Wow, only a month left – where does time go? Let’s see how I’ve done this week.
Training
I think I’ve finally adjusted to the new training schedule and added cardio. There is a lot more focus on squeezing and activating the right muscles to get that definition. I do 15 mins steady cardio post-workout on most days and a 40 mins session on the weekend.
I don’t spend as much time on stretching and posing practice as I did during the last comp prep, however I do feel better and more confident this time. Of course there is always room for improvement, so I do practice posing about 4 times a week.
Nutrition
I still do get to enjoy carbs (rice & sweet potatoes) after, and sometimes before, my workouts! Definitely helps to keep me sane 🙂 That + coffee. Yep, that is the secret that is keeping me going with the current diet & work schedule – 2 cups of coffee a day on average.
I have spaced my 5 meals a day a bit to compensate for my working hours + evening TV time 😀 and some coffee in between usually does the trick.
Lifestyle / Mindset
Luckily, this week has been fairly easy at work and I have been able to stick to a 9.30ish – 6.30pm-ish schedule. Despite that, I am still relying on melatonin to get some decent sleep. Perhaps I have developed some kind of fear of not falling asleep as discussed in this article from PsychCentral.
I do get about 6 hours a night (on a good night), which is less than the 7-8 hours I used to get before my last competition. However, that came at the expense of my social life (which was limited exclusively to the weekend). This time around, I am spending more time socializing or doing other hobbies such as reading & watching TV.
In the end we all get the same 24 hours, what we do with them is up to us. Here’s a typical working day in my life:
- 1 hr in bed… waking up, stretching, having my first meal & getting ready for the gym 🙂
- 1.5 hrs in the gym
- 1.5 hrs commuting
- 9 – 10 hrs in the office
- 2 -3 hrs rest & recreation (reading, working on the blog, catching up with friends & family, lazing in bed 😀 etc.)
- 1 hr house chores / prep for the next day or for the gym
- 7 hrs in bed (although falling asleep can take me more than 1 hr sometimes)
Seems like a lot of time when you put it on paper no? You can always find some time for your personal goals 😉
Inspired by Miranda 
Hello Miranda,
I really enjoy the fact that you put a lot of hard work into your diet and your workout, especially considering your busy schedule – working 9-10 hours in an office is not easy, or at least not for everybody.
I was just wondering if you have ever thought about integrating creatine monohydrate into your daily regime?
Before you start vigorously shacking in your head in neglect, think about:
– Creatine has shown signs of improving overall brain capacity, long-term and short-term memory, concentration, as well as general intelligence – all of this is something that will most definitely help you out on your workplace.
– Creatine has also been proven to act as an anti-depressant, literally, only in women!
– Creatine also helps you improve your power output and helps you increase your workout intensity which in return will help you improve your caloric output – more calories being burned is always a plus.
And most importantly – it will not help you gain muscle mass directly. Unless you are interested in muscle hypotrophy, you have nothing to worry about.
I understand that creatine supplementation is a really touchy subject, but it’s definitely something worth considering, no matter if you are a woman or a man.
If you want take a look at this short article (there is even an infographic) where everything about creatine is explained: https://the-bodybuilding-blog.com/2016/08/15/what-is-creatine/
If you have any further questions concerning this subject I would love to help you out!
Also, keep up the great work on your blog!
Best wishes,
John
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