Friday Frustrations

Well bloggers I am feeling out of sorts today. I have been working towards a goal for so long and now I don't really have anything pressing to work towards. I feel a little strange.

I have been trying to shake this feeling so this morning I forced myself to get up and do cardio and plan out my meals for the day. I haven't been training for about 1.5 weeks so I need to get to the discipline that I was at before competing.

A lot of competitors struggle with regaining a balance after a show. It's a relief to have such structure during competition training even though it's hard. You don't have a choice about working out and eating clean. Now I have to get back to reality, and remember my own personal motivations for staying lean. It's a mental game because the instant you step off the stage you start feeling different and looking different.

This is Day 1 of going back to normal. Food wise I have already introduced regular water back into my diet (rather than distilled). I will also be introducing more dairy, fruits, and whole grains. But the backbone will still be protein and veg/fruit and whole grains at every meal. This morning I had oatmeal and egg whites. I would have had fruit, but I need to get to the grocery store to get some.

FYI, at comp by BF was 9%. I have already gained weight after the show because I introduced water and sodium back into my diet. So I have gained water weight back. My normal BF is about 12 - 13 % ... I'm not a big person and I never stray too far from comp weight... I'll usually gain about 5 pounds back after the show.

The next thing I have to look forward to is appearance at Arnold Classic at the beginning of March. That is quite a ways off so in the meantime it will be all about getting back to balance...

Thanks for sticking around for the post-comp slump... I'll pull through!

Happy Thanksgiving America!

Enjoy your well-deserved holiday Eat Cleaners...

I would also like to give my thanks to all of you for your never-ending, totally uplifting support. You've really helped me get through the last few months of insanity. I couldn't ask for better Sisters in Iron. THANK YOU!

Hopefully your meals will include some "clean" options today, but I can understand the temptation of pumpkin pie and ice cream.

If you're stuck for ideas I do include a Holiday section in The Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook. The Pumpkin Hummus is one of my faves.

Taking a walk after Thanksgiving Dinner is one of my family's favorite things to do.

What are your family traditions for the holiday?

Since today is not a holiday in Canada it will be back to the grindstone for me. That includes catching up on a zillion emails, hitting up the grocery store, and putting pen to paper. It's sunny but chilly here today. I love it... what a nice change from the desert!

Now go enjoy some delicious Thanksgiving eats...

-Tosca

Heading Home

Hello Eat-Clean Bloggers...

Did you miss me over the last few days? I took some down time on Sunday and Monday to see the sites with my daughter and husband. We walked along the Strip, strolled through the Forum shops at Caesar's Palace, and enjoyed some yummy meals. The picture to the left is at dinner on Saturday night at Nove Italiano in the Palms Hotel. I did indulge in a delicious glass of wine and some incredible polenta. To the right is a shot of my daughter and me in front of the Bellagio pool (my favorite hotel). Later that day we had afternoon tea at the Petrossian in the Bellagio. Delicious!

I didn't stray too far from contest eating (minus my pasta splurge on Saturday afteroon after the show, the wine at dinner, and the scone at afternoon tea.... okay, maybe I did stray a little!!) because I had to stay in shape for the photo shoot I had yesterday with Elaine Goodlad in the Red Rocks Canyon. Look out for these pics coming to an Oxygen near you...


Spending 1 week in Las Vegas is a LOOOOONG time away from home. I am happy to be heading back to Toronto today even if that means snow. My cozy bed, my paper-filled desk, and my empty fridge (gotta do groceries tomorrow) await me! It's back to reality!

-Tosca

The Results Are In...

4TH PLACE!!!

WOW!!!

After Friday's terrible show day I was shocked to make it to the Top 5... BUT I prevailed.

With your words of encouragement I rocked the stage this morning. My energy was through the roof and I actually had a lot of fun.

I am really happy with my placement, but it just goes to show you the amount of variety there is between competitions. I am tighter than I was at my first competition in September, and I placed one spot lower.

Thank you all for your support.It was wonderful knowing you were all behind during each step and turn and flex.

BUT I am happily retiring my competition suits, and taking a few days off.

