Flexible dieting and prep: what I learned. Honest and brutal

On June 17, 2017June 19, 2017 By Bikini Competitor TracyHIn competition update, Competitor secrets, IIFYM, macros, meal prep, Motivation, Prepping not starvingLeave a comment

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If you want to know the dang dirty truths, this is the blog to read. I’m going to tell you everything and some of you won’t like it. Some of you will be haters and think you know more than me. You might. This blog is my journey and if you get anything good out of it.. that’s a bonus.

I have done two preps in the last 52 weeks. Each prep was 24 weeks long. I am 51 years old. You think that doesn’t matter.. it does. My body is tired of prep. That’s the honest truth. I’m tired of prep. I’m pretty much hit the wall on this and if you ask me to my face.. I’m probably going to spout off.

Personally, I would never do two preps back to back but the federation I compete in suddenly removed the pro qualifer in October so there was only 1 chance to try for my pro card in 2017. My husband and I discussed it and we made the decision to do this show even though I had not yet recovered from my last show. I went in fully understanding what had to be done and I did my best. We worked hard and I did a great job. I am 100 percent confident in the package I brought to the stage!

As it turns out..
I actually had a great prep. Our whole team started January 1 and we did an entirely flexible prep. OMG OMG OMG

Basically what that means is each day I hit
my protein goals,
my fat minimums,
my fiber goals,
my fruits veggie goals,
my micro nutrition goals,
and I ate over 35 different foods weekly.

The flexible part came in the fact that I was able to be flexible with my carbs and additional fats to suit what I needed to fuel but also to accommodate what I wanted to eat.

My workouts never suffered. I never “did fasted cardio” unless I wanted to. I never did anything that wasn’t fueled properly to give me the most effective workout.

Actually…
Our whole team has found success prepping this way. It is truly based on each of us .
We teach our new competitors to pay attention and learn this process so their preps will become more and more flexible the longer they compete with us.

FOOD
This prep we were able to perfect our food so I never felt deprived

Frankly, doing prep.. I can do this stuff with my eyes close. The diet is easy. It’s easy for me because i am not suffering like I did on my bro preps! We had some gorgeous food!!

Things I liked about this prep:
Front loading my tracker with dinner early in the morning. Hubs and I would decide on dinner and I would be excited! I would fuel my workouts, then fill in the rest of the day so I had plenty of macros for dinner. Here’s a few of our dinners.

That Monte Cristo Sam had jelly on it.
Our team has Taco Tuesday and Waffle Wednesday each week!! Yummo. We ate Shrimp and Grits a lot as well as Halo top ice cream! I had a cookie almost every day. Near the end, I did not because it would not fit.. but that is the way the ‘cookie crumbles’.

What I did not do:
Binge: I had one day when a refeed went out of control. I was about 14 weeks out and my Cinnamon Toast cruch measurement turned into something crazy. I modified my other macros for the rest of the day but I had to remove CTC from my food roster because I felt it was triggering me. I’m not bragging. I’m stating progress. In 2013 and 2014 on my Bro preps I found myself having full on binges. I began purging again after both shows. Getting a handle on prep with IIFYM was a life saver because I don’t feel deprived. There’s no ‘poor me” here. I need progress not perfection. I planned my days so they felt fun and I did not have the urge to dip into food that was not on my plan.

Eat Out: . I did not eat out at all in my prep. I only ate what was prepared in our house. Even early on in prep, I won’t do it. I just stayed out of restaurants or I brought my food. I’m fine with that.
Traditional training
I have had plenty of injuries this year. A few of our team mates really suffered with some bad injuries. We were all able to train in such a a way that we still got our work done and hit the stage having met our goals.

I cannot have a bar on my back anymore. I cannot run stairs nor can I do plyo. I probably did 3 plyo sessions this whole year. I had to modify my training to keep my back pain free. My pole workouts kept me strong and flexible and I added the chiropractor weekly. I need longevity over PRs. I will never try to beat my 185 pound dead lift PR because it took several chiropractor visits to get me out of pain. I’m totally ok with this.

My workouts were focused on muscle activation and not based in ego or how much I was supposed to suffer for my sport. I wanted to focus on form and creating balance in my physique. I incorporated Fascia Blasting and while I have so far to go there.. I saw amazing changes in my abs and lower body.
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Blasting those abs!! Holla

Results: I took 3 trophies in my show. I loved my physique this year. I feel like this was my favorite package I brought to the stage. My team took two pro cards. We took a total of 7 trophies in this show. Our current trophy count for 2017 is 31 and we are all IIFYM and using our own unique plans.

