CorynnePero.com

MISSION POSSIBLE PART 2: Check Yo’self Before You Wreck Yo’self

The hubs and I went on our weekly shopping trip this past weekend.  Costco first, then Trader Joe’s, Jewel and then Dominick’s.  Why so many stores?  Because my last name isn’t Winfrey, Gates or Buffett – I go where the sales are.  When you talk about food and supplements, bodybuilding can get expensive so I try to keep the costs down in anyway possible.  My husband and I (mostly my husband, bless his heart) look through the newspaper noting what’s on sale and clipping coupons and then we make a shopping list for each store.  If there’s one thing I hate it’s wanting a certain food and not having it so whenever I run out of something I write it down immediately.  I’m super anal about my shopping list – don’t touch it and don’t be scratching things out all willy nilly unless you have a death wish.

Here’s a picture of our cart from Costco:

Not bad for an off-season diet, huh?  But, as I was walking through the aisle I grabbed a bag of kettle baked chips and threw them in the cart without even really thinking about it.  I’m in the off-season, I can have chips, right?  Well, that’s what I kept saying to myself.  If you look at the picture at the very top of this post you’ll notice that Kettle chips certainly are not on my shopping list.  But here’s the deal…every once in a while I like to treat myself to the crunchy, salty, trans-fatty goodness that is what us Americans call potato chips.  I had the bag in the cart for the rest of our trip around the warehouse.  This is Costco we’re talking about so it wasn’t a regular sized bag either – we’re talking king sized, a bag large enough to feed a family of 12.  But, here’s what I always do right before I get in line to check out – I check myself before I wreck myself.  In other words, I check my food choices before I end up taking something home that wrecks my diet.  I look at my cart and ask myself if I really NEED this or that.  Chicken – yes, chicken is a pretty big deal.  Eggs – yes, I’ve eaten eggs every morning for the last 2 years.  Veggies – peppers, green beans, mixed veggies – a definite must.  Rotisserie chicken – eh – not an absolute must-have but it’s a nice change from regular chicken.  Fruit – in the off season I have a serving of fruit at some point throughout my day so yes, this is necessary.  Potato chips…hmmmm.  Do I actually NEED potato chips?  What role do chips play in a bodybuilder’s diet?  How would eating chips help me achieve my goals as a bodybuilder?  Even bigger than that, how would eating this sodium, trans fat ridden, processed food help with my overall health?  I do this all of the time and it annoys the hell out of my husband.  Never fails – on any given shopping trip we’ve been in the store for close to an hour, he’s more than ready to go, we’re on our way to checkout and he’s just about to be freed from the shackles of grocery shopping hell and then – SIKE! – I pull the cart off to the side and spend a good 5-10 minutes picking through everything.  And we aren’t even going to talk about if I want to change something out or put something back and I have to run back into the aisles – that can add another 10+ minutes.  Anyways, I took the chips out of the cart and they went back to their rightful place on the shelf for someone else to enjoy.

For anyone who is interested, here is your next challenge.  I want you to…

CHECK YO’SELF BEFORE YOU WRECK YO’SELF:
First of all, don’t go to the grocery store hungry – that’s asking for trouble.  Next, make a shopping list and make a vow to stick to it. Once you’re done shopping pull your cart aside and ask yourself if there is anything you don’t need.  Eliminate anything that won’t help you achieve your overall fitness goals.

BOTTOM LINE – Check your cart and don’t buy anything that doesn’t have a positive impact on your fitness goals.  If a tall bag of M&Ms is calling your name but you know you can’t limit yourself to a handful every once in a while then it would be in your best interest to leave it on the shelf for someone else.  And if you do choose to deviate from your diet be prepared to deal with the consequences.

Again, this post isn’t written for my fellow competitors and fitness buffs since you guys already know what’s up.  This post is for those who reach out to me wanting to make a change but don’t know where to start.  This is also for the folks who run around the store grabbing whatever makes their mouth water at the time and end up with a cart full of processed, fatty grossness.  I always live by the rule of, if I don’t buy it, I won’t eat it.

Don’t forget to like this post.

MISSION POSSIBLE: PART 1

CHALLENGE!

