Happpppy Halloooweeeeennn!!

Happy Friday and Happy Halloween Clean Eaters!!

Who's taking a treat day today to indulge in some delicious chocolate? It won't be me this year... competition is a mere 3 weeks away.

Is anyone dressing up? We don't get too many trick or treaters up to our house because we live out in the country so I am not dressing up. I'd love to hear about your costumes.

Thank you for all of the comments. I just wanted to let you all know the blog is really motivational for me too. I don’t think I quite realized how much women (and the odd Clean Eating man) need each other and how much that need keeps me honest. I am trying to add bits and pieces to each entry that may help someone figure out how and why to do this crazy stuff!!

Here are my food intake and training logs for Wednesday and Thursday:

Wednesday:

EATING

Breakfast:
Most of you know how badly I felt after eating restaurant food on Tuesday. I basically suffered all day Wednesday. I think I must have eaten something that had wheat in it and it reacted in my tummy. I could manage my usual breakfast of ½ cup cooked oatmeal with 2 T flax and Salba and the accompanying 5 eggwhites + one yolk. But I could not even have coffee. I drank as much water as I could – the lemon juice in hot water did not help and neither did the wheat grass concoction.

Electrolyte-filled distilled water can be purchased from the store. It's called SmartWater. I am not affiliated with the company in any way, but since I don't know how to make this water at home I trust them!

When the pains got worse I realized I would have to take it easy with food and go light. So I decided to juice for two meals. I use whole, fresh veggies for juicing. Here is what I made for myself:

Mid AM:
2 cups spinach leaves + 2 stalks celery plus leaves + 1 bunch baby bok choy + 1 carrot + 1 baby cucumber + 3 small Brussels sprouts + 4 radishes = interesting looking green liquid.

The taste was a bit bitter but I did not mind it. I read in my fav book, Healing with Whole Foods by Paul Pritchard, that I would need to flush out the kidneys and liver. So I worked on that for the rest of the day.

I was still suffering from whatever I ate – gassy, bloated and very uncomfortable. I looked 4 months pregnant!

Lunch:
I forced myself to eat egg whites at noon along with some steamed asparagus.
Drank loads of herbal chamomile tea and water too!

Mid PM:
More of the juiced liquid I had in the morning.
3 egg whites

5:00 pm
Drank a cup of hot water with 2 tablespoons organic cider vinegar and 1 T honey.
Again this was to help the tummy. It did relieve some of the discomfort.

Dinner:
¼ cup brown rice
½ cup Steamed green beans, asparagus – this was less than I would normally eat but I was afraid to overload my tummy with fiber.

TRAINING

PRE-EXHAUST: chest which I did by doing cable cross-overs first (this is the single joint movement) followed by chest press (which is the multi-joint movement). I did 4 sets of both of these exercises fairly quickly one right after the other for a BIG BURN
Back: 5 sets lat pulldowns doing 12 t o15 reps per set and keeping the weight fairly heavy. The last two sets were behind the neck to further mobilize the scapula which helps increase the V-taper. I followed lat pulldowns with 2 sets of heavy seated row.
Ab isolation exercise and posing time.

Before Bed:
Another hot water and apple cider vinegar concoction with a shot of glutamine post workout.

Thursday

Before Breakfast:
I felt much better on Thursday. I think the worst had passed – literally!
So I drank my usual before breakfast 250 ml hot water with lemon juice and then waited to see how that felt.
Twenty minutes later I felt okay so I followed the hot lemon with 250 ml and 9 ounces wheat grass. So far so good.
I hesitated on coffee though.

Morning Training:
Pre-brekkie run on the treadmill for a fast paced 40 minutes. I pushed my way through some of the run with my trusty iPod and some steady heavy metal tunes. Yep! I like rock and metal bands as much as I like Madonna.

Breakfast:
½ cup cooked oatmeal with 2 T each wheat germ, flax
5 egg whites, 1 yolk
½ cup black coffee
5 fish oil supplements

Mid AM:
4 egg whites
Juiced veggies made with the following: 4 stalks celery plus leaves + 5 radishes + 2 bunches baby bok choy + 1 carrot + ½ cucumber. I drank half of this concoction.