Enjoy the photos below:
1. Getting glammed up thanks to Elaine Goodlad
2. Getting poofed up thanks to Franca
3. Good luck kisses
4. The Ms. Bikini America Masters Class top 5
5. My sportswear bikini
6. My glam bikini
7. Accepting our awards
8. The post-show latte I guzzled... AHHHH!
9. The post-show chicken penne I noshed on.... YEAH CARBS!!!!!

DAY 2 IS HERE... THIS IS IT!

DAY 2 DAY 2 DAY 2 DAY 2

WOW!!! This is it....

It's been a whirlwind. I can't believe we are already at the end of the road.

Day 2 and FINALS have arrived.

To keep you occupied in the meantime I have a little photo review of the happenings here in the BIG LV: 1. My last workout before the event. 2. The crew 3. Getting tanned/painted... thanks Fra! 4. Yet another bowl of oatmeal 5. Photo shoot by the pool 6. A pic of ALL the competitors by the pool 7. Pumping up back stage 8. My "athletic" suit 9. My bikini


My energy is getting low. As much as I've trained and prepped and on and on I am getting tired. Carbs are the greatest things and I can't wait to have them back in my life.

Let's give it one more push through today...

I'd like to hear a communal WOOOHOOOOO!

The Very Tanned and Tired,
Tosca

THE DAY HAS ARRIVED!!!!

Here we go...

It's Day One of Ms. Bikini America. Preliminaries start at 9am!

I arrived in Vegas on Wednesday afternoon and spent all day Thursday registering for the event and doing some media events and photo shoots with the Ms. Bikini America crew.

I will update with pictures soon, BUT...

I just wanted to THANK all of you for supporting me through this journey. You have no idea what it means to me and how much it helps me stand up on that stage with confidence representing Eating Clean, Oxygen, my family... and YOU!!

Wish me luck!!

Vegas Here I Come!!!!

Here is how it all went down on the last day at home in Canada before the contest...

I had a fantastic Oxygen cover shoot with photographer extraordinaire, Paul Buceta aka Paul C. Buff . Now here is a man who can get a girl to laugh and show abs all at once – he has a secret but I ain’t sayin’ what it is cuz ……

His beautiful assistant Elle styled me with several fabulous looks ranging from a Titanium color swim suit to fire engine red. Guess we will have to wait and see what comes out of this – no promises though. As Robert Kennedy always says, “It’s a cover TRY! There is never a guarantee!” We shot at least 1500 images but I gave up counting eventually. I love working with you Paul!!

Sabrina Rinaldi did my makeup – see the photo of my eye makeup. She did a fantastic job of making my eyes look bigger but still fresh and open. The color palette is shimmery with a pop of mauve at the outer edges. My fav colors! Nice work Sabrina. P.S. Mind the close up of my Dutch nose :-) !!

Then there was the Oxygen team of Stacy Kennedy and Stephanie Bratt. These ladies are two devoted women who know exactly what they want out of a “cover girl.” Reading between the lines that means they work the model’s butt off to get the money shot. I am glad they do – I always want the best shot possible not just a so-so image. BooHoo! I feel sorry for me! Stephanie is leaving Oxygen. I shot with her for the first time 2 years ago and have learned everything about how a cover girl needs to stand and pose from her. I requested this photo shoot to happen so that she could be there (her last day is on November 20th). We are going to stay in touch my friend!

The playlist included a huge variety of tunes from Led Zeppelin, Josh Rogan and even some opera (haha)! It was all good. It is a lot easier to pose with great tunes believe me!

As for the eating yesterday... it was rough in the morning since I was still carb depleting. I had only egg whites for breakfast and had to start shooting right away so I did not have a moment to eat again until 1:30 pm. The good news is that I could eat carbs at that point so I dug into tilapia, brown rice and steamed green beans. Can I just say I experience “Carb Love” in a big way. I suddenly felt human again and had oodles of energy to continue shooting until 4:00 pm (which is when we finished). Now, if that isn't an argument for including healthy carbohydrates in your diet, than I don't know what is!

Believe it or not I still had to go home and pack, prepare food and train.