Part of this journey is to share what works and what didn’t. I’m in no way saying my way is perfect or I couldn’t have come in better or whatever. I’m saying that the bigger picture shows that
1. I have never been given a trophy for suffering, nor has anyone else to my knowledge.
2. Everything has variables and you have to work with what you have and are able to do.
3. Cookie cutter plans would have been the death of me for prep.
4. Being happy and making progress in my journey is paramount to someone handing me a plastic trophy.
5. I can always strive to improve and use what I learned to better serve my clients and my future preps.
6. Science is indeed a thing.

Here are some of my pics.

We received 7 trophies for this show. IIFYM. Yes.. and two pro cards for our ladies.
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Bikini portion of the Glamour category as well as the themewear.

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I’m 51 and I’m fucking proud of this. Yeah I said it.
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This body was built on IIFYM, truly enjoying what I do. I have put the time in to slowly learn to trust my body. I will always work incredibly hard but never suffer for a sport that does not reward you for how much you suffer. It’s useless. Working smart is much better! Strategies!!
There is something powerful about learning how your body works and building on this concept. As athletes to it seems beyond ridiculous for us to continually tear down our bodies and offer it poor nutrition yet ask for it to improve.

Believe me.. I have room to improve but my first priority is recovery. I will not take the stage again until I Worlds Championships in Nov 2018 so I can have a solid building season .

I am very proud of my athletes and their placings are important but what is most important to me is not what someone else thinks of them, it’s the improvements and knowledge they are gaining in their journey. Having a team with ongoing dialog of our experiences has been a game changer as we navigate our competition endeavors.

If you like my blog.. be sure to follow Caitlin on her blog. She is very honest and truthful about her journey!!

IIFYM 101: HOW TO GET 35 DIFFERENT FOODS A WEEK.

On June 5, 2017June 5, 2017 By Bikini Competitor TracyHIn bikini competition secrets, bikini team, bro swaps, food prep, Health and fitness information, HOW TO, IIFYM, macros, meal prep, Motivation, Prepping not starving

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Are you a creature of habit? Do you eat the exact same thing every day? Did your coach give you a plan with a total of 6 items on it? Are you struggling to incorporate variety into your meals because you “just don’t know what to eat?”

This blog will help you.

Sports nutrition 101 tells us that we need to eat 35 different foods a week. Our team of athletes and lifestyle clients follows this goal.
This is important simply because, variety allows us to get micro nutrients from lots of different sources.

I have spoken openly about my Bro diet plan and how it made me very sick. You can read more about that here. I was eating a ‘totally clean’ competition diet of
turkey
chicken
fish.
egg whites
oats
ezekial bread
brown rice
sweet pot
spinach

I had 12 cups of spinach on my plan each day.
I hated my meal plan. As I got closer to my show, my calories were very low and I had 6-7 meals a day of tilapia and spinach.

That is about 9 different foods and entire food groups are missing from this plan.
There is zero nutrition coming from beautiful fruits and other veggies. I could have had other options and still reached my goal. I would have felt better and had more energy. I certainly didn’t look better on this plan than I do on a variety of food. That’s a fact.

If you are on a “bro plan” but want to learn how to get variety.. click here

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Nutrition should be a priority no matter what plan you are on.
It astounds me that intelligent people accept this style of eating when “dieting”. If you were told to give your kiddo this food 6x a day, you wouldn’t. Kids need better nutrition. They need their calcium and fruits and veggies. How dare someone recommend this.
When did we lose our sensibilities!! Let’s eat some beautiful food! Stop removing total food groups! You don’t need to!!

How can I increase my variety to get to 35 different foods a week?

DON’T OVERTHINK IT.
Eat simply. If you are in the mood for black berries, eat them. Have an apple on another day. Eating the rainbow is a perfect way to increase your variety easily.

DON’T SHOP FOR 35 DIFFERENT FOODS
You don’t need to do that!! Just start with what you like, and add to it.
We use challenges like “Taco Tuesday” and “Waffle Wednesday” to help our clients get creative and increase their variety. Both of those meals can be created with lots of variety! It’s easy to find yourself with 15-20 different foods a day on those days!!
Think of the toppings, the ingredients. If you want fish tacos, great? Do you want a taco salad? Or waffles with Halo top and chocolate sauce.. Or perhaps you just want Waffles with blueberries!