Lunch:
I ate lunch with my pal Berns who has created my competition suits. Can’t wait for you to see my new costume for the Vegas show. She did a GREAT job on it!!! BUT you'll have to wait and see.

I made a yummy salad for each of us:
2 cups salad greens
1 hothouse tomato
1 mini cuke
1 small carrot
1 T flax seed
2 T pumpkin seed oil and 2 T apple cider vinegar
Topped with 5 ounces poached chicken sliced thin
Herbal tea

Mid PM:
Other half of juiced veggie drink – the bitter drink is really helping me feel leaner in my abdomen so I think it has done its’ job.
4 egg whites

Abdominal training:
Captains chair leg raises: 4 sets, 25, 35 , 25 and 15 reps
Roman Chair abs with plate: warm up set with no weight for 15 reps, 3 sets with 25 pound plate for 15, 20 and 20 reps
Posing practice and ab isolation work for 15 minutes
Light cardio – 20 minutes – I am pooped from filming all day!

Dinner:
¼ cup brown rice
4 ounces grilled chicken
1 cup steamed veggies

Before Bed:
250 ml water with 9 ounces wheat grass

Thursday was a progress day for me. My coach and I looked at my physique in the mirror and decided what needed work and what was coming along. My glutes are looking high and round. This is good. Everything else is coming in nicely and I appear to be developing cuts, size and so on right on schedule. I am happily surprised with my abs. This is a trouble spot for most women who are older as I am. But the work and contest eating is paying off. I need to shed about ¼ inch of chub off of my sides right on top of my obliques. This will be accomplished with tighter eating and more cardio sessions.

Stay tuned for more!

Your Questions Answered and More

I had dinner out last night... but something in my food made me sick. Oh the joys of eating out. As much as I enjoy hanging up my cooking mitts, I don't like not knowing what is in my food or how it was prepared...

Anyway I have the answers to quite a few of your questions here and my eating and training posted below. If I have missed your question ask me again! Thanks and enjoy:

Question: Why do I don't take fish oil capsules every day?
Answer: I actually do take them every day I just forget to write it down sometimes. See how easy it is to lose track of what goes in your mouth?

Question: Why do I drink water with lemon in the morning?
Answer: I think of it as a daily cleanse. Everything functions better when you are cleaned out. Asian civilizations do this with a passion and don’t eat for a ½ hour afterwards.

Question: How do I eat my tuna... dry or mixed with something?
Answer: I always put some pumpkin seed or avocado oil on my tuna and then a spritz of something acidic like white balsamic vinegar, rice vinegar or citrus juices. A dollop of yogurt cheese is another option.

Question: How many reps are you doing per set?
Answer: Right now I am pushing every set and every weight. A warm up set is 15 to 20 reps. Working sets are usually 12 to 15. If I am feeling really strong, which I have been lately, then I push the weight and do reps until I fail.

Question: What does wheat grass do and do I have it during your off season?
Answer: I have wheat grass every day because it is a powerful antioxidant source as well as just plain food. If you watched the movie Crazy Sexy Cancer you will have learned how important it is to keep your body in a neutral pH balance. Too much protein can throw you into an acidic state. You can offset this be eating loads of greens and/or by drinking wheat grass.

Question: Can I explain the pre-exhaust system a little?
Answer: The pre-exhaust is a system invented by Robert Kennedy. It is training principle whereby you train a single joint exercise and then follow it up right away with a multi-joint movement. For example do lateral raise to train the deltoid cap. No other muscle is involved. You tire this muscle out. then follow it up with a standing shoulder press with dumbbells or barbell this is a multi joint movement because you are using the muscles of the arms. The triceps are still fresh which means they can power up the weights but your delts are tired. So they are working like crazy to power up the weight. another example would be incline flyes with dumbbells. One muscle the pecs is tiring out from doing that exercise. Now you do incline bench press and the tris power up the weight and tear the crap out of the pecs. It is another way of pre-tiring the muscle you are working on. It is a great way to surprise your muscles out of a plateau or a rut

Question: Is there a rule of thumb in training with regards to working certain muscle groups together or does one just mix it up?
Answer: There is no real rule of thumb except we like to stick to working opposing muscle groups. For example if I am working biceps I usually do the tris too. But don’t get hung up on that because the point is you just want to train a lot and hard.