My workout was short but heavy. I trained shoulders. Here’s how:
4 sets bent over lateral raise, starting with a warm up set and moving up to 15 pound dumbbells for 15 reps
4 sets of shoulder presses, heavy – 25 pounds for 10 reps
Posing practice.

As for today...

VEGAS BABY!!!!

I had a super early chiropractic appointment at 7:00 am. I did my last cardio session before I left for the appointment.

I am still drinking distilled water and having smaller meals. I will eat less from now on just to keep things in check for the show.

Now I'm off to the airport to catch my flight.

Cheers to you all. I'll be keeping you posted while I'm away.

I love to hear you are learning something from this craziness. Here are some more answers to commenter questions:

Question: I have been following Cooler 1 for 4 days now. I think a lot of my ab flab is thick skin. Do you think it will it go away? One other ques. How do you get the routines in your workout book done in less than an hour. Do I need to give myself 1 minute rest in between leg work or just wait for my heart rate to go down to what?

Answer: It is totally possible to have a layer of residual skin in the abdominal area that won't budge from diet and exercise. As we age skin gets less and less elastic and loses its ability to bounce back into shape. Having kids can accentuate the problem. Give yourself a pinch test to figure out if the flab is skin or fat (you'll be able to tell). If it's skin you have a decision on your hands. If it's fat.... keep eating clean and exercising! Supersetting is a great option for upping the cardio ante of your workout and getting the routines done in an hour. To superset you do one set of one exercise and then follow it a set of another exercise. Do this for all of your exercises and you'll be sweating! You can also pick and choose from the workouts to form a plan that works that muscles you want to work and fits into your schedule.

Question: I'm a sports student and have a whole lot of training every week, but Monday it's really crazy, cause I have 2hrs track and field and 1.5hrs gymnastics in the evening. I fall asleep like a baby afterwards, but in the middle of the night I feel my muscles so much, that it keeps me awake. Do u know any tricks, that would help me and my muscles through the night?

Answer: This is why I take cal mag and have a lean-protein meal after my workout. The cal-mag supplement acts a slight muscle relaxant and is best when taken before bed (discuss taking this with your doctor or healthcare professional). Having a protein shake or high-protein meal within 1 hour after your workout will really help with recovery. Give these options a try.

Question: What cooler can beans and legumes fit in? Can I include them in cooler one? I know there is some fat in them. Is the goal to not have even the good fats in cooler one? What about CLA, flax and fish oil supplements during my Cooler One time? Can I eat any other veggies than what you list in cooler one if I am trying to shed that stubborn belly fat. And would it ruin my efforts it if I added a dash of soy milk to my coffee?

Answer: Beans and legumes fit best into Coolers 2 and 3. They are too carb-dense and not protein-dense enough to be included in Cooler 1. The goal for Cooler 1 is cutting out carbs and focusing on LEAN PROTEINS! Healthy fats are important in all coolers so your CLA, flax and fish oil can all be continued on Cooler 1 just as I have been continuing on my supplements as I have been in competition prep. I listed the veggies in Cooler 1 for a reason... they offer the least glycemic load (in layman's terms: they are less dense carbs). I would urge you to stick to these. Cooler 1 is intense for a reason, and the restriction is it! A dash of soy milk is not ideal if you're really trying to give Cooler 1 your all... but it won't completely ruin your efforts.

Now what are we going to do when I get back?

Love and hugs,
Tosca

Tuesday's Shoot Day

Hey Everybody,

It's Tuesday... I leave for Vegas tomorrow, and Day 1 of Bikini America is Friday!!! That's a mere 3 days away!! We are getting sooooo close. I started packing my suitcase as you can see here.

The contest is being broadcast on a number of TV stations (as mentioned on the Fitness America site), but you also have the option of ordering a live webcast of the event if those channels are not available to you. Click here for more info.

My message board is up on my personal site: www.toscareno.com.Please take a minute to email in your own personal message to have posted on the site. I need all the support I can get.

Today I am at an Oxygen cover shoot with the fabulous Paul Buceta. I am thrilled to be back in the studio while I am in competition shape, BUT I am also on DAY 2 of carb depleting, which means I will get tired REALLY easily. Photo shoots are exhausting without carb depletion.

