Recipe: "Funfetti" Protein Mug Cake

Who doesn't love cake? I LOVE me some cake. Here's a healthy little treat that I like to whip up when I'm craving something sweet. "Funfetti" protein mug cake with blueberry cake batter frosting. 

1sc. Cake Batter Whey (I used Cellucor's Cor-fetti Cake Batter!)

2 egg whites 

2 tbsp unsweetened almond milk

1 tbsp green yogurt (I used Dannon light and fit Greek Blend Blueberry)

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

optional: a dash of sugar free sweetener of your choice

Directions: In a small bowl, set aside 1/4 of your scoop of cake bater whey.  In a mug, mix together all remaining ingredients. Microwave for 1.5 - 2 minutes. For the icing, mix together about a tsp of greek yogurt (again, used the Dannon light and fit Greek Blueberry), a few drops of almond milk, and the 1/4 scoop of cake batter whey. Keep in mind, this is is a healthy protein mug cake...it's not going to taste exactly like a cake made with your usual ingredients! The texture is a bit more spongey. STILL....this is delicious and super easy! 

I really need to start measuring more exactly when I bake...I'm great at the whole "a little bit of this, a little bit of that" stuff! My estimated macros for this mug cake, including the frosting, are listed below! :)

~142 Calories

~1.1g Fat

~4.2g Carbs

~2.2g Sugar

~25.8g Protein

Bikini Competition

A lot of people have asked me why I want to participate in a Bikini Competition. I think a lot of those questions come from folks whose idea of a bikini competition is a bunch of college girls on a boat in cancun wearing thongs and flat brim Volcom hats and shaking their boobs and bums in everyone's face. This is NOT what I mean when I talk about competing.

Bikini Competitions in the fitness world are quite different. They are judged by officials with years of experience. The women who compete are not meant to be "skinny." Most of them have been working out and training for months. The pro's have been training for years. The ideal bikini competitor has a good amount of muscle without being overly muscular. She has abs, not nothing too extreme or "dried out" looking. She looks toned, fit, healthy and well proportioned. Training for a bikini competition isn't as simple as losing a few pounds or spending an extra 30 minutes on the treadmill every day. You have to train harder, lean out, clean up your diet, practice walking in 5 inch clear high heels and perfect a few key poses.

So, why do I want to compete? Well, I have a few reasons. 

1. I want to complete my journey from fat to fit. I want to go from 225lbs, totally unhappy and unhealthy to 135lbs of lean perfection. 
2. I need a goal to work towards. What's to stop me from skipping the gym a few times this week? If I'm not training for something, I might not pass on that chocolate lava cake after dinner. I'm not perfect. I struggle with my diet every day. I am a firm believer that setting a goal is a great way to keep yourself on track. 
3. I want to prove to myself that I can achieve this goal and prove to myself that I have what it takes.
4. I want to show other women how far hard work and dedication can take you. I want to inspire them to make a change and show them that it is possible. 
5. I want to show off the body that I've worked hard for. Damn right! I spent a long time hiding behind babydoll dresses  and black clothing. I want a chance to step onto stage and into the spotlight looking amazing in my ridiculous and gaudy sparkly bikini. 
6. I want to take the photos from that day and display them in my room as a daily reminder of how far I've come and that I NEVER want to go back to my old habits. 
7. I'm going to be a personal trainer, and I would LOVE to be a competition prep coach for women who need help getting started or need a goal to work towards. I believe that in order to be a coach, you have to have some experience competing yourself. If my client tells me they "can't" wake up at 5 am to do fasted cardio, i want to be able to tell them that if I can do it, they can too. 
8. It's going to be fun. Yeah. despite the cardio (which I already hate), the high heels (which I've never worn before in my life) and the "dieting"...It's going to be really fun. I can't wait to meet other women interested in health and fitness! I can't wait to have hilarious clown make up on and a spray tan that makes me look like a sweet potato! It's going to be great. 
9. Sponsors. I use a TON of protein powder. I buy a TON of workout gear. It wouldn't hurt to have a company or two sponsor me and provide me with some of this stuff! Competing is an awesome way to get yourself seen by these companies!