My days are extremely regimented.  I know where I’m supposed to be, when I’m supposed to be there and how long I’m supposed to be there.  If anything or anyone gets in my way others will feel my wrath – just ask my husband  It’s kind of crazy but that’s how my mind works.  If I’m not doing something or if I have spare time, I wonder what I should be doing. I’m up at 4:20a in the morning and I move like a robot.  BEEEEEEP – alarm goes off…bathroom…get dressed…check email…make protein shake…out the door.  I prepare my meals the night before or the weekend before and I lay my gym clothes out the night or weekend before.

When I look at the time spent preparing for my day/week, yes, it is a commitment but it’s a commitment that sets me up for success each and every day of my life.  When it comes to meal prep, sure I could be doing something else – watching TV, sleeping, spending time with my husband, etc. – but would I rather skip my food prep and enter my week/day unprepared?  No, not being prepared sacrifices my health and I’m not about that.  If I have my food with me the idea of eating fast food doesn’t even cross my mind…I’m not tempted to grab a doughnut or muffin from the break room at work.  Bottom line – committing to food prep makes it much easier to eat clean.  And honestly, once I get started with the cooking and packing and what not I’m done before I know it.  I’m not sure if I’m just used to the process or if it’s a lifestyle but I actually look forward to it.  It gets easier.

One of the main things I hear from people is that they don’t have time to prepare their meals and that is why they are forced to eat out every day.  I’m sorry…forced?  Really?  Not having food with you during the day is a situation that could have been prevented – be honest with yourself.  Okay, so you have to buy your lunch…are you forced to order a burger and fries instead of the grilled chicken or fish?  So you were forced to order that greasy pizza puff instead of a salad?  Just like you have to pick your kids up from school, just like you have to pay your mortgage, just like you have to get to work on time, you have to learn to live a healthier lifestyle which includes eating clean and moving away from fast food and restaurant food.  Don’t let it get to a point where a doctor has to tell you this.  Put your health high on your priority list now – right up there with paying your bills and taking care of your kids.  I understand that everyone doesn’t want to be a bodybuilder.  The majority of the population wants to enjoy food and perhaps doesn’t want the added pressure of having to go to the gym every single day.  The average person doesn’t want to count calories or worry about insulin spikes or spill over from too many carbs.  Honestly, folks don’t want to be restricted – that’s fine.  I’m choosing to live this way.  Everyone has their own goals so who am I to judge?  But, I do feel bad/concerned for the people who say they want to make a change or are told by a medical professional that they need to make a change, or are experiencing issues such as sore knees, back pains, or shortness of breath which is their body’s way of telling them they need to make a change but, they continue on as if their condition will magically go away.  I also feel bad for the folks who happen to be skinny/thin-looking and feel that their metabolism and body as a whole will stay that way forever no matter how horribly they treat themselves.  I feel bad because these people have no clue what they’re in for.

For anyone who is interested, here is your challenge starting [wait for it] NOW.  I challenge you to make a change and yes, this mission is possible.  I want you to:

TAKE THE PLUNGE:
For the week of March 25, 2011, prepare your lunch for one week instead of eating out

Here are some things you can do to accomplish this:
1) Decide what healthy meals you would like to take with you to work each day for the upcoming week.  Chicken, fish, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, and veggies are perfect options.  Keep in mind I said HEALTHY.  Bringing a lunch doesn’t mean simply throwing a TV dinner in your lunch bag.  Living a healthy lifestyle takes work but it’s worth it.
2) Make sure you do your grocery shopping the weekend before – Saturday or Sunday.  To beat the crowd, my husband and I have been known to grocery shop on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday night.  It takes a while since we go to several different grocery stores.  Some of you may think we’re lame, I mean what cool person spends their weekend night at the grocery store?  LAAAMME!!  Well, we most certainly do so let me know if you want me to raise my shirt and show you my abs.  We get it done.  ;)
3) Chop your veggies, cook your meats, make your grains and separate them out in to separate containers so each morning all you have to go is grab-n-go.  No excuses.

This challenge isn’t meant for the competitors and true fitness advocates who read my blog – you guys already have this down.  This is meant for all the folks who email me, write on my Facebook page, or approach me in person asking how they can work towards living a healthier lifestyle.  This post is also for the folks who, sorry to call you out, say that they’re eating clean when you damn well know you’re not!  Sometimes I wonder if people think I’m stupid…like I believe them when they say they eat “100% clean”.  Pfft.

