader, in dance (unless you count a year or two of clogging, which I don’t!), beauty pageants or anything like that, so this will be a really new thing for me. Hopefully, the posing coach can help me – I’m a bit clumsy and don’t demonstrate a “natural swagger,” so we’ll see…
• My mood has been all over the place, which makes me feel like a bit of a failure – I don’t like not feeling in control or when I find myself on edge. ?

What’s coming up this week:

I’ll be continuing with tracking my macros and really eating clean. I’d like to be two pounds lighter when I update you next week!

My workouts should remain the same (six days of weights and six of cardio, plus extra booty bands) and I’m hoping my energy level will return somewhat. I also get to go to my posing sesh – wish me luck!

6 Weeks to Go

Here’s a snapshot of my continued progress:

What happened over the last week:

To keep things nice and to the point, I’m going to offer up a list of highlights/lowlights bullet-point style:

• I’m SO happy to see a new low both on the scale and in body fat percentage. Especially since…
• I sprained my ankle on Wednesday morning at the gym while doing step-ups on the bench. ? My ankle is healing, but I’m not going to lie, it’s a setback and will make the next six weeks of prep extra challenging!
• The good news is that the injury did not send me into a spiral of eating or drinking whatever I wanted. I had a (mental) pity party on Thursday, but then decided to buck up and listen to all of the people around me that said I could still do this! I just need my ankle to cooperate and heal fast…
• Luckily my work is done from home via a computer, so being laid up allowed me to catch up on my to-do list (working out takes a lot of time!) and scheme how I can still be successful despite this temporary setback.

What’s coming up this week:

Today we’re going to join our local YMCA to use the indoor pool and so I can take the kiddos with me when I need to hit the gym for two-a-days here shortly.

I normally workout at Snap Fitness and LOVE it there – it’s like a little family and everyone is hugely supportive of one another. But having two gym memberships means I have access to the pool (great for injury recovery), childcare (good for not putting these last six weeks totally on the hubs) and a stair master (which we don’t have at Snap).

They have a buttload of classes (like spin!), which I think will motivate me to get in extra cardio too! Oh and the best part? Swimming with the kiddos will be enjoyable and help them to maintain their sweet skills learning in the Texas pool. ?

5 Weeks to Go

Progress and a new pair of sneakers:

What happened over the last week:

To keep things nice and to the point, I’m going to offer up a list of highlights/lowlights bullet-point style:

• Umm… I lost OVER THREE POUNDS! I love when I do x and get y in return – that’s how it’s supposed to work, right?
• I’m under 20% body fat, whoop whoop! 15% is within reach at this pace!
• I’m still not running, but trying to get a 30-minute cardio session in six days a week. That’s in addition to my six days a week weight training and 3-4 booty band sessions.

What’s coming up this week:

We’re currently heading down to my in law’s for the holiday weekend – Happy Easter!

This is my last big “temptation.” I.e. Staying away from home (I packed a small cooler) and in reach of too many delicious treats! I’m glad I had such a great week entering this weekend though, it’ll hopefully make me stay on point even more so I don’t undo it.

I was able to reschedule my posing for this coming Friday, so that’s exciting too. I was reading this post and I’m not gonna lie, it kinda freaked me out! ? I’ve been so focused on losing weight and toning up that I kinda forgot about the whole “getting up on a stage” thing…

4 Weeks Out

Four more progress report to go:

What happened over the last week:

To keep things nice and to the point, I’m going to offer up a list of highlights/lowlights bullet-point style:

• I’m continuing to lose weight – over two more pounds this last week alone!
• My body fat is trending in the right direction – just 3% to go.
• We scheduled a photoshoot for the week before the competition – I’m excited to get some great shots.
• I had posing classes! I’ll be going back in two weeks – Heather (my coach) was super encouraging and I seemed to do well, but since I’ve never been a cheerleader, in dance, etc. I think one more session would be helpful!
• My home/work schedules are getting fuller, making fitting in meal prep and the gym a lot harder. I missed my workout on Wednesday, but will hopefully make it up today.
• I treated myself to my last cheat meal yesterday – a mushroom cheeseburger, YUM!
• I was also extremely crabby/depleted yesterday (before the cheeseburger) – prepping for a competition is no joke… lately I’m wondering what I got myself into!

What’s coming up this week:

As I write this, we’re 27 days out from the competition. That’s crazy!!

I have a bit to do yet, namely:

1. Continue showing up in the gym and adding in more cardio and booty band work.
2. Scheduling my hair/makeup for show day.
3. Hopefully losing ~10 more pounds and 3%+ body fat.
4. Practicing posing every day and attending my next 1:1 session with Heather.
5. Further honing in on my diet – I think eating more often could help!
6. Rocking our photoshoot.
7. Not losing my mind. ?