I know that there are mixed opinions on competing, and I'm fine with that. I know competing isn't for everyone. I know some people are going to laugh at me and say nasty things. I am well prepared for that. So, to all the haters BRING IT ON. But remember, I don't judge others who spend their nights at the bar or on the couch smoking pot. Different strokes for different folks, right? I am lucky enough to have a great support system, a family who supports me and a wonderful boyfriend who knows how to keep me motivated (and tells me to cut myself a break when he knows I need it).  I have some great gym buddies who push me harder and make sure I don't slack. I've also found great support and tons of love from strangers who stumble upon on my blog or my Instagram, which is totally awesome! I can't wait to get on stage this spring and begin a new chapter in my life. Sarah E: Bikini Competitor. 

15.5 weeks out from my first comp!

Answers

Recently, people have been asking me a lot of questions about my weight loss and lifestyle change. I figured I'd dedicate this post to answering some of those questions! Keep in mind, I am not a medical professional nor am I a dietician. I can provide you with the tricks and techniques I used to get in shape for use as an example, but every body is different and every body requires different nutrients and foods based on the individual's goals and activity level. :)



Q: Do you eat clean?
A: What does "eat clean" mean? There are so many definitions floating around the internet of what eating clean means. For this reason, I don't necessarily claim to be a "clean eater." On the other hand, I DO avoid processed foods. By processed, I mean things that come in boxes, bags etc. Sometimes, processed foods are unavoidable for me since things like Oatmeal and rice come in a big 'ol container! When purchasing processed foods, I look for the brand with the fewest ingredients and the appropriate balance of carbs, fat and protein that fit into my daily allowance.

Q: Do you eat carbs?! Even after 6pm?!
A: Yes and Yes. Carbs are not the devil Carbs do not make you fat. Consuming more calories than you expend makes you fat. That being said, I do carefully track the amount of carbs I consume. If you're eating 1000g of carbs per day while trying to stick to a 1400 calorie diet, chances are you've eaten all your calories in carbs leaving no room for healthy fats and protein! It's all about balance.

If you want a booty, You better eat your carbs!

Q: I really want to lose weight in my legs/belly/arms/back/feet/whatever. What do I do??

A: Spot reducing is a lie. Those little articles in women's health that say things like "5 moves to slimmer thighs!" or "10 ab exercises to get you a 6 pack by summer!" ...all lies. Your body stores fat where it wants to store fat, and it loses fat where it wants to lose fat.  Trust me...the number of lower body workouts I've done FAR outnumbers the upper body workouts, yet I still have jiggly thighs and somehow ended up with a fit and muscular upper body. What you CAN do, is focus on building muscle all over your body. A muscular body burns more calories throughout the day. More calories burned = more fat lost. More fat lost + muscle gained = you're toned and fit! OMG!

Q: What do you do for your arms?!
A: Lift heavy.

Q: What do you do for your legs?!
A: Lift heavy.

Q: What do you do for your butt?!
A: Lift heavy. ...see a pattern?

Q: What about abs?!
A: Lift Heavy and eat healthy. Before I started lifting like the boys, I was doing ab workouts 4-5 days per week and not seeing the results I wanted. I also wasn't weighing/measuring out my portions and was eating things like pineapple greek yogurt (23g of sugar?! Huh?!) I know you've all heard it before, or at least seen it on some silly fitness meme, but it's true...Abs are made in the kitchen. Clean up your diet, and start doing things like deadlifts, squats, pistol squats and pushups. Anything that engages your core or uses your abs for balance will help you on your quest to that coveted 6 pack. (Or at least a 4 pack like Arnold.)


Q: Can you send me a list of exercises to do?!
A: No, because I am not your personal trainer. I can direct you to my FAVORITE website ever, BodyBuilding.com where you will find everything you need to get started! There's a section where you click on a muscle, and a list of exercises that work that muscle will pop up! There's even instructional videos so you won't feel lost when you walk into the gym and try these moves out. There's also a nifty feature that will set up an individualized exercise program for you based on your goals! Totally cool!


Q: How much cardio do you do?
A: Barely any. I'm lucky if I squeeze in two 20 minute HIIT (high intensity interval training) sessions per week. When I do cardio, I prefer to stick to machines that focus on the booty, like the stepmill, arctrainer, or incline walking on the treadmill.