I know this is easier said than done but keep in mind, I didn’t start where I am now.  In previous years I was heavy but I learned that small changes make a big difference.  It takes work, planning and commitment.  Make a decision.  Take the plunge.

Don’t forget to like this post.  :)

Looking for a healthy splurge for your high carb day?

YOU WILL NEED…
1 Package of Jennie-O Lean Smoked Turkey Sausage
1/2 Cup of Goya Low Sodium Black Beans
1/8 Cup of RiceSelect Whole Wheat Orzo Pasta
50g Red Bell Pepper
50g Yellow or Red Onion

Fajita Seasoning (Season to taste):
Sorry folks, I typically don’t measure my seasonings.  I smell and taste as I go.
Chili Powder
Paprika
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Cayenne Pepper
Cumin

As a side note, when it comes to fajitas lots of folks use the prepackaged McCormick seasonings.  Look at my ingredients above.  Pretty standard, right?  No crazy additives or anything fancy.

Now look at the ingredients  used in the prepackaged McCormick mix.
MALTODEXTRIN, SPICES (INCLUDING BLACK PEPPER), SALT, ONION, GARLIC, CORN SYRUP SOLIDS, CARAMEL COLOR, LIME JUICE SOLIDS, CITRIC ACID, NATURAL FLAVORS, AND MODIFIED CORN STARCH.

Making your own seasoning mixtures is super easy so why not get rid of the packaged stuff and keep things as clean as possible?

Anyways…

ALL YOU GOTTA DO…
1) Begin cooking the bell pepper and onion (red or yellow onion will work fine) in pan #1
2) Slice sausage diagonally and begin cooking in pan #2
3) Follow cooking instructions for orzo pasta.  Orzo pasta tastes best when prepared al dente.  Drain pasta and set aside.
4) Once bell peppers and onions are about 1/2 way cooked add them to your sausage w/ 1/2 cup of water.
5) Season mixture w/ chili powder, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper and cumin.
6) Let simmer for a few minutes making sure it does not begin sticking to the pan.

MACROS (1 Serving)…
431 Calories
68g Carbs
4g Fat
25g Protein
19g Fiber

YOU WILL NEED…
109g of Jennie O Lean Hot Italian Turkey Sausage (~1 link)
85g of Shrimp
1/4 cup RiceSelect Whole Wheat Organic Couscous
1 Bell Pepper (Any kind of pepper will do – red, orange, yellow or green)
1-2 Jalapeno Peppers
1/2 Yellow or Red Onion
Season with Caution (HOT!)…
Garlic
Black Pepper
Cayenne Pepper
White pepper
Oregano
Chili Pepper
Paprika

ALL YOU GOTTA DO…
1) Begin cooking the bell pepper, jalapeno pepper and onion (red or yellow onion will work fine) in pan #1
2) Slice sausage diagonally and begin cooking in pan #2
3) Follow cooking instructions for couscous.
4) Once bell peppers and onions are about 1/2 way cooked add them to your sausage w/ 1/2 cup of water
5) Season mixture w/ garlic, black pepper, cayenne pepper, white pepper, oregeno, chili pepper and paprika
6) Serve over couscous

MACROS (1 serving)…
476 Calories
53g Carbs
11g Fat
44g Protein
10g Fiber

I posted my Sunday Fun Day quad workout last week and someone wrote to me and said, “Hey!  WTF?  I see what you do for quads but what about hammies?”  So, I thought I’d do a quick hammie and ass post.  I generally train hamstrings, glutes and calves on Fridays.