What's carb depleting you ask? It's one of the final stages of competition prep. I literally eat no carbs for 2 days. Yes, there is a relative degree of insanity involved in competition.

Here's what my meals look like:

I eat a small meal of protein seven time a day. So about every three hours I eat 5 ounces of tilapia (this is the leanest, lowest sodium potein option). I paired this delicious fish with distilled water, which is important for sodium depletion.

I am also in the final stages of training.

Here's what Monday's session looked like:

LEG DAY – the last one before the contest!

Hamstring curls: 1 Set of 35 pound curls then 3 sets with 55 pounds and 15 reps each set
Leg Extensions: 1 set with 100 pounds for 12 reps, 1 set with 120 pounds for 12 reps, 1 set with 130 pounds for 12 reps and last set with 150 pounds and 12 reps
Squats: I use an Olymic bar and a weight belt. 1st set 40 pounds plus the bar for 15 reps to warm up; next set is 60 pounds plus the bar for 12 reps; third set is 120 pounds plus the bar for 10 reps and the last set is 130 pounds plus the bar for 8 reps.
After each set of squats I do a set of Straight Arm Pullovers with the 10 pound dumbbells – 15 reps per set.

I also did 2 35-minute cardio sessions on the treadmill at a steady pace (no intervals!).
Here's what today's training will be:
I won’t do a cardio session as a result of the shoot. It will take too much out of me.
But we will do a weight session, which I will update you on tomorrow.

With Monday Comes...

POSITIVE THINKING

PASSION

POWER (our electricity and heat finally came back on)

AND....

LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS OF PROTEIN!!

I am down to the last few days. Yesterday threw a bit of a wrench in the plans. Our power and heat were finally returned around 1 in the morning. My husband and I had called it a night at around 7 pm because it was too dark and cold to do anything. Of course, I was up just a few hours later when the power came on. I was wide awake. BUT the sleep disruption served as a productive time for me. I worked on a lot of writing.

I have included some pics here of the scene at home. My favorite is Chelsea and me working away... me with the Blackberry light and a flashlight and Chelsea with a miner's light.



I also have some pics here from my daughter's Nutcracker performance which I attended on Saturday evening. I am such a proud momma.


Okay so I didn't get a workout in yesterday because of the power outage and the snow was too thick on the driveway. This morning I was back on the treadmill for morning cardio and I had a weights session, too. These are the last few workouts before the BIG DAY (only 4 days away)!!!

Q & A:

Question: I tried the hip thrust you were doing on glute training day, but I just could not fit a 45 pound plate on my stomach... it was two big! I did put two 25 together then used those, but my hip bone was hurting when doing so, since the plates were touching them.. soo my question would be how do you do it? any special way I should know about?

Answer: I don't have a special way of doing it. I would try putting a towel down to cushion your hip bones. Just be sure the plates are secure in your hands.

Question: As a beginer to clean eating and fitness how long should I do each cooler for? I have 35 lbs to lose and walk on the treadmill at level 4.0 for 1 hr 5-6 days a week. I also do 3 strength training sessions/week.

Answer: Sounds likes you've got your training down. Just be sure to change up your routines and cardio training every 4 - 6 weeks to keep your body challenged. Food wise you don't even have to do Cooler 1. This cooler is for breaking plateaus or the initial stages of prep for a contest or photo shoot. Of course it can also be used for jump starting a weight-loss plan. In this case, use Cooler 1 for no longer than 2 weeks. There is not enough nutrition in there to use it for long term eating.

Question: What are the benefits of drinking hot lemon water?

Answer: I use it as a liver cleanse. The liver is so crucial in many bodily functions. Hot lemon water helps me take care of it each day.

Question: I checked the Salba website and was wondering which specific product you use?

Answer: I use the whole Salba seed.

Question: What are the benefits of fish oil and flax oil -- why do you take both?

Answer: Flax and fish oil are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids. It's important for us to maintain a ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fats in our diet. A majority of our food products contain corn, which is high in omega-6, this can include lean proteins. In order to balance it out I take omega-3 supplements. They have an anti-inflammatory effect on the body, which reduces the risk of numerous heart issues.