Q: I'm eating x amount of calories a day and working out 5 days a week but I'm not losing any weight! Help!
A: Are you SURE you're eating exactly that amount ? Are you measuring everything? Do you even own a food scale?? Chances are, you're consuming more than you think you are. Keep in mind that things like sauces, dips, cooking spray, condiments etc...these all contain calories and whenever you use them, you should be accurately measuring out a serving size. I don't care how good you think you are at "eyeballing" it,  I promise that a nice set of measuring spoons and a food scale will do you (and your body) good.

This is the food scale I use. You can find it at Target or on Amazon.com

Have a question that I didn't address? Still not sure where to begin? Email me! In case you don't know, I'm studying to be a personal trainer and I need some guinea pigs to torture. :)

Healthy Choices at the Grocery Store

I get a lot of questions about what kinds of food I eat, so I thought I'd share with you guys my typical grocery list. Keep in mind, some of these items last me a few weeks, so I don't necessarily buy everything on this list EVERY week, but these are the foods that you will always find in my house!

Fruits:
Bananas
Honeycrisp Apples
Strawberries
Frozen blueberries

Veggies:
Fresh Zucchini squash
Spaghetti squash
Green peppers
Onions
Sweet potatoes
Long hots
Frozen green beans
Frozen broccoli
Frozen stir fry mix

Protein:
Chicken breast
99% Lean ground turkey breast
Steaks (I splurge on some good quality filets occasionally!)
Frozen Tilapia
Frozen Mahi Mahi
Applegate farms all natural uncured Sunday bacon
Turkey Pepperoni (Hormel, usually)
Salt and Vinegar Almonds
Jif Whipped PB
Liquid Egg Whites

Dairy:
Chobani fat free plain Greek Yogurt
2% Small curd cottage cheese
Unsweetened vanilla Almond Milk (Almond breeze brand)
Crumbled goat cheese
Part Skim Mozzarella

Carbs:
Old Fashioned oats
Tumaro brand multi-grain wraps
Ezekiel Bread (regular and cinnamon raisin)
Instant Whole grain brown rice

Other:
Reduced fat Veganaise
Low sugar Marinara (or other pasta sauce with less than 4g sugar)
Various hot sauces  ;) ;)
Low sugar BBQ sauce
Fat free/sugar free cool whip
Sugar Free Maple syrup
Mrs. Dash salt free seasoning

If you're interested in the list of items I keep around for protein baking, here's a quick list!
Sugar free mini chocolate chips
Coconut Flour
Almond meal/flour
Truvia Natural calorie free sweetener
Various whey proteins
Extra oats to blend into oat flour
Calorie free cooking spray
Coconut flakes
Dates
Chopped nuts

I could spend HOURS in the grocery store. More specifically, I could spend hours in Wegman's. I love their selection of store brand organic products, natural baking ingredients, and gluten free selection! I find their prices to be slightly below average as well.

I find that making a list is really helpful to keep me on track and stopping me from picking up little extras that I wouldn't normally buy.

 If your local grocery store or market doesn't carry some of these items, you can find most of them on my favorite website, Vitacost! Seriously, check it out....so many awesome healthy products at excellent prices!  Hope this helps you guys make some smarter choices during your next trip to the grocery store! :)

TIPS AND TRICKS

So, I'm going to introduce you to something that changed my life. Ok, maybe not THAT drastically, but it definitely made a difference and saved me lots of time scrubbing out shaker jars. I used to leave the house in the morning with 3, sometimes 4 shaker jars. One for my morning shake, one for my pre-work out and one for my post work out protein. Until I discovered the Hydracup.  This little piece of genius is one shaker, with TWO separate sides. Each side has it's own labeled lid, one with "pre" and one with "post." Why didn't I think of this!!?? Anyway, using the hydracup not only saves me space in my already overflowing gym bag, but it saves me from scrubbing out an extra shaker jar every day. Oh, and speaking of shaker jar, this is one of the only jars I've ever dealt with that doesn't leak at all when shaken! (I can't tell you how many times I've ended up with peanut butter marshmallow flavored whey powder all over my legs...ew.) So, If you're like me...and you hate washing out your shaker jars and you enjoy fancy new gadgets that make you look super cool at the gym, then do yourself a favor and pick up a hydra cup.  Ya dig?