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Hack: My Net Diary tracks your food amounts!!

You can see the number of foods you have eaten each day! Cool. MyNetDiary Pro is bomb!

If you need a macro plan or want to learn more about IIFYM you can work with us at LEARNIIFYM.COM

Do I have to count macros forever?

On May 30, 2017May 30, 2017 By Bikini Competitor TracyHIn fat loss, flex, Flexible Dieting, Health and fitness information, HOW TO, IIFYM, macro counting, macros

Well.. that’s a giant bucket of OMG! How do you count that??? I count it as DGAF.

The question I received today was

“UGH.. do I have to count macros forever?”

The answer is “Yes and sort of yes and no-ish.”

Let me explain:
Your body counts macros whether you count them or not. If you are fluffy, it is because you are eating in a surplus. If you are drinking that giant margarita you know you are going to feel accountable for that in some manner. That is surplus for sure!!

IIFYM/Macro counting is not a diet. It is simply a way to eat well and achieve your physique goals while enjoying the foods YOU like.. So if you want to achieve your physique goals, yes.. for sure you will have to count them. However..

The progression of macro counting is fantastic. The longer you do it, the more comfortable you may feel with “Intuitive dieting”

Intuitive dieting is basically eating your macros and doing math in your head. Simply understanding that you have a certain amount of Protein, Carbs and Fat and fiber to hit and are able to do that fairly easily.

Example: I had a Quest bar.. that was 25g protein, 27C and 8g F. Iced coffee with it that’s an extra 10g protein… etc. I’m doing math in my head. It starts to actually become a natural thing the longer you do it. This works great when you are traveling. I have found it very easy to eat in airports with intuitive dieting.

This is a good day! High carb days is awesome.

When I get a check in from a client that said “I didn’t track yesterday but I aimed for my protein and hit my calorie goals pretty close” this is awesome. This is someone who understands her goals but can be “flexible” in her food!!

BREAKS ARE GOOD.. SOMETIMES.
I had a client check in and tell me. “I didn’t track at all for the holiday. I was on a float and ate some things, but kept my portions small. I enjoyed the day”

This is a time when you don’t need to track. This is a flexible dieting win! My client was aware, she enjoyed her day and she didn’t stay glued to a tracker. She is back on her normal food right away.

I was very excited to hear her experience over the holiday simply because a dieting break is good for the soul. It’s ok. On that break, she didn’t binge, she didn’t freak out or beat herself up. She woke up and went back to her plan. This is amazing.

Ok.. so I’m just not going to track and guess..
This is could be a struggle with clients who are used to starting and stopping diets.
I’m not advocating this at all. Consistency wins over perfection in the IIFYM game. Working intuitively for long periods of time is for the advanced macro counter.

Honestly, I can’t even fathom not counting for a long period of time. If you reach that level greatness.. Cheers!!

If you are not solid on your macros. If you cannot hit them consistently. If you are prone to binges and see not tracking as an opportunity to eat in a surplus.. you are probably not ready for intuitive dieting. That’s ok. Stick to your journey and use the tools you have to be successful. Never give up but know that the longer you do it, the easier it will become!!

Fascia Blasting Update: 6 months

On May 25, 2017May 25, 2017 By Bikini Competitor TracyHIn competition update, Fascia Blaster, Flexible Dieting, macros

This is going to be a hard blog to write. I’m embarrassed, mortified and elated at the same time. I have not shared out in the open what has happened during my fascia blasting journey until today.

I want to back track a bit. This will be very long so grab some coffee but I will be 100 percent honest about what I’ve gone through and how I got here.

I did my last bikini competition late October 2016. I knew I would be starting my fascia blasting journey and had planned on competing October 2017. However, I realized that the only pro qualifier for my federation was June of 2017 so that cut 6 months off my fascia blasting time! I would NOT have started if I had realized that. I wanted a full year to restructure my physique. Mind you.. I am 51 years old. I feel great but I’m a next level kind of girl. I have struggled with my lower body for decades. My legs are clearly beyond bound in the below pictures.That means the fascia is really tight and no matter how lean I get, the muscles can’t be seen. It also leaves me lumpy! Having bound fascia also means I’m not getting the muscle gains I want because the fascia is like a sausage casing and there’s not room to grow.