Confession: Hamstrings are a difficult body part for me to train.  Not that I don’t have to concentrate when working the other body parts but with hamstrings I really have to focus on the mind-muscle connection to ensure that I’m putting the majority if not all of the stress on the hamstring/glute area and not solely on the quad.  If I lose focus the hamstring/glute workout could quickly turn in to a quad workout – no bueno since I already have a day devoted entirely to quads.  It’s pretty much guaranteed that I’ll be sore after one of my hammie workouts.  I use heavy weight on some exercises and then I go lighter on others.  I go to failure on some exercises but then go to just before failure on others. Here’s what I did this past week:

HAMMIES & ASS
SMITH MACHINE LUNGES – Long and low
4×12
* To feel these in my hamstrings and glutes I make sure I use a long stride.  I get super low and focus on pushing from the front heal.  My back leg is pretty much a non-factor.  When I want to target the quad on quad day I push from the ball or arch of the foot but for the hammie the focus is on the front heel.  This is where the mind-muscle connection comes in – gotta concentrate on pushing from the heel to work the hammies and ass.

SMITH MACHINE SQUAT – Low and wide
4×15
* Wide stance, feet out a little further than when doing a typical barbell squat.  Really low squat, push back from the heals and squeeze at the top.  Depending on how I feel that day I’ll do low/wide squats with a squeeze at the top or I’ll do 4×20 pulses.  Always on the heels.

LYING LEG CURL
4×6-10
* Last set was a drop set of a total of 10 reps

SEATED LEG CURL: 4×6-10
* Last set was a drop set of a total of 10 reps

DB STEP UPS: 3×20
 …Superset with…
WEIGHTED HIP THRUSTS : 3×15

SINGLE LEG RDLs: 3×12
* Several people have asked why I do single leg RDLs instead of the typical stiff leg RDL.  Reason being, I’ve tried but I simply cannot feel the hamstring working when I do a typical stiff leg deadlift.  I feel it in my back.  With single leg, especially if I do them at the end of my workout, I feel the burn directly in the hamstring/glute area.

CALVES
SEATED CALF RAISE – 4×15

STANDING CALF RAISE – 6×15
* 2×15 Neutral foot placement
* 2×15 Feet pointing inward
* 2×15 Feet pointing out

If I have time I’ll put on an ankle weight and do fire hydrants and donkey leg lifts.  I’ll also do knee lifts wearing the ankle weight for the hip flexor.

Toning up what my momma gave me hoping to look BODYBUILDER BOODYLICIOUS the next time I’m on stage.

Don’t forget to ‘like’ this post.

Subscribe to me on Facebook (Corynne Cooper Pero) or join my FAN PAGE Corynne Cooper Pero (IFPA Professional Bodybuilder):
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Corynne-Cooper-Pero-IFPA-Pro-Bodybuilder/292097367474445

If Sunday is Fun Day Leg Day, then what’s Monday?

On Monday I hit SHOULDERS, CHEST, and BACK like a boss!  I typically do a two-a-day on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays because I’m a crazy animal who hates not getting in all body parts each week.  I work each body part 2x per week – the first time through each body part I go heavy w/ fewer reps.  This changes a little bit depending on the muscle – for example, I don’t go super heavy on certain shoulder exercises.  It doesn’t work for my body.  The second time through each body part is lighter w/ 10-12 reps.  My workouts aren’t long (my husband may tell you differently) – I’m efficient and I don’t participate in much, if any chatter.  Also, I don’t rest for very long between sets – my husband calls it ‘Hurry Up Offence” because I move quickly.  I never really do the same workout twice either.  I spend a lot of time each night or on the weekends planning my workouts so each workout ends up being different.  The changes I make aren’t always huge – sometimes simply changing hand or foot placement or doing a pause & hold can work a muscle differently.

5:30am - SHOULDERS & CHEST

SHOULDERS
DB Military Press: 6 sets (1 set of 15, 1 set of 10-12, 2 drop sets of 12, 2 sets to failure 6-8 reps)
Lateral Raise: 4×12 (Pinkies up)
Front Raise: 4×12 (Overhand)

Upright Row: 4 sets (2 sets of 12, 2 sets to failure 6-8 reps)
…Super set with…
DB Shrugs: 4×15
I don’t go super heavy on shrugs – I always do 12-15 paused reps where the last several reps are a struggle. I refuse – I repeat – REFUSE to have a neck like a linebacker.  Not cute.