Question: Why do Epsom salts work to decrease muscle pain?
Answer: My non-scientific answer is that it increases toxin drainage from the muscle. All the byprodructs that have developed in your muscle during exercise are released in an Epsom salts bath. You gotta' love natural treatments like that!

Question: Do I get sore? Do I take anything for muscle pain? Do I stretch?
Answer: I do get sore when I've had a harder than normal workout that has stressed a muscle I don't usually use. I don't take anything for the pain aside from Epsom salts baths mentioned above. You've found my weakness when it comes to stretching. I have to remind myself to stretch, otherwise I won't, but I do try to do some on a daily basis.

Question: What are ab isolation exercises?
Answer: Ab isolation exercises are good for helping to pull out the definition in the core. For me that is hugely difficult. I blow out all the air in my lungs and suck in my tummy to make a vacuum. Then press my hands on my upper thighs to help me push out the abdominal musculature still holding my breath. You can see the whole wall of muscle when you do this. When I first started doing this 2 weeks ago, I saw nothing, but now I can see more defined muscle and I can actually isolate muscles when I move to the left or the right. Don’t do this for too long otherwise you will feel dizzy. Repeat this four or five times each day or each time you pass a mirror (that is what I have been doing - yes, I'm cool like that!). Speaking of mirrors, every time I pass one – and it’s a lot because there is a mirror in every bathroom in the house – I hit a pose. Sometimes I do my side poses, then back and a relaxed front pose. The more I practice the more confident I become.

Eating and Training for Tuesday:

Before Breakfast:
250 ml hot water with juice of 1 lemon
250 ml water with 9 ounces wheat grass

Breakfast:
1 black coffee
½ cup cooked Red River Cereal with 2T each Salba, flax and wheat germ
4 hard boiled egg whites + one yolk
6 ounces juiced green beans, asparagus, celery and alfalfa sprouts
5 fish oil capsules

In my cooler for the day: I was out all day from 9:00 am to about 9:00 pm so my cooler was jammed
4 x 5 ounces servings of poached chicken breast
4 x 1 cup serving steamed asparagus
1 whole cucumber sliced to nibble on during meals and as snacks
4 x ½ small sweet potato
1 large apple cut in half; ½ to be used for Mid Am snack with 2T almond butter mixed with 2T ground flaxseed (I made this up) and ½ to be eaten for Mid Pm also with 2T ground flaxseed mixed into the almond butter.
8 hard boiled eggs, already peeled – you can’t drive and peel eggs at the same time! I will have 2 eggs with each of the Mid am and Mid PM snacks but no yolks
Sigg bottle full of water

Dinner:
Robert and I went for dinner last night with Timea Majorova and her man at the CN Tower here in Toronto. Unfortunately, my food made me ill and I was sick all morning. Time for some electrolyte-filled water to get some nutrients back in my system.

Poached salmon and steamed asparagus for the main and a tomato salad for the starter. Timea and I both ate the same thing because she is here for an Oxygen shoot with Paul Bucetta and I of course am dieting for the contest.

I made sure my daughter had a good dinner. I made Chelsea’s dinner in the morning and her plate was full of steamed asparagus, cooked sweet winter carrots, brown rice and chicken breast. And she didn't have a choice... either eat that or make something else!

Training:
Shoulders and back.
8 sets of shoulders: 4 sets heavy presses and 4 sets bent over lateral raise
Back: 4 sets lat pulldowns heavy and 4 sets pulldowns behind neck not so heavy
Abs: Captain’s chair leg raise 70 reps, reverse crunches 20, 25, 30 reps

More Pics and Food Too

My Monday in review:

LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS OF EMAILS!!!

I think they are going to drown me sometimes... but I love getting them all the same. There is always a question I never would have thought to address, and a perspective I had never taken before. It's a constant learning process.

My next adventure is also upgrading my computer. My daughters have all ventured into the world of Macbooks and I think my time is coming especially with the new Macbooks up and running. Don't they look sharp!