I also struggled my whole life with lose skin on my belly.
I’m not mad about this but I don’t want surgery . I was interested in seeing if I could tighten it up.
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Blasting:
I sent my pictures to Ashley Black and she quickly returned a very long protocol for me which I have followed to the letter.
Yes, I am beyond bound (BB) and that is a pretty rough starting place. I have taught impact workouts for 35 years. It makes sense that my fascia is jacked up.
That tummy area is a tough area for me because when I gain inches it gets super fluffy but the skin is loose.

I have also worked with Ashley’s moderator,Kelley Zuniga. She is a competitive athlete as well and she gave me great advice for my prep. I had gone through a tough phase over Christmas where I was breaking up a lot of adheasons and felt fluffy as can be. I went from stage to loosey goosey. I tend to get inflamed when I blast. I’m not opting for a aggressive blasts. It’s not right for me.

That demolition phase was pretty hard on my brain. I’m telling you…

Did I bruise. I did for sure. But I kept going.

Nutrition:
During that demolition phase I was still really struggling with low energy and detox symptoms. I am an IIFYM girl and not a detox tea or magic solution believer. I drink my gallon of water every day . I probably ate too much over the holidays but it wasn’t much over my macros. I was pretty good this year. I’m just being honest. I do not believe in “Clean” food but I eat for my nutrition and my food is gorgeous and amazing. I had sugar and soda and I like franken food like pop chips and protein bars and Lenny and Larry’s cookies. I get over 500g fruit and veggies per day and my fiber goals are on point. Protein is high and carbs are fueling my workouts and my life. I do not believe in magic. I believe in science. #LearnIIFYM

Inner thighs. I brilliantly decided to pull my inner thighs tight while sitting on the side of the tub. I blasted them briskly and I got all the way to gravel in just a few weeks. It wasn’t long before I saw them smooth and then I had a thigh gap. I looked down and saw that thigh gap and almost passed out.

Legs.. Ok. My legs are still a mess but they are better. My hope is that I look better than last year on stage. I know I have a long way to go blasting but I’m not stopping.
I have broken up alot of stuff on my legs. I can see my quad definition now. I blast around the quads and I also am fat lysing them. They are coming a long. Still bound.. yep. But it’s better!!

Glutes Hammies: Oh boy. I’m painfully self aware of the work that has to be done in this area. That hamstring is still pretty lumpy but I’m going to town on it. My glutes are looking better. Smaller yep and not as bound up but I’m ok with this.

Just so you can see a difference in competition time.. look here.
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I blasted my upper arms and rear delts too. I’m eating a lot more food in 2017 than I was eating on my ‘clean’ food diet in 2014. Overall my package is better because I’m blasting.
I can almost see my glute. I’m also blasting my “sweep” area and it is coming along.
I want you to know this.. As I have progressed, I am working on muscle activation rather than simply lifting. I train with intention. My glutes/hams are rock hard under the remaining body fat and they are becoming visible. I can feel them fire which I never could before. This is real.

This is rough. Hard to show.

Picture 1 is from November 2016. I sent this to Ashley. Picture 2 is March 2017.

The March picture is after I’ve had 4 meals and a gallon of water.
The Left side was early November in my post show reverse diet.

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So this what my abs look like now. They look good all day.
No they are not 100 percent . I have some pebbles in that lower portion that was loose and it still puffs out sometimes. I’m not sure if all the loose skin will ever tighten up but I’m really willing to keep going. I’m 5 weeks out from my show in this picture.

I want to say here. I have been bullied (whatever) and called a liar my progress.
I have some great images on the web from photographers and so forth. As a fitness competitor it would be uncool to show off the pictures that look yucky. I am truthful in my business. I am a real person . I don’t sell the fascia blaster but I am interested in science and health. I’m interested in learning how my body is changing from the inside out. I also want to be a better athlete and a better coach for my clients. Science drives this train. So the reality is, we all have work to do. Progress!!

Here is a picture from a photoshoot that was 2 weeks before my last show. Mid October 2016. This is my struggle in the abs and lower body. I can usually pose it away but this pic is an out take.
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This picture of me is 8 weeks out from my show. Look.. I am bending over . My abs are tighter. That’s the take away here. Perfection.. nope.. progress.. moving forward.
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Blasting schedule:
Daily or every other day 5 min per body part. I do my abs 4x a week which keeps me from feeling super tired this close to my show.
I carve my abs and arms and legs, especially my quads.