Incline Rear Delt: 4 sets (2 sets of 12, 2 drop sets of 12)
Pec Deck Rear Delt: 4 sets (2 sets of 12, 2 drop sets of 12)
I don’t go super heavy when working rear delts. In my opinion, it’s such a small muscle and my delts respond better to lighter weight and more reps, hence why I do drop sets.  Also, I learned that in order to achieve perfect range of motion where I really feel the burn/pump in the delt, I need to keep the weight low so that I can concentrate on proper form and the mind-muscle connection.  Personally, if I do delt exercises right, I CAN’T go super heavy – I can feel my form breaking.  Believe me, with lighter weight I still get a burn.  I see so many people doing reverse flies with heavy weight but their range of motion is shotty to where it looks like a broke down bent over row – I wonder what muscle they’re actually working!

CHEST
With chest, I do hammer strength once a week and then DB/BB once a week.

Hammer Strength Incline Press: 4 sets
(2 sets of 10-12, 2 drop sets of at least 6-8 reps to failure)

Hammer Strength Decline Press: 4×10-12

Hammer Strength Flat Press: 4 sets
(1 set of 10, 3 drop sets of at least 6-8 reps to failure)

Pec Deck Chest Fly: 4 sets (2 sets of 12, 2 drop sets of 10)

Cable Chest Fly: 4 sets (2 sets of 12, 2 drop sets of 12)
…Super set with…
Wide Push Ups: 4×15-20

6pm – BACK (Non-Deadlift Week)
Reverse Grip Lat Pull Down: 4 sets  (2 sets of 12, 2 drop sets of 8-10)
T-Bar Row: 4×12
Seated Low Row: 4 sets (2 sets of 12, 2 drop sets of 8-10)
Back Extensions w/ Weight: 4×15

All in all, I’m feeling good.  Strong.  Like a damn boss!

Don’t forget to like this post

Yes, it’s me again.  I know it’s been a while.  At the close of my 2011 season I needed a break.  I needed a break from everything bodybuilding related.  I generally sleep about 5-6 hours a night and the other 18-19 hours are spent with my mind wrapped around bodybuilding – planning my workouts, weighing myself, answering emails, deleting random pokes on Facebook, weighing myself, planning/cooking/packing my meals, researching new training methods, researching foods, oh, and weighing myself…blah blah blah.  I needed a break.  So, instead of continuing on with the bodybuilding craziness I tried to relax my brain and my body.  I think many will agree with me with I say that a true competitor can’t really relax.  Well, at least you can’t relax like a normal person would.  I can’t be normal.  What’s normal?  I know with me, once I started bodybuilding my life was forever changed.  I’m still dieting but I’ve been allowing myself to have a little fun – some pita chips and hummus here and there, I’ve had momma’s mac-n-cheese a couple of times, I eat Ezekial bread, I’m drinking something other than water with one of my meals each day (for those who don’t know, I’ve drank nothing but water for about the last two years – water w/ BCAA powder or water w/ lemon…I know it sounds weird but it’s true).  Anyways, with one of my meals each day, I’ve ventured off to [wait for it]…GREEN TEA.

Another thing I’ve been trying to do is to ‘relax’ a little bit in the gym.  I put the word ‘relax’ in quotes because, c’mon, can I really ever relax in the gym?  It’s an oxymoron.  Relaxing in the gym is like the relaxed pose bodybuilders have to hold when on stage.  Basically, the relaxed pose is one big lie – you’re everything BUT relaxed!  What I mean is I can have a little more fun in the gym – [patting myself on the back] I actually smile and say hello to people now!  I used to spend the night and weekend before planning my workout – I’d write all of the exercises I wanted to do down in my notebook along with the weight I did previously and even the machine I was on (lame) – but a few days out of the week (only a few, I’m not ready to get buck wild yet) I have decided to leave some things up in the air.  Some people call this ‘winging it’.  Honestly, I don’t like to wing it…it’s not me.

Sunday is designated SUNDAY FUN DAY LEG DAY and Corynne LOVES leg day.  I rolled up in the gym this past Sunday ready to work.  My lip gloss wasn’t poppin’.  I always think, if I look cute after my leg workout (or any workout for that matter), I obviously didn’t work hard enough.