Remember, tomorrow I will be answering blogger questions so if you have left a comment and I haven't responded yet it's because I am doing a mass response tomorrow.

So here are my eating and training logs for Monday and a few photos I have to share with you:
AM Training:
Early morning cardio session for 35 minutes with HIITs, sprints, walking on a full incline and singing when I could.
I thought I wouldn’t be able to walk because of the DOM’s in my legs after Jenn's Phat Camp, but an Epsom salts bath on Sunday night has helped a lot. I can walk!! I can run!!

Before Breakfast:
250 ml water with lemon juice – food for cleaning out kidneys
250 ml water with 9 ounces of wheat grass – for maintaining a healthy pH balance
6 ounce glass of juiced raw vegetables

Breakfast:
½ cup cooked Red River Cereal with 2 T each flax seed, Salba and bee pollen
5 egg whites boiled + one yolk
1 black coffee
5 fish oil supplement capsules
2 T rice bran oil – Right down the hatch! Gross! But I do it for the nutrients and the healthy fats. Competition training is soooo rigorous I have to be sure to get these nutrients in me somehow... otherwise, and it's happened before, I'll become nutrient depleted and very sick!

Mid AM:
4 egg whites
Handful unsalted cashews
Herbal body cleansing tea
10 steamed green beans and 3 steamed Brussels sprouts

Lunch:
2 cups spinach leaves, ½ cup alfalfa sprouts, chopped carrot and 1/3 cup chopped yellow pepper dressed with 2 T pumpkin oil and 2 T white balsamic vinegar and 2 T flax seed
1 liter water
Mid PM:
1 apple
2 tablespoons natural peanut butter mixed with ground flax seed
Herbal cleansing tea made by Hockley Valley Tea Company

Dinner:
I simmered some chicken stock on the stove, and made homemade chicken soup for Robert and Chelsea. I had chicken breasts with asparagus and a very small piece of sweet potato.

We are working on trimming away some of the thin coating of fat that sits on my middle by my obliques... oh the joys of being almost 50. We don’t train the obliques directly but we do the cardio and dieting and core strengthening exercises to help tighten up that area.

PM Training:
Biceps: up and down the rack doing Hammer curls, starting at 10 pound dumbbells and going up to 25 pound dumbbells; concentration curls with 15 pound dumbbell for 3 sets each arm
Triceps: triceps dips between benches for 3 sets doing 12, 15 and 18 reps each set; triceps pressdowns with 70, 80, 90 and back to 70 pounds doing 15 reps per set but last set was 25 reps to really pump the tri’s
Abs: 3 sets crunches on the fit ball; 3 sets reverse crunches on flat bench; ab isolation exercises
Posing practice – 15 minutes

Before Bed/Post Training:
Chamomile tea
Glutamine drink
Grilled chicken breast

An Eat-Clean Weekend

Good Monday Morning Bloggers,

I'm glad you all enjoyed the shots from Jenny Hendershott's Phat Camp. If you would like more information on this event please visit her website: http://www.jennyh.com. She does travel to many different cities.

As much as I enjoyed Friday, I have some SERIOUS delayed onset muscle soreness. My goodness. I couldn't even finish my leg workout yesterday because I was in pain! I had to take an epsom-salts bath to get those toxins out. I could probably use a massage too, but I don't know when I'll be able to squeeze that in.

How was your weekend? My weekend was spent at home doing LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS of work. But I did manage to have a few Skype calls with my daughters scattered all over the world.

I am going to answer questions from the comments on Wednesday... stay tuned!

Here are my eating and training logs for the weekend:

Saturday

Training AM:
Early morning cardio on empty stomach – 35 minutes HIITS on treadmill

Breakfast:
½ cup cooked oatmeal – we are dropping the quantity now – topped with 2 T each wheat germ, flax and bee pollen
5 egg white omelet with tomato
250 ml water with lemon juice
250 ml water with 8 oz, wheat grass
Black coffee
5 fish oil supplements

Mid AM:
250 ml water
Herbal tea
2 tablespoons natural almond butter
1 banana

Lunch:
Grilled chicken
2 cups spinach leaves with chopped salad vegetables
Pumpkin oil and cider vinegar for dressing
Black coffee
250 ml water

Mid PM:
4 egg whites
1 carrot
1 celery stick

Training PM:
Calves: 5 sets heavy calf raise, 5 sets seated heavy calf raise
Abs, abs, abs until I couldn’t anymore!