MORE TRAINING AND EATING LATER!

The Power May Be Out But The Muscle Is ON!

Happy Sunday Afternoon Clean Eaters one and all.

Countdown: 5 days!!

The Happenings: Ontario was struck with some nasty weather and we are experiencing a power outage at my house. BUT, as you can imagine Sisters in Iron, that's not stopping me.

Where We Left Off:
So I have a few days of eating and training to catch you up on. I also have included more fun pics since you all enjoyed the last ones so much.

Friday - Don’t I look amazing without makeup...lol! My skin is glowing thanks to best friend Franca who did a facial and a body scrub, pedi and mani! Gotta look my best on stage!!

Dinner:
4 oz. Wild salmon
½ sweet potato
1 cup steamed broccoli
8 spears steamed asparagus
Water

How cute is Franca's pup, Flex the Spa Dog. Flex is lean and muscular too – a very gentle Doberman. Flex helps us eat our eggs. We eat the whites and she eats the yolks, hence the beautiful coat!!

Workout:
Shoulders: 5 sets shoulder presses for 15 reps each set up to 25 pounds
Shoulders: 4 sets lateral raise, 15 to 20 reps each set up to 15 pounds
Back: 5 sets lat pulldowns, 15 reps each set up to 90 pounds; 2 sets pulldowns behind neck, 15 reps and 50 pounds

Cardio session#2: 30 minutes intervals

Before Bed: No food but 500 ml water with Cal/Mag and MSM supplement mixture!!!

Saturday

Pre-Breakfast:
250 ml hot water with lemon (liver cleanse)

Breakfast:
½ c cooked hot cereal (oatmeal, wheat germ, flax and salba)
3 egg whites
250 ml water with wheat grass, fish oil caps, multivitamins
coffee

My daughter, Kelsey-Lynn, had her first Nutcracker performance last night so we drove to Belleville to see her. She was beautiful and I will include some pics as soon as I can. I had to take my cooler with me so I could stick to my training diet. Here's what was inside:

Midmorning:
3 hard-boiled egg whites
Water

Lunch:
2 c salad greens
5 oz salmon
250 ml water

Mid Afternoon:
About 5 oz chicken
250 ml water

Dinner:
1.5 c steamed green beans
5 oz. sole
water

NO TRAINING

Sunday

Pre Breakfast: I was at the hotel so no go on my usual lemon water etc.

Breakfast: 10:30 am
3 egg-white omelet
½ c. cooked cereal (same as above)
sliced tomatoe
coffee
250 ml water

Lunch: 12:30 pm
5 oz chicken
1 c steamed broccoli

Mid Afternoon: 3:30 pm
5 oz salmon
½ c. steamed broccoli
Started on distilled water to cut sodium

Training:
The treadmill is out of commission because of the power outage due to the snowfall. I will jogging up the driveway this afternoon. Good thing weights don't require any electricity... just pure muscular energy!

What's On Tap:
Thank goodness I had already prepped my cooler yesterday for the overnighter in Belleville so now I can just eat out of that. I’m not sure what my family will be eating tonight. Hopefully the power comes back on soon.

Things are going to get boring now with food. Stay with me folks.

I’m going to go put a candle on and do some reading now. It’s like the dark ages… minus my internet connection.

ONE WEEK!!!!

This is it Clean Eaters.... there is just 1 week left until I grace the stage in Vegas.

I took some silly pics this morning of me in contest prep mode.... Here I am noshing on my oatmeal after my morning training session. Don't I look gorgeous all sweaty! But don't we all look like this after a great workout. This is not about glamor, it's about guts!

Here's what I have had today and what's on the menu for the rest of the day...