Here’s my workout
LEG EXTENSIONS: (Pre-Exhaustion) 4×20 reps
This sucked…in a good way.  Each set of 20 was different
* 5 pause-n-hold reps…5 regular reps…5 pause-n-hold….5 regular reps
* 10 pause-n-hold…10 regular reps
* 5 regular reps…10 pause-n-hold….5 regular reps
* 10 regular reps…5 pause-n-hold…5 regular reps
The decision on whether to pause or not to pause was spur of the moment.  See?  I’m relaxing, remember?

INNER THIGHS: 4×15 reps
…super set with…
OUTER THIGHS: 4X15 reps

HACK SQUAT: (Feet together) 4 sets 8-10 reps
…super set with…
DONKEY CALF RAISES: 4×15 reps

LEG PRESS: (Neutral foot placement) 4 sets 10-12 reps

WALKING LUNGES: 1 lap
I think I blacked out or something because I lost count after 115.

LINEAR CALF RAISE: 6×15 reps
* 2×15 Neutral foot placement
* 2×15 Feet pointing inward
* 2×15 Feet pointing out

Nope, not done yet…after legs I did 15 minutes of HIIT.

Finally 2.5 hours later I’m headed home for my typical post-leg workout meal with the hubs…egg whites, turkey bacon and PROTEIN PANCAKES.

Whole grain w/ cookies-n-cream protein powder: blueberry, oatmeal raisin, chocolate chip banana & apple cinnamon. No syrup needed! I hate syrup.

Don’t forget to ‘like’ this post.

Subscribe to me on Facebook (Corynne Cooper Pero) or join my FAN PAGE Corynne Cooper Pero (IFPA Professional Bodybuilder):
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Corynne-Cooper-Pero-IFPA-Pro-Bodybuilder/292097367474445

A happy new year isn’t guaranteed, you have to make it happen.

Well hello strangers!  I forced myself to go on a brief hiatus for a while.  I needed to heal…recover both mentally and physically.  In the time I was away I’ve focused on myself and my husband.  I’m sorry (but not-so-sorry) to say that I had to get selfish.  Of course I trained, I mean the gym has been and will always be my second home.  But, I also LIVED a little.  I did things that made ME happy.  I relaxed and kicked my feet up…hung out with my parents and my girlfriends…my husband and I took a trip to Florida…some days I’d watch 3 or 4 Liftetime movies in a row and [wait for it] I even had some days where I didn’t log in to MyFitnessPal to track my calories [shocked face].  I even went to 4 malls the day after Christmas and didn’t carry a bag of chicken and a protein shake in my purse.  Most importantly, I smiled and laughed again – my husband said he hadn’t seen me smile or heard me laugh in about 8 months.  FYI, typically when I’m at home with my husband, I spend the majority of my time laughing so a laughless household is kind of a big deal.

Here’s what I’ve been up to:

Me and my love on our first date in 8 months!

SWOLE, PARTY OF TWO
I started having cheat meals again so my husband and I are having date nights once a week/once every two weeks.  We either do dinner on Saturday night or we go out for breakfast after my Sunday morning workout.  When we go out, we call it Swole, Party of Two – no explaination necessasry.  If we are lazy and decide to get fatty-goodness from the grocery store down the street instead of going out, we call this 007.  Why 007?  Because, on many occasions, I have found myself in the store wearing all black, hood up, dunking behind carts and peaking around corners to avoid folks.  The unhealthy stuff is super good but I feel so dirty when I buy it – lol.  Also, it never fails, at that very grocery store I always seem to run into someone I know from the gym while I’m carrying ice cream…chips…cupcakes…whatever. Then, they either cause a scene completely shocked that I’m holding something so sinister in my bare hands or they pretend like they don’t see it when I totally see their eyes drift to whatever it is that I’m holding.

All jokes aside, yes the cheat meals are great (I’ve got two words for you…LONGHORN STEAKHOUSE) but my main focus has been to connect with my husband.  I’m not sure about other couples but bodybuilding definitely took it’s toll on my marriage.  I’m much less energetic when I’m dieting, especially near the end and due to the lack of energy I tend to get snappy or in some cases, I don’t talk at all.  I’d try my hardest to remember that I’m choosing to do this, Jason isn’t forcing me, so who am I to have an attitude about it?  Although perfectly logical, that thinking only lasts a few minutes until my stomach begins to growl or until I see a Papa John’s pizza commercial.  At the end of the 2011 season, after almost 8 months of dieting, I felt like I hadn’t had a true conversation with my husband in forever.  Think about it – think about the person you talk to the most and then think about only getting a small piece of that person for a looooooong time.  Bottom line – I missed him.  We missed each other.  So, the last two months have allowed Jason and I to get back to where we belong – TOGETHER.