Dinner:
Egg-white frittata with spinach, purple onion, broccoli and tomato
Roasted sweet potato
Herbal tea

Before Bed:
250 ml water with cal/mag and MSM supplement

Sunday

Breakfast:
½ cup cooked Red River Cereal topped with 2 T each wheat germ, Salba and flax seed (cutting down on carbs even more now)
5 hard boiled egg whites + one yolk
250 ml water with juice of one lemon
250 ml water with wheat grass
Black coffee

Mid AM:
4 egg whites
1 apple
250 ml water

Lunch:
2 cups spinach greens with alfalfa sprouts and chopped salad vegetables, dressed with 2 T pumpkin seed oil and 2 T white Balsamic Vinegar
30 grams of water packed tuna
500 ml water
Herbal tea.

Mid PM:
Juiced vegetables including green beans, cucumber, spinach, carrot, apple, sesame seeds, cashews, 4 grapes, radishes, flax seed and wheat germ

Dinner:
Roasted chicken breast
Brussels sprouts and green beans
Brown rice
Water

Before Bed:
Egg whites

Training:
We trained legs today... AHHHH
Hamstrings: 3 sets 50 pounds curls
Leg extensions: 4 sets heavy
Squats: 4 sets heavy
Ab isolation

Getting Phat with JH

Hey Everyone,

So today is actually Saturday... I think I was confused when I updated on Thursday because I said it was Wednesday when it wasn't. Hmmm.... should I be taking a vacation soon?

So my big news for the day, aside from my food and training, is:

I attended Jenny Hendershott's PHAT camp last night in Toronto! Woohoo!

It was Boot Camp Jen Hendershott Style!
I worked out with her Phat Campers sweating to her every command – Burpees, mountain climbers, bear crawl mountain climbers, dynamic planks on hands then on elbows, running, crunches – whatever she wanted us to do we did it!!


Thursday

Breakfast:
5 hardboiled eggs + 1 yolk
250 ml water with wheat grass
250 ml water with lemon juice
5 fish oil capsules
1/4 c. wheat germ
1/4 c. oatmeal (cooked in water)
2 tbsp. flaxseed
2 tbsp. bee pollen

Mid AM:
5 oz. tuna
2 stalks celery
250 ml water
chamomile tea

Lunch: I had to eat at my desk because I was busily working away... I'm sure a lot of you can relate to this
Grilled chicken breast
Roasted sweet potato
Water
Tea

Mid PM: I ate this in the car on my way to Belleville to attend my daughter's academic awards ceremony
1 sm. apple
1/2 liter water
4 sm pieces of melba toast
1 chicken breast

Dinner
Poached salmon
Grilled veggies
2 sm. potatoes
Black coffee
Water

I went to bed very hungry on Thursday night.... oh the joys of competition!

Training:
Since I was in Belleville with Kelsey for her academic award night I did not end up training, BUT I doubled up on workouts on Friday.

Friday

Breakfast with Kelsey in Belleville:
500 ml water
Black coffee
Hot oatmeal
Egg white omelet

Mid Morning:
1 small apple
2 tablespoons almond butter
Water

Lunch:
Grilled chicken
½ multi grain wrap
½ sweet potato
Water

Mid Afternoon:
Grilled chicken
10 cucumber slices
Water

Dinner eaten in the car on the way to the Phat Camp:
Grilled chicken with alfalfa sprouts in ½ wrap
Water
Apple

At Phat Camp:
Grilled chicken
Cucumber and tomato salad (no dressing)
½ apple
Water

Training before Phat Camp started:
Back: 5 sets heavy pulldowns, 4 sets heavy rows
Chest: 5 sets heavy seated chest press, 4 sets heavy seated flyes

We've Made it to Wednesday

Good Wednesday Afternoon Everybody.

I have been at the office today working away with my Eat-Clean team. The camera crews are here with me, too.