3 Weeks Until Competition Day

Progress is becoming more challenging:

What have I been up to over the last week:

To keep things nice and to the point, I’m going to offer up a list of highlights/lowlights bullet-point style:

• I lost a pound and a half in the last week – would have liked for it to be closer to two, but I’ll take it!
• My body fat percentage is slightly higher than last week – this has happened before, so I’m not worried, but it’s a little weird right?
• I started a new eating plan on Wednesday – it’s intense, but I’m getting used to it and think it’s working, so I’ll stick with it! It consists of a lot of lean protein (whitefish, chicken, etc.) and either broccoli or asparagus. Oatmeal in the morning, a little brown rice in with dinner and a few protein shakes throughout. #Thrilling
• For the most part, my workouts are going well, I’m just having to get creative with getting them all in. I typically go to the gym from 8:30-10:00 am M-F, which accounts for one hour of strength (with some cardio thrown in) and a separate 20-30 min cardio session. Since I now have to do doubles a few days a week and booty bands, it’s been a real challenge to fit it all in.
• I scheduled my tanning, hair and makeup for the show – that stuff ain’t cheap! But hopefully, I’ll look like a superstar and it’ll all be worth it. ?

What’s coming up this week:

Continuing my new diet and fitting in all of the exercise will be my top priority this week.

My suit is also in, so Friday will be filled with a final fitting and one last posing session. Things are coming together and most plans are set, so it’s now just staying the course. With ~20 days to go, it should be doable!

2 Weeks until competition day

Tangibly results are where it at. Here’s my weekly snapshot:

What happened over the last week:

To keep things nice and to the point, I’m going to offer up a list of highlights/lowlights bullet-point style:

• I lost almost a pound – things are slowing down on this front, but I’m pretty okay with it!
• My body fat percentage is more than a percentage point lower and that’s what really matters!
• I’m continuing to eat super clean – mostly lean protein, broccoli or asparagus, protein shakes and my coveted oatmeal with peanut butter for breakfast. I actually crave this breakfast concoction now!
• My main “cheats” are a handful of berries or dark chocolate chips. Since show day is getting super close, the chocolate for sure will have to stop.
• I’ve found my taste buds have really started to change! I.e. Blueberries all of sudden taste like CANDY! Crazy, right?!
• Workouts are still going well – there are just a lot of them! At this point I’m just trying to maintain the muscle that I’ve built and continue to lean out, shedding as much body fat as I can.
• I picked up my suit and had my final fitting! It’s just as gorgeous as I expected and I’m going to look like a proper mermaid on stage (this will make more sense when you see it!). Jay did an EXCELLENT job!
• I had my second posing session – even though Heather was a gem, I freaked out a (lot) thinking about the stage part. ???? I’m working through this by reminding myself this is a choice and practicing my posing A LOT!

What’s coming up this week:

We’re two weeks out – holy cow, I’ve been waiting for this!

My main objective is to just stay the course. I.e. Keep showing up at the gym and eating what my husband has lovingly prepared for me. It helps that it’s FINALLY spring here in Minnesota, but the ice cream can only be passed up for so long!

I picked out music for my T-walk, so it’s just getting my Mp3 file off to the organizer and making my packing/shopping list next. Man oh man it’s almost here!!

1 Week Until Competition Day

My final progress report:

Just 4 months ago…

I’ll be doing a full-on before and after sequence soon, but I sent this picture (of a picture, lol) to Cindy last week showing her the difference between 1/4/18 and 4/28/18 – 16 weeks in the making.

It’s crazy, no?!

The quality isn’t the greatest (I’m sure you’re aware that I don’t know how to use Photoshop ????), but you can see a ton of progress in my back, shoulders, arms and lower back. I’m super pumped by the changes, and just a little disheartened about my clear denial back in January!

Do I really need to lose more weight?

The short answer? It’s debatable…

I’m shooting for 139 on the scale (I’m 5’9) and 15% body fat. I’m pretty much on track for weight loss and have already achieved my body fat goal via the caliper measurement. The fat loss monitor shows that I’m not quite there, but I’m choosing to believe the calipers in this instance.

What happened over the last week:

To keep things nice and to the point, I’m going to offer up a list of highlights/lowlights bullet-point style:

• I lost almost three and a half POUNDS in the last week – that’s amazing, especially at this point “in the game.”
• My body fat percentage stayed the same via the fat loss monitor, but the calipers show it coming in in the 13% range – seeing my stomach, you’d probably agree that there’s nothing but skin over muscle there, so I’m going with the lower number!
• Cindy changed up my diet again – it’s similar, but basically there’s lots of white fish, chicken, asparagus, protein shakes, oatmeal for breakfast and some blueberries and peppers thrown in (which I’m a HUGE fan of!). Honestly, I need to force myself to eat at this point – who woulda thunk?!
• We’re in the wind-down phase of working out – basically, there’s not much one can do at this stage in the game to gain muscle and I’m where I need to be, so it’s more of a maintenance thing. It’s nice that they’re not as intense as my energy level is lower.

Last week before the competition:

It’s show week!

I have some minor diet tweaks to make as show day gets closer, but otherwise, it’s more of the same.

Spoiler alert, I got my hair dyed and extensions put in (we found some super cheap ones on eBay that worked really well!) yesterday – it looks fabulous!

Thursday is going to be spent getting pampered – I have a massage, facial and mani/pedi scheduled. Can’t wait!

Then Friday it’s check-in, taking my lie detector test (so weird!) and getting my spray tan on. And then on Saturday… it’s going down!

Check back for the full-on recap in the next week or three!