Pre Breakfast:
6:00 am 250 ml hot water + juice of one lemon
250 ml water with 5 fish oil capsules and my vitamins A, C, D and E

AM Training:
Cardio Session; 45 minutes intervals, hills, glute squeezing and sprints
Weighted Abs: 70, 110, 130 pounds crunches for 30 reps each set

Breakfast:
2 T each wheat germ (here's a pic of my wheat germ packets), oats, flax seed, Salba and bee pollen
3 egg whites only - here are my eggs boiling away on the stove
More water
Black coffee while I write this

Mid AM:
4 ounces chicken
10 slices cucumber
1 raw tomato – I packed this all in my cooler for the day

Lunch:
4 ounces tilapia
½ cup brown rice
1 cup steamed green beans – again this is already in my cooler

Mid PM:
4 ounces chicken
10 slices cucumber
1 raw tomato – it’s in the bag my friends
Dinner??? I will keep you posted on that one.

Q&A Time: I've selected a couple of questions to answer for you... If I didn't answer your question it may be because I have recently covered it in a past thread.

Question: What will I wear for my sportswear round in the Miss Bikini America contest?

Answer: I want to keep it a surprise but know this – I will be tall, lean and strong. What I am wearing makes me feel powerful!

Question: Will you take a break from competing now? How often are there competitions? What's in Canada for competitions?I live in PEI ,Canada. Did you ever hear tell of anything in the maritimes?

Answer: I will be taking an extended break from competition once this one is over. It's VERY intense and my body needs a break. Competitions run all the time, even in the maritimes. I would recommend doing a Google search for bodybuilding competitions in the area. Another great website to check out is www.bodysport.com.

Question: When you said you put the treadmill on 8 and ran for 40 minutes was that a constant pace or interval!!??? If interval, what was the pattern? Also I am curious as to what you get your heart rate up to when interval training and what do you keep it at when you do a constant pace?

Answer: This is at a constant pace. I always switch up my intervals when I do HIITs to keep my body guessing. One day I may do intervals of fast and slow pace and other days I may do intervals of uphill and flat inclines. Heart rate wise... I haven't been keeping track lately. Usually it's a good idea to keep your heart rate within 160 - 180 bpm or about 70 - 85% of your max heart rate (Max HR = 220 - age) when working at a constant pace if you are an experienced exerciser. Interval training heart rates can vary more with your high interval getting your heart rate up to 95% of your Max HR and your low interval around 60 - 75% of your HR max. I have some more detailed info on this at the beginning of my Eat-Clean Diet Workout book.

Question: The only place I carry extra chub is in my belly. Do you suggest increasing my cardio for a while and decreasing my leg work out because it is usually intense and if I do cardio 5 days a week my legs can be sore for 4 or 5 days. And when I am doing cardio 3 days a week should it be on leg days or not? Or should I just reduce my clean food intake for a while to burn the extra fat.

Answer: When it comes to extra belly chub one of the most important things is tightening up your diet. So take care of that element first. Maybe Cooler 1 for 2 weeks (and no longer) would work for you. Of course, you'll see accelerated results my increasing your cardio to 5 - 6 days a week (30 - 40 minutes at a challenging pace). You can do your cardio whenever you like, whether on the same day as a leg training day or not. Perhaps splitting your training would work. Try cardio in the morning and weights at night.

Question: Been researching MSM products. What one do you take? sounds like a powder. Does it also have Glutamine and or Chondrotin? Is there ever a day when you are not just a little bit sore? I am always a little sore somewhere and often very sore somewhere!

Answer: MSM is a mineral salt that keeps my minerals in balance while I am restricting my food intake. I take it in salt form. It can be found at your health food store. There is no chondrotin in it, and I take my glutamine separately as a powder. I definitely love sweet pain after a workout, and I use it as a measure of my effort in the gym. Too much pain, however, is not a good thing. If it's lasting consistently for days it can indicate an injury. Listen to your body.

Keep an eye out for my new page on www.toscareno.com where you can see the good luck messages from my friends and fans. It will be up SOON!

Please contribute to the page. I will treasure it all.

Hugs and kisses to all.

8 More

Your support is unbelievable. Many thanks to everyone who is coaching me throughout this crazy journey. We are a mere 8 days away from the contest and I couldn't be happier.

For anyone who would like more information on the event or would like to attend please visit www.fitnessamerica.com.