The Fascia Blaster is sold at AshleyBlackGuru.com I do not sell it. 🙂 I love it though.

If you are a blaster and want help with your workout plan, I can help you! Reach out to me or visit our site http://www.sleekbodyonline.com/

IIFYM 101: I don’t know what to eat

On May 18, 2017May 18, 2017 By Bikini Competitor TracyHIn Clean Recipes, donuts, fat loss, fiber, flex, Flexible Dieting, HOW TO, IIFYM, macro counting, macros, meal prep, pizza, weight loss

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When a new IIFYM client starts my program, I will typically get this questions.
“What should I eat? I don’t know what to eat”

hmmmm..

Ok.. first of all the most important step you can do as a new IIFYMer is to follow directions of the plan. Our plan starts with three full days of tracking YOU.

I ask my clients to fill out their tracker with their normal food for 2 weekdays and 1 weekend day. Looking at your normal eating habits is eye opening. It’s easy to tweak your food so it fits your macros. If you toss the entire way you eat, and are searching for food to eat, you are missing the whole point of IIFYM. EAT WHAT YOU WANT.

If you are low on fiber and protein, then you certainly can figure out how to add more of those. If your carbs and fats are way over, you are going to have to make some adjustments. Simply cutting the serving sizes for overages is one way you can modify . Weigh everything in grams.
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The protein bar problem.

One client told me she was really sick and tired of trying to find a protein bar that would fit her macros for a snack.

“I need a bar that is 12g protein and 13g Carbs. All the bars have 24g Protein and 26g carbs. “

Ok.. so she probably could simply use half the bar . Right?
Make it fit.

Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water!
Clients start this project jumping ahead to the middle instead of following our directions.
A huge mistake is to start with a whole new menu because you “think” you have to.

WE NEVER TELL YOU TO DO THIS. Success in IIFYM comes from the fact that you can eat like YOU. The more it feels like YOU, the more consistent you will be. Consistency wins over perfection.

When you want Qdoba.. add it to your tracker and make it fit. You can use Fatsecret.com to find all kinds of food that you might like if you have a hankering.

Hacks:
AIM FOR PROTEIN FIRST.
Most of our clients come to us eating very little protein. They end up with 100g of protein left at the end of the day and no carbs or fats.

This blog tells you where to get protein (feel free to also search “Protein” on this blog)

Add your breakfast first. Most of us have a favorite breakfast so put her in there and let’s see how she fits!
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This is Ashley’s pancakes with Cinnamon and pumpkin. She tweaked her recipes so it fit her macros.

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Tracy topped her waffles with syrup and Sugar free Jelly. Man I love her. She’s bomb.

Add dinner or Movie time carbs next
If you are fired up about Taco Tuesday, then do yourself a solid and put those tacos in your tracker in the morning or the day before. We call this FRONT LOADING YOUR TRACKER.

You can eat the tacos YOU want! Or what about Pizza!! Maybe you have a pizza craving!! Whatever it is.. put it in so when movie time happens you have your food accounted for.

Fill in what is left for the day!!

HACK:
Front load the whole tracker. Sit down at your PC and add the food you want to eat to your tracker for the next day. Make it fit. Take the time to do it and pick things you want.
Make sure too add your fruit and veggie requirements and your fiber too.

Then hit the PRINT button for your menu. Eat that for 1 or two days. You don’t have to track it again.. just follow the menu.

Even if you don’t want to food prep, you can still make convenient foods fit!
EAT WHAT YOU LIKE.

I did that but someone asked me to have lunch with them and now I don’t know what to eat.

That could happen and that’s why you are learning IIFYM. So move some things around in your plan so you can enjoy lunch with your friend. If you cannot fit it into your macros ask your friend to give you a days notice so you can be prepared!! You are never more than 24 hours away from what you want!!

I filled in my lunch but now I have a bunch of ‘dangling macros left and I dont’ know what to eat.

If you don’t front load your dinner, evening food and eat around that all day.. this could happen.
You can do a flex bowl if you truly can’t get it together.
This is the blog on Flex bowls.

Flex bowls are a way to take the protein you have left and create something exciting and fun with the macros you have left.

I had a bunch of macros left over and I don’t want to eat anymore so I’m just going to bed.

ACK we get this quite a bit. Try harder. You need to hit your macros +5/-5 grams every day. That is your job. You are eating like it’s your job so focus. You can do it.