By the way, please keep the comments coming everyone. I love reading your experiences and answering your questions. Just remember if you would like a more personal response don't hesitate to email me at tosca@eatcleandiet.com.



So here are my eating and training logs for Wednesday. Read on for answers to questions peppered with today's info:

Training AM:
Early morning cardio session on treadmill for 30 minutes doing HIITS on
empty stomach.
Answer: HIIT means High Intensity Interval Training. I will get on the treadmill and rotate between high intensity intervals and low intensity intervals. I can make it high intensity by increasing the elevation or increasing the speed. You can make the intervals however long or short as you would like as long as it's challenging.
Answer: I tend to work out on an empty stomach in the morning during competition prep because of the amount of time I need to spend working out in a day. This is usually the only time I can squeeze it in. Since my breakfasts are so large I can't workout right after breakfast. I would need to wait an hour. I just don't have time for that most mornings so I workout on an empty stomach. Of course, you are right that eating breakfast gets your metabolism up and running. That is why it is called Break Fast... you are breaking the fast you have had all night. Do what feels right for you. Do something you can stick with. This is the most important thing.

Before Breakfast:
250 ml water with juice of 1 lemon
250 ml water with 8 ounces wheat grass and 5 fish oil supplements

Breakfast:
1/4 cup wheat germ + 1/4 cup oats cooked in one cup water with 2 T flaxseed, bee pollen and Salba on top
5 scrambled egg whites + one yolk cooked with cocoa butter and seasoned with herbs
Black coffee
Answer: I eat one yolk with my egg whites because the yolk is good fat and is important for digesting the protein in the eggs. Since I eat 5 egg whites, 5 egg yolks would be too much, so I throw in one or 2 egg yolks. Sometimes I will throw in some nut butter because they are predominantly healthy fats and not a huge amount of protein. Since I am competition training I need to get as much protein as possible and that is why I combine nut butters and egg whites.

Mid Morning:
1 banana
4 scrambled egg whites
250 ml water with MSM and CAL/MAG supplement

Lunch:
Poached salmon on ½ cup alfalfa sprouts with chopped tomato, broccoli and dressed with 1 T pumpkin oil, 1 T cider vinegar
Water
Chamomile tea

Mid Afternoon:
Grilled chicken
½ cup brown rice
Broccoli

Dinner:
Poached salmon
Steamed asparagus
Brown rice
Water

Before Bed:
Scrambled egg whites
¼ cup wheat germ cereal cooked in water
Water

Training PM:
Shoulders – 5 sets lateral raise, 4 sets presses heavy
Calves – 5 sets standing calf raise, heavy and as many reps as possible, 3 sets seated calf; loads of calf stretches
Shrugs – 4 sets
Abdominal isolation exercises
Posing practice – 10 minutes

Tuesday

Well the weather has improved slightly since yesterday.... slightly. It's currently 6 degrees Celsius rather than snow-inducing degrees Celsius. However, I highly disapprove of snow this early. Here's where I get jealous of my daughter in Portland who is experiencing 19 degrees Celsius and sunshine. And here I was thinking it rained there all the time... sigh.

Okay enough whining about the weather.

I received a great bunch of questions from bloggers today. Read on for answers on fat burners, plateauing, and, of course, Tuesday's eating and training sched. I am plugging away as this competition draws closer and closer.

Questions Answered:

My Breakfast Order at Angel's: When I am not in competition training mode I order an egg-white omelet with tomatoes and spinach, dry whole-wheat toast, oatmeal, and coffee. When in competition training mode I order everything mentioned above except for the whole-wheat toast.

About Fat Burners: Personally, I have never used a fat burner. I would rather go about things in a natural way. You can get results eating clean and exercising without compromising your health. Some fat burners claim to carry natural ingredients, but it doesn't mean they won't have detrimental effects. Of course, it's a matter of personal choice. I don't like them and don't use them. Others may find them very effective. If it is making you feel bad then you may want to consider listening to your body and discontinuing use.