HEALTH IS WEALTH
Over the course of the last 2 months I’ve been on medication for my liver and kidney issues and I’ve had regular follow-up appointments with my doctor to track my progress.  I am off of the medication now and have my final appointment (well, hopefully it’s final…fingers crossed) this week.  I still get random waives of nausea but I’m chalking that up to a side affect that will eventually go away.  I send emails to my diet coach and the subject is always – I WILL NOT OVERTRAIN.  I see that subject line every single day. Read my lips – I WILL NOT OVERTRAIN.  This ain’t happenin’ again.

THROWIN’ DOWN IN THE KITCHEN

I’m a cookbook and recipe magazine fanatic.  If it’s a healthy cookbook, I’ll prepare the dish almost exactly as directed.  If it’s a not-so-healthy recipe, I’ll most certainly tweak it to make it bodybuilder-friendly – you know, use fat-free or low/no sodium instead of regular, whole grain instead of white and of course, I’ll use leaner meats instead of what is suggested.  Well, well, well, I got two new cookbooks (Tosco Reno’s The Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook 2 and The Betty Crocker 300 Calorie Cookbook) and started experimenting again.

BODYBUILDING.COM
Um, I just dropped $300 on Bodybuilding.com and all I got was a free shaker cup.  It never ends.  :)

THE HELP
I cried like I had used onions for eyeliner.  If you ever want to feel inspired and thankful for what you have and for where you are in life, watch The Help.  It’s about African American maids working in white households in Jackson, Mississippi during the early 1960′s.  For those of you who may not know, the 1960′s was when the the Civil Rights Movement was taking place - a very emotional yet rewarding time for many people.  This movie hit home for me and for once in a long time I cried about something other than bodybuilding!  My maternal grandmother was a maid in a white household for almost her entire life and to see what she potentially could’ve gone through was heartbreaking.  Yes, there were some comical parts of the movie but the overall plot was amazing.

As I said at the beginning of this post, 2012 is here whether you like it or not.  So, in the words of the illustrious Tim Gunn – MAKE IT WORK.

Don’t forget to ‘like’ this post.

Subscribe to me on Facebook (Corynne Cooper Pero) or join my FAN PAGE Corynne Cooper Pero (IFPA Professional Bodybuilder):
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Corynne-Cooper-Pero-IFPA-Pro-Bodybuilder/292097367474445

One of the things I challenged my parents with at the beginning of this year is to try to be healthier.  They weren’t unhealthy – they aren’t drinkers or smokers and they do already make many healthy choices.  I didn’t ask them to go to the extreme of dieting like me but my main goal was to help them make healthier lifestyle choices that will stay with them for years to come.  SUSTAINABILITY.  My parents are in their YOUNG 60s – they look great and are in great health.  Trust me, I’ve seen plenty of parents who are their same age or younger who are in horrible health and look years older than they actually are due to poor eating habits, smoking/drinking, lack of exercises – it’s sad.  [Breath - Shooooo, don't make me launch into another Y Files post!]  My dad gets up every single morning around 5am and takes himself through an hour and a half workout that includes cardio and weights.  My mom gets up early as well (albeit not 5am!) and does an hour or so on the treadmill in their basement.  In the summer, they walk/run the outdoor trail near their house.  They’ve always been active and I’m proud to say that some of my nutritional knowledge has intrigued them – they’re always asking questions, are now reading nutritional and ingredients labels, and have significantly cut down on their processed food intake.