If you end up with 75g protein left at the end of the day.. just move on with your life. Tomorrow, figure out how to eat more protein during the day. Increase the protein at each meal or have something extra to bring your protein up. I like Laughing Cow cheese or even Kraft Shreds. Cottage cheese is packed with protein.

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Really? Still have no idea? Go to Ripped Recipes.com and enjoy their recipe search.
Use your computer, NOT your phone because the filters are better!!
You can add the macros you have to work with and get recipes to match.
You can do a whole day or just a certain amount.
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This game is like Tetris. You can learn something new every day and when something doesn’t work.. that’s ok. You have a clean tracker tomorrow!! So get on it!!
Let’s see what you can do.

When Clean Eating makes you sick

On May 14, 2017 By Bikini Competitor TracyHIn macros

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UH OH.. this is going to make some people mad.. Hold on now. This is NOT going to be another fear based post. I’m hoping the headline peaked your interest and you will be open to some thoughts on our health and nutrition.

First of all.. I don’t buy into the eat clean thing anymore. There’s no such thing as “clean”.
I had coaches give me “clean” diets that lacked
color
variety
fiber
fruit
Fats!!!
AND WHOLE FOOD GROUPS!!

I became really sick eating on those diets. I contracted two eye diseases at one time in my eye. I lost 35 percent of my vision. It took 6 months and 1000’s of dollars of medication that was NOT covered by insurance. My doctor was afraid I would not recover!!

Ok.. I hear you asking “Oh how do you know it was clean eating that caused you to get sick?”

During this clean eating phase.. my GP was alarmed at my HDL levels and ordered me to eat fat because my only fat came from 1 egg yolk per day for 16 weeks. I had a total of 8g fat on my clean menu.

You need fat in your diet! Fat is beneficial to your hormone balance, brain function.

According to the AMA “Dietary fats are essential to give your body energy and to support cell growth. They also help protect your organs and help keep your body warm. Fats help your body absorb some nutrients and produce important hormones, too. Your body definitely needs fat.”

Simply eating ‘clean’ doesn’t mean anything if you don’t pay attention to your macros “protein, carbs, fats, and micros too. Fiber is super important. I barely had any of that on 6 meals of tilapia and spinach.

To put it very simply, I was NOT nutritionally balanced and my body suffered.

I did recover, but it took over 6 months with huge doses of anti-virals. I was burdened with eye pain, and felt ill. We began work developing balanced eating instead of the restricted, bro diet I was on.

I practice IIFYM and I eat a colorful diet of wonderful food that feeds my body and soul. I’m happy and I feel amazing. My doctors are enormously pleased at my test results and even in my prep time, I still test well. My doctor has encouraged me to continue as I am for as long as I feel like it even though I am over 50. I’m very proud of this. Nutrition matters to me!!

How I coach my lifestyle and athletes:
Our goals for this team are at least 35 different foods a week. We eat the rainbow. We focus on staying healthy and feeling well.
We all eat fiber every day. Even our athletes fulfill a daily requirement of nutrition goals!! The easiest thing to do is to NOT take away whole food groups. We encourage our clients to choose foods they like. It’s not complicated. If they want blueberries, have them. Next time maybe an apple might be nice. I know that sounds simplistic, but it is miles from the restricted menus I endured!

I added this meme not to continue the fear based clean eating movement but to share how important it is to think about your food. To eat toward your goals doesn’t mean you don’t eat what you like. You have to think about it. I gave my doctor a ton of money from clean eating!

And to be clear, I eat what I want. I do not skip any food groups nor do I miss out on any foods I like. I eat sugar, and I have soda! I also have over 500g fruits and veggies a day! I eat very well and enjoy my life! I feel great!

So if you want to learn more… our coaches can help you also master IIFYM and you can reach your physique goals too!!
www.learniifym.com or PM me.
And just to say again, I eat what I want. It may surprise you that you can have the food YOU like and be successful without feeling restricted!!

IIFYM 101: How to Get Protein like a boss

On March 28, 2017March 28, 2017 By Bikini Competitor TracyHIn Bikini Contest Prep, Clean Recipes, coaching, fat loss, flex, Flexible Dieting, food prep, Health and fitness information, HOW TO, IIFYM, macro counting, macros, meal prep, Prepping not starving

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If you are just begining your IIFYM/Flexible Dieting Journey you may be surprised to see how much protein you are going to need to eat each day. In fact, most of my new clients come to me eating very little protein so it looks daunting to try to hit those protein goals!