The Last Few Pounds: Your body is smart. It knows when it is at a healthy weight because you will start losing pounds much more slowly. If you are not happy at the weight your body starts to plateau at then losing the last few pounds can take true dedication. I often recommend Cooler #1 (from The Eat-Clean Diet) for no longer than 2 weeks (it's not good to maintain it for longer because it is not representative of nutrition for life). Once you find yourself plateauing and are happy with your size continue eating in a manner similar to Cooler #2. This is Eating-Clean for life. The menu plans in The Eat-Clean Diet and the recipes in all of the books follow these guidelines. I eat like Cooler #2 year round and really don't gain or lose much. Of course, right now I am in competition training, so my nutrition is much different as reflected in the menus listed here on this blog.

Eating and Training:

AM Training:
Early Morning Cardio session on treadmill for 30 minutes on empty stomach

Before Breakfast:
250 ml warm water with juice of one fresh lemon
250 ml water with 8 ounces wheat grass

Breakfast:
1/4 cup wheat germ with 1/4 cup oats cooked on one cup water with 2
tablespoons each Salba and flaxseed on top
5 scrambled egg whites + 1 yolk
Black coffee
5 fish oil supplements

Mid Morning:
Spirulina shake made with water, hemp protein, 2 T natural walnut butter,
flaxseed (this did not taste too good)

Lunch:
1 grilled chicken breast over 2 cups salad greens, dressed with pumpkin oil,
pumpkin seeds, chopped tomato and cucumber
Water
Tea

Mid Afternoon:
I drank the rest of the yukky spirulina shake
Handful nuts

Dinner:
Brown rice with 1 cup steamed broccoli and 1 6 ounce grilled chicken breast
Water
Tea

Before Bed:
5 egg whites + one yolk
2 T natural peanut butter
250 ml water with MSM and Cal/Mag supplement

Training: REST DAY!!! (Trust me... I LOVE them just as much as the next guy no matter how much I love the weights! Every BODY needs a break.)

SNOW!!!!!!!

Hey Clean Eaters!!

It has been snowing all day here! We had to put little lawn chairs outside for the dogs so they wouldn't get too cold. They are pampered little things and spent the whole day on the lawn chairs watching the flakes come down. I can't believe we have already had our first snow and it isn't even November yet. Did anybody else get snow today? Now everyone is really going to think that we live in igloos up here in the Great White North that is Canada. Trust me... this is early!

Now, I know Monday has come and gone, but I have my eating and training here to share with you.

I spent most of the day holed up in my office writing away. Articles, books, emails, etc. The list never ends, but when you love your work it doesn't matter.

The pic above is of me and my hubby, Robert, at Angel's Diner in Orangeville. We are regulars there... they know exactly how I like my omelet, chicken, veggies, etc.

Training 1 - AM:
40 minute cardio session with HIITS

Breakfast:
¼ cup oatmeal + ¼ cup wheat germ, cooked with 1 cup water, topped with 3 tablespoons flax seed and 2 T bee pollen
5 egg whites, 1 egg yolk
250 ml water with lemon juice
250 ml water with 8 ounces wheat grass
Black coffee
4 fish oil capsules
2 T rice bran oil

Mid Am:
½ banana with 2 tablespoons natural almond butter
I cup green tea
250 ml water

Lunch:
½ small sweet potato, 5 ounces lean grilled chicken and ½ cup Home Made Soup or Sauce (it was the sauce version)
500 ml water
I cup chamomile tea

Mid PM:
500 ml water
2 T rice bran oil
1 small apple
2 T natural walnut butter

Dinner:
Baked salmon with green onion and lemon
Roasted sweet potato with garlic and rosemary
Roasted beets, carrots and purple onions with garlic and rosemary
Lots of water
Tea

Before Bed:
5 egg whites
2 T natural peanut butter

Training 2 - PM:
Big time Arms!
Biceps – dumbbell curls, 4 sets; barbell curls 3 sets; preacher bench curls 3 sets
Triceps – bent over triceps dumbbell kickbacks, 5 sets; triceps pressdowns, 5 sets
Abs – Reno crunch, 3 sets; Captains chair leg raise, 3 sets; crunches, 3 sets
Chins – for lat and scapula mobilization
Ab isolation practice – doing the vacuum and moving abs for isolation and definition
Posing practice – 20 minutes

Lazy Sundays

Good Monday Morning to you all!