I spent 12 hours filming yesterday!!! I am totally beat, but I still managed to squeeze in 2 training sessions. Read on for more:

AM Training:
I walked uphill for about 35 minutes and at a good pace to put me squarely in a fat burning heart rate zone. Sometimes I like to run so much I run too fast and don’t get the full fat burn thing going. So today I slowed it down for that purpose.

Then I trained glutes and abs. My weight training plan comes from trial and error and what works for me to fit into my schedule allowing recovery time for each muscle when I am not competition training. Things are very different during competition prep. Of course, my husband, who is the definite expert in this field, helped me develop the program.

Glutes: 3 sets of kneeling cable kickbacks heavy and 12 reps in each set; prone hip raises with a 45 pound plate for 15 full reps followed immediately by 15 little pulses; then another set of prone hip raises with 2, 45 pound plates on my stomach doing 20 full range reps and 20 little pulses; one more full set the same as the last; then hamstring curls with weight lying face down on a flat bench but lifting the lower abdomen off the bench at the top of the curl – very difficult and great for hitting the glutes; then 3 sets of squats, heavy

Straight Arm Pullovers: 3 sets of 15 reps with 10 pound dumbbells. I do this exercise right after each set of squats to normalize breathing and to open up the ribcage musculature.

Abs: 4 sets of bench crunches for 30 reps – alternating between normal crunches and twisting crunches; 2 sets of Captain’s chair leg raises for 35 reps each

Eating:

Pre-breakfast:
250 ml water with lemon juice
250 ml water with 9 ounces wheat grass
5 fish oil capsules

Breakfast:
2 Tablespoons each oatmeal, salba, wheat germ, flaxseed and bee pollen – that is it!
3 egg whites – NO yolks
Black coffee

Mid Morning:
3 egg whites
½ raw red pepper
Water water water
Herbal detox tea

Lunch:
¼ cup brown rice
2 cups steamed mixed veggies
5 ounces grilled chicken tenderloins
Water water water
Herbal detox tea

Mid PM:
3 egg whites
Other half of red pepper
Water
Herbal detox tea

Dinner:
1 cup Steamed spinach
5 ounces grilled chicken
1 cup steamed broccoli
Water

Before Bed: cal/mag supplement mixed with MSM and glutamine – tastes nasty!!

PM Training:
Chest: 5 sets bench press followed by 4 sets of cable cross overs
Back: 5 sets pulldowns, 3 sets seated row
Shoulders: 5 sets presses, 4 sets lateral raise

2nd cardio session: 20 minutes uphill climb/walk session. This was much faster paced. When I put the treadmill at 7.5 or 8 for speed I run that at a steady pace to very fast music!!! That keeps me going. I am trying to build some lungs and some endurance.

More tomorrow with some Q & A...

9 Days and Counting

Catching Up:

Sunday Training

I've included some pics from my training session on Sunday night. Since I missed training on Saturday we had to double up. Woo! It was tough. We trained bis and tris using supersets. We alternated dumbbell hammer curls with triceps pressdowns for 4 sets each (first two pics above). Then we supersetted Scott preacher bench curls with triceps kickbacks for another 4 sets each (next two pics above).

Tuesday Training

I ran my 40 minute cardio session and had a lot of help from a fabulous running tune from Depeche Mode called It’s No Good. It’s almost 6 minutes long and if you set your treadmill to a pace of 8 it is perfect for sprinting out the last bits of speed you can get out of you. I loved my run this morning. I felt enormously energized and ready to work out hard.
























If you notice, the blue suit is my posing practice suit. I like it to practice in but I prefer the cut of the back of a competitive suit to be more shapely. Imagine your glutes as round melons. The suit must hug the upper curve of the glutes like a crescent moon. It is a sensitive thing but a designer who gets it right carves out the most beautiful shape for the glutes. I will put my bling suit on next time and see if I can show you the difference. On the blue suit my butt looks a little heavy – which it isn’t because I am tighter now than I was for my first contest – but that is what too much fabric on the backside of a suit can do to the overall look of the glutes.