The question I get the most is “How can I hit my protein goals with out going over fats and carbs?”

Protein is very important to our physique goals!! We need protein to build muscle and we all know that muscle is the fountain of youth! In a fat loss plan, we eat protein to help us maintain the muscle we have!! Protein also helps you feel full!!

Protein 101: Basic Sources
Meat Lean cuts to keep fat down. Skinless white meat is lower in fat.
Chicken
Turkey
Pork
Beef
Fish
Other Seafood (shrimp, scallops)
Dairy
Milk, Chocolate milk (great post workout)
Sour cream
Greek Yogurt
Cheese
Laughing cow cheese is fun!
Cottage cheese (add to your pancakes to add a fluffy texture)
Greek Yogurt Cream Cheese
Halo top Ice cream (I had to add that)
Eggs
Egg whites (buy the pour-able kind)

Legumes
Beans and legumes have some protein but the carb profile is higher, but if you can make it fit.. could be an option.

Whey
Whey protein or Isolate : you can cook with this!!
Lenny and Larry’s cookies (low protein profile but worthy)
Kodiak protein pancake mix (Target)
Protein Bars like Quest or B-Up bars (check your local Supplement store for variety)
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Peach Protein Cupcakes with Raspberry Lemon icing.. I tossed this in for you just for fun. Here’s that recipe. P:11 C:11 F2 for each cuppie.

Protip: Aim for protein first, Carbs second and fats last.
If you aim for hitting your protein goals first, you won’t be left at the end of the day with 120g to eat!!
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Protein hack: You could split your protein goals up by meal.
Mary Jo has 160g protein per day. She likes to eat 5 meals a day. Each meal could contain 32g protein per meal.
100g of shrimp is 28g of protein!!

Hidden protein

oates
Many foods you enjoy each day will have protein in them!! These amounts will help get you to your goals. Track that food!! Let’s see whatcha got!!

“I don’t like eggs or egg whites.”
Ok.. I hear you. I don’t care for egg whites on their own either, but I do love Crepes, Pancakes and French toast which are all made with egg whites /egg.

This is my Birthday Cake crepe. The recipe is here
pancake
Here’s a Banana Protein Pancake!!!
Protein pudding is boss.. This is at Walmart, Sup stores, Amazon.
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Oh Hey.. let’s make Fish Tacos! The shells are La Tiara (4 carbs per taco shell)
tacos

Hack: Start tracking your normal eating. Look at it like a puzzle. Are you lacking in protein but way over in fatty/carby foods? Let’s start working on ways to tweak your normal eating!
How can you add more protein in and hit your other macros on point?

Ideas:
RippedRecipes.com will help you find some fun ideas that are NOT boring.

This Blog!! Search Protein and you will see all my ideas!!

This is Roo Ferrigno. She is very sure of her protein intake and likes to judge mine.
puppy

I know you are working hard! Don’t give up. If you need macros or help.. connect with me on
LearnIIFYM.com

Prepping Not Starving: Taco Tuesday

On March 15, 2017March 15, 2017 By Bikini Competitor TracyHIn bikini competition secrets, Bikini competitor secrets, Bikini Contest Prep, bikini team, Clean Recipes, fat loss, fiber, flex, Flexible Dieting, food prep, Health and fitness information, macro counting, macros, meal prep, Prepping not starving, weight loss

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Our Team LOVES Taco Tuesday! Who doesn’t!! IIFYM is bomb because you can make them fit your macros!! Here are a few of our creations! The tacos above are grilled chicken ! taco1
Alicia scored this find at Trader Joes! 24g Protein! Holla!
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Coach Michelle is on vacation and on prep. Her tacos are on point. That avocado!! Avocados and that wrap have fiber. That’s about 20g fiber right there! taco3
Ashley is about 4 weeks out from her show. This is her masterpiece!

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Coach Julia is 7 weeks from her show and this is her taco crunch wrap!
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Melissa is 7 weeks from her show. These are her shrimp tacos! I love the lime. taco5
These are mine. I am 13 weeks from stage. Each one of those shells is only 4 carbs. taco7
Jen nailed her macros while eating tacos out! um.. yes please!!
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Holy Mama, sometimes you need a taco when you are out. The macros on the Taco Bell Chicken Soft Taco are sweet.