They kept on this path for a year and without sounding like a tyrant I made sure to tell them that during the holidays it’s tempting to say to hell with the diet – to let yourself go and reverse all of your hard work.  Of course, Thanksgiving is a time to relax with friends and family but some treat Thanksgiving as a time to completely relax on their diets and maybe even go overboard.  Earlier this week, on the Biggest Loser, the host said that the average American consumes 4,000+ calories on Thanksgiving day alone!  That’s crazy…gluttonous…unhealthy… scary…and maybe it’s just me but it seems humanly impossible to eat that much!  My suggestion to my parents was to not fall into the trap of banishing their healthy choices and to definitely not spend an entire weekend engorging/overeating.  Thanksgiving is one day…enjoy it…INDULGE RESPONSIBLY…move on.  Having some fatty and/or sugary foods on this day is fine but we simply can’t turn it onto an all day or all weekend glut-fest.  In previous years I’ve brought my own sides to go with my mom’s turkey – brown rice/baked potato, green beans, etc. – but this year I didn’t have to because we decided to have a cleanER Thanksgiving!  Surely, I brought my ‘Bodybuilder Survival Kit’ – I almost always bring this with me everywhere I go – a bag of cooked chicken breast, sea salt, Molly McButter, a serving of protein powder, BCAA powder and my shaker cup – don’t leave home without it.  Anyways, on this T-gives day, I also decided to take a break from the food scale – I didn’t weigh or measure anything, I just served myself responsible portions and didn’t go for seconds.

It all started with cleanER breakfast.  This is a feast for me considering I’m used to only eating egg whites and a piece of ezekiel bread.  My dad typically cooks breakfast first thing on Thanksgiving day to fill us up so we’re not snacking all day.  We want our bellies empty for dinner, not full of junk from hungry grazing all day.

* Grits: My parents are from the south so grits are a regular in their house.  By the way, grits aren’t grits unless there are lumps – I’m just sayin’.
* Egg Whites w/ 1 whole egg: My parents love eggs but they’ve moved to egg whites this year instead of only eating whole eggs.  We used a little fat free swiss cheese on top instead of regular cheddar cheese.
* Turkey Sausage: This is the kicker.  For years, my parents ate pork sausage, and they still do sometimes BUT, they are moving towards turkey sausage now!  Although healthier it’s still greasy so a few bites is all I needed.

Now, on to dinner…
* Turkey: Duh – but without the skin.  I prefer dark meat which is fattier so this was definitely a splurge.
* Mashed Potatoes: Made with fat free skim milk and a little Margarine.  In the past my mom would use 2% milk and butter.
* Whole Wheat Stuffing: With onions and celery mixed in.
* Mac & Cheese: This is the only thing I can’t totally skimp on.  My mom’s mac and cheese has to be eaten in it’s full form which includes sharp cheddar cheese and a whole egg.  We’ve tried making it with lighter/fat free cheese but…it just ain’t the same.  However, instead of 2% milk we used fat free skim and instead of white pasta we used whole grain pasta.
* And of course, I don’t leave home without my shaker cup and BCAA powder.

Things I said NO to:
 * Sweet Potatoes: This is one thing my mom refused to clean up – lol.  She uses Margerine, Cinnamon, and a lot of brown sugar.  Very tasty from what I remember from previous years but super fatty/carby/sugary, so I’ve stayed away from it since I started bodybuilding.
* Gravy: Gravy is simply fat and flour – not necessary for me to enjoy my meal.
* Rice: No matter how many times they’ve tried brown rice is one thing my parents can’t seem to enjly – they don’t like the texture.  So, the only option was white rice – none for me.

Dessert!!!!!!  GET IN MY BELLY!!!!!

A piece of pie is fine. But NOT 3...4...5 pieces of pie. Each year I bring over a NO SUGAR ADDED APPLE PIE from Baker's Square.

I'm not an ice cream person, only on holidays and a few times throughout the year. When I do eat ice cream, I try to stick with fat free/low fat and low/no sugar varieties.

All in all, I stepped away from the Thanksgiving table feeling fulfilled, not deprived in any way.  I also felt proud that my parents enjoyed their meal although completely different from what they had done in the past.  They too said they felt fulfilled but…lighter!  We didn’t have to unbuckle our belts in order to get comfortable and we didn’t fall asleep in front of the TV with our hands in our pants.  MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

Don’t forget to ‘like’ this post.

Subscribe to me on Facebook (Corynne Cooper Pero) or join my FAN PAGE Corynne Cooper Pero (IFPA Professional Bodybuilder):
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Corynne-Cooper-Pero-IFPA-Pro-Bodybuilder/292097367474445