RECIPE: Funfetti Protein Pancakes

Did someone say cake? I am a total funfetti junkie. I once made a batch of funfetti cupcakes with matching funfetti icing and ate half a dozen in one sitting. Needless to say, those days are behind me. BUT....I recently discovered Cellucor's new protein flavor; Cor-fetti cake batter...And let me tell you, this stuff is GOOD. Here's my recipe for a single serving of some delicious and fluffy funfetti protein pancakes!

1 small very ripe banana

1 scoop Cellucor Cor-fetti Cake batter

1/4 C. Unsweetened vanilla almond milk

(you can use regular milk if you prefer, but I love me some almond milk!)

Mash banana in a small bowl. Add milk and then slowly add protein powder. Mix well...or don't if you want some banana chunks in there! (yum!) You want the batter to be relatively thick, but if you have to, you can add one more tablespoon of milk. 

Pour batter into about four small round pancakes on preheated griddle. 

Cook on LOW HEAT until bubbles form, then flip. 

SLOW AND STEADY is key here. Have patience....patience creates fluffy pancakes! 

Top with sugar free syrup for a real treat. 

Macros: (not including topping)

243 Calories

2g Fat

27g Protein 

28g Carbs (From the banana!) 

Introduction!

What up FITFAM? Hah....Me from a year ago would punch current me in the face for using the term "fitfam." Boy, have things changed around here. I decided to start this blog after searching the internet over and over for some honest information on the reality of going from obese, to competition material.

In 2009, I weighed in at 225lbs. Yes...225lbs. I wore a size 33 jeans and a DD bra. I also had horrible self esteem and would hide behind baby doll dresses and baggy sweaters. (my fear of the oh-so-dreaded muffin top kept me away from jeans.) Here's some photographic evidence for you...

Between 2010 and 2011, I dropped down to 150lbs. I did this by going on an extremely low calorie diet, which I now know isn't really the safest or healthiest way to go about losing weight. The diet was extremely restrictive. Only 800 calories a day, with absolutely NO cheat meals. I worked out 5 days a week, and did mostly cardio with some light weight training mixed in here and there. I would do triceps kickback after tricep kickback and could not figure out WHY I wasn't gaining any strength or muscle! I missed out on parties, dinners, birthdays and other events in order to avoid temptation. Sure, I lost a ton of weight and got to a point where I felt pretty good about the way I looked, but eventually realized that this 800 calorie diet was completely unsustainable.

By 2012, I had gained back quite a bit and weighed in at around 170lbs. Then I discovered instagram. I started following  bikini and figure competitors like Amanda Latona and Leah Peters. I saw that these women were consuming twice the amount of calories I was, and looking TEN TIMES BETTER! I started doing research on bodybuilding.com and talking with other women on the forums. In May, 2013, I started lifting heavy. I remember the first time I stepped up to the smith machine, my legs were shaking. I felt like an idiot. I stood there for a few minutes with this confused look on my face and waited for the bulky dude next to me to start his reps so I could watch and learn how to use this foreign machine. I thought, "here goes nothing!" and loaded a 25lb plate on each side of the bar, stepped under it, and did my first squat. HOLY CRAP. It was love at first squat. I LOVED the feeling of pushing this heavy weight up and down and up and down. I felt strong and empowered and motivated. I didn't want to stop. Day after day, I would come back to the smith machine and squat until my legs gave out. From there, I added dead lifts. I would spend all night on bodybuilding.com watching how-to videos and enter the gym the next day eager to try out my new moves. Eventually, I felt like a pro! I was eating more and somehow weighing less. I dropped from 170 to 145 in about 4 months. I could see definition in my legs (my problem area!), I had shoulders and biceps and, dare I say it...ABS!

So what's next? I am planning on competing in my first Bikini Comp this coming summer. I'm shooting for the NPC Metropolitan in April in the Amateur Bikini Division. Here's my first progress picture at 13 weeks out! I'll be posting progress pictures, recipes, stories and struggles over the next few months. I hope that somewhere out there, there's a discouraged gal who reads this and realizes that with hard work and dedication, anything is possible!

xoxo - Sarah E.