Hack: If you are craving Tacos, front load your tracker with your tacos early in the day and eat around them.

Here’s my 4g Carb Taco shells.

shell

taco
These are in the grocery store or order online. We buy 72 shells at a time!

Eat food that makes you happy! #makeItFit

Prepping Not Starving: Pizza

On March 13, 2017March 14, 2017 By Bikini Competitor TracyHIn bikini competition secrets, Bikini competitor secrets, Bikini Contest Prep, Clean Recipes, fiber, flex, Flexible Dieting, food prep, Health and fitness information, IIFYM, macro counting, macros, meal prep, pizza, Prepping not starving, weight loss

pizza2
Warning: These are actual pizzas made by our bikini team in PREP!!

One of the thing that has me completely over the moon is our team’s ability to create amazing food from prep ingredients. They do it quickly and with flair.

There is no reason to eat plain when you are in a cut! Creativity goes a long way and creates a sustainable plan!

The above pizza was made by our girl Ashely who is just 4 weeks out from her show.
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Here’s another one she did!

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Coach Michelle is 7 weeks out from her show and rocked this masterpiece.
Chicken, sundried tomatoes, onions, FF mozzarella, reduced fat feta and basil on a flat out.

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This is my SOB on a flat out. I toast my flat out before we bake the pizza.
Jimmy Dean Sausage crumbles, Onions and Louis Rich Turkey Bacon. Sauce Prego light smart red sauce from Walmart.

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Our Bikini Team Athlete, Tracy made this gem.
Pepperoni Pizza for Dinner! 🍕💪🏻Oh man… Winning! ❤️ 308 Calories / 4.5G Fat / 37 Carbs / 32 G Protein
Tomato Basil flat out Wrap
Turkey pepperoni
Marina Sauce
Fat Free shredded cheese
Bake at 425 for 10 minutes

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Melissa did a fun peperoni and sundried tomato version! mmmmmm
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Debbie, who is 7 weeks out from her show created this version of the white pizza!
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Tips: Pizza is an easy dinner and it has a secret bonus. Flat our or tortilla wraps have fiber.
There are lower carb wraps too. You can create your own toppings from your prep food. You can load veggies if you are into that. You can use full fat or non fat cheese depending on your macros.

You do NOT have to have 12 dry roasted almonds for your fats. You can have other fats!
Cheese has protein. Feta is a great choice too! This is all about you.

Pro-tip: Build your pizza in your tracker in the morning so you can have exactly what you want. Then eat around it for the rest of the day. You can enjoy your evening meal hitting your macros and feeling super smart!

Hey.. if you want to learn more about IIFYM.. go to LEARNIIFYM.COM and let us teach you!
If you want to join our IIFYM bikini team.. we’d love to talk to you.

Prepping Not Starving: Quik Trip Egg bowl hack

On February 6, 2017February 6, 2017 By Bikini Competitor TracyHIn bikini competition secrets, Bikini competitor secrets, Bikini Contest Prep, bikini team, bro swaps, Clean Recipes, Competitor secrets, Flexible Dieting, food prep, IIFYM, macro counting, macros, meal prep, Prepping not starving, weight loss

breakfast-bowl
If Quik Trip is local to you, you might have seen this egg bowl in their stores. I had the chance to taste it last fall and it was insane. I know a lot of restaurants serve this as well.

Last night, we recreated this masterpiece for my prep macros. I have no pic, because I ate it up. But it looked much like the above one so go with that.

bowl

1/2 cup Jimmy Dean Turkey sausage Crumbles
1 whole egg
1/2 cup whites
1 slice Kraft Fat Free Singles
onions

In the pan with cooking spray, heat your onions first.
Next add the crumbles until they are hot.
Eggs go next
Put the cheese on top and put a lid on it so it melts.

You can modify anything here just adjust your macros.
If you take out the whole egg you can take off 5g Fat. I use an omega egg so
that’s a good way to get my EFAs. If you have the fat, get some real cheddar!
It’s so good!

BRO ALERT: If your coach has locked you down to Bro-city, you can still rock this meal.
Use cooked ground turkey and seasonings instead of your sausage.

Wish I’d saved room for Buttered Toast!

Hey.. do you need help with IIFYM? Check us out at LearnIIFYM.com

IIFYM BIKINI BOSS TRACY

Author: Bikini Competitor TracyH