Tuesday Eating

Pre-Breakfast:
250 ml hot water with lemon juice
500 ml water with 9 ounces wheat grass
Vitamins C, B complex, E
5 fish oil supplements

Breakfast:
4 T each oatmeal and wheat germ, 2 T Salba, flax seed and bee pollen
5 egg whites + one yolk
1 black coffee

Mid AM:
3 egg whites
Juiced veggies: beets, radishes, celery, bok choy, endive, spinach, carrot

Lunch:
Turkey, edamame and tomato scramble with ½ cup brown rice
Water
Herbal detox tea

Mid PM:
Detox tea
Juiced veggies: same as above
3 egg whites

Dinner:
Grilled chicken’
1 cup steamed broccoli
½ cup steamed asparagus
2 ounces sweet potato
Water

Q&A:

Question: You look AMAZING!!! Tosca,Why do you take so many fish oil tablets. And do you just take MSN or does it also have Glucosamine and/or Chondrotan in it? Also is it bad to put 1/4 cup nonfat,unsweetened soy milk in my morning coffee? Thanks(:
Answer: I have always taken the recommended dosage of fish oil capsules as labeled on the brand I purchase. Enjoy your soy milk in moderation as you are doing in your coffee. Sounds delicious!

Question:What TV show will you be on? Do you have a date when it be on the W network?
Answer: I will appearing in my own reality show that will begin airing in January on the W network.

Question: When you are not in competition mode, how many cardio sessions a week do you do? It seems you always run. Is there a reason you don't do other forms as much? If I do leg day 2x a week is it o.k. to train glutes on the day in between if I do not isolate glute exercises in my leg routine? One more if I may. Why do you often take CAL/MAG supplements?
Answer: I usually get in about 2 - 3 days of cardio. I run as much as I do because we have a treadmill at home and some steep hills on our driveway. Glute training requires the legs typically, so I would try and put your glute training in with your leg day or another day to give your legs ample time to rest. I take Cal-Mag to get added calcium supplementation and as a way to relax.

Question: How do you prepare this turkey, edamame and tomato scramble you speak of?
Answer: Simply cook up the turkey, pour beaten eggs over top, add tomato and edamama toward the end. Scramble and serve! Yummy! I also have a turkey scrambler recipe in the Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook.

And We're Off...

Today is November 10th/08.

There are 11 days until the prejudging.

Miss Bikini America – November 21, 22

Prejudging on November 21 at 9:00 am

Finals on November 22 at 9:00 am

Fly out to Vegas on November 19th

Number of meals until prejudging:
About 67 mostly with fish and vegetables

Number of workouts until prejudging:

I train about 3 times per day and rest day every two days. Weight training will be done quite regularly - probably every day focusing particularly on problem areas as we assess the body each day but there is little training as of the Wednesday before contest – helps to prevent edema (swelling in the skin).

16 more cardio sessions
At least 10 more weight training sessions

By the way... There will be several TV stations covering the Miss Bikini America contest so watch for it!

COUNTDOWN WITH ME AS I PREP!! AND ENJOY THE PICS!!

P.S. About Bananas: since the competition training diet is so strict bananas are not allowed. They are quite high in natural sugar and do not fall within an acceptable range for competition purposes. I eat them all the time when I am not training for competition. I get potassium from plenty of other sources, including brown rice, tomatoes, broccoli, garlic, and meat sources.

P.P.S. About Wheat Grass: Everyone is interested in the wheat grass. I use a local flash frozen kind that is delivered right to my door. It comes from Stoufville, Ontario, a little town not more than 30 minutes away. However it can be ordered on line at www.dynamicgreens.com. The name of the brand I use is Dynamic Greens Wheatgrass. I just remove however many little frozen wheat grass cubes I need and then put them in a glass of water. Let them melt and drink them down. Please note, I am NOT endorsed to use this product. I just found it online and started using it after I watched the show, Crazy Sexy Cancer. I don’t want cancer and many, many people use wheat grass as a powerful nutritional supplement to ward against disease.

P.P.S. Update on TV Show Airing in the US: As for the show airing in New Jersey we are hopeful that the W network can sell the concept to our friends south of the border. In fact banking on that hope, the show has been shot in High Definition – this is the truest indicator that the network feels the show may work well stateside. So cross your fingers and call your friends – watch the show and email W to get it in America.