I have Sunday's food and training post below.

Enjoy!
Breakfast:
2/3 cup cooked oatmeal with ¼ cup wheat germ, 2 T bee pollen, 2 T flaxseed
5 scrambled egg whites with tomato
250 ml water with lemon juice
250 ml water with wheat grass
5 fish oil supplement capsules
1 cup black coffee

Mid Am:
4 scrambled egg whites with tomato and spinach
Chamomile tea
Cal/Mag supplement

Workout:
Chest – Hammer Strength Chest Press 4 sets, heavy + 4 sets cable cross overs, heavy
8 Chins to mobilize scapula

Calves – 5 sets standing calf raise, heavy + mobilizing calf muscles stretches + 3 sets seated calf raise, heavy

Glutes – prone hip raises with a 45 pound plate on my stomach, three sets of 20 full range raises, 20 pulses and 20 full range raises in each set, no rest

Adductors – 3 sets moderately heavy

After workout:
250 ml water with pure glutamine and Cal/Mag supplement
6 ounces water packed tuna dressed with pumpkin oil and apple cider vinegar, with celery and carrot sticks
Green tea

Lunch:
½ sweet potato cut lengthwise and filled with chopped grilled chicken, topped with tomato, basil salsa (my own homemade)
250 ml water
Chamomile tea

Mid PM:
Handful unsalted almonds
1 small apple
Spinach, sprouts and radishes pureed into 250 ml water

Dinner:
Tilapia with brown rice and steamed swiss chard
500 ml water
2 T rice bran oil
Herbal tea

Before bed:
Nothing

Friday and Saturday

Hello Clean Eaters One and All...

How did it become the 19th of October? I am amazed at how quickly the weeks are flying by. Halloween is just around the corner! And then the holidays will be on our doorsteps.

I spent all day yesterday filming. They filmed my daughter and me shopping at Sherway Gardens mall here in Ontario. Did anybody see those 2 crazies looking for sheets yesterday at the mall? If so, that was Chelsea and me. We are redecorating her bedroom now that she is almost 16 and looking for something a little more mature.

But today I am taking advantage of a day off.

I'll be spending it with my husband and stepdaughter on this crisp fall afternoon. What are you up to in your respective parts of the world today?

The competition is drawing nearer. I had a Skype date (internet video phone) with my daughter yesterday and she reminded me that in a month we will be in Las Vegas. That sent a little wake up call to me.

On that note, here are my eating and training logs for Friday and Saturday:

Friday

EATING

Breakfast:
2/3 cup oatmeal
1 small apple
Black coffee
500 ml water

Mid Am:
Handful unsalted nuts
250 ml water
½ apple
10 slices cucumber

Lunch:
Black coffee
Multi-grain wrap with grilled chicken and spinach greens
Carrot sticks
Water

Mid PM:
10 slices cucumber
2 melba toast
4 fish oil supplements
3 egg whites
250 ml water

Dinner:
Home made tomato soup with turkey meatballs
1 slice dark unleavened pumpernickel (roggebrood as the Dutch say)
Chamomile tea

Before Bed:
Chamomile tea

TRAINING

Delts – lateral raise, bent over lateral raise, shoulder presses, pre-exhaust set with upright row and shoulder presses (trying to build shoulders here)
Lats – pulldowns, seated row, chins
Triceps – triceps pressdowns with heavy weights
Cardio – 30 minutes treadmill

Saturday

EATING

Breakfast:
½ cup oatmeal with ¼ cup wheat germ, 2 tablespoons bee pollen and flax
5 scrambled egg whites
2 slices tomato
500 ml water
Fish oil supplements
Black coffee

Mid AM:
2 slices fresh tomato
4 scrambled egg whites
250 ml water

Lunch:
5 scrambled egg whites
1 small tomato
250 ml water
Chamomile tea

Mid PM:
Home made tomato soup
3 scrambled egg whites
2 melba toast
10 unsalted almonds
250 ml water

Dinner:
Grilled chicken
Swiss chard – steamed
Brown rice pilaf
Roasted red beets
250 ml water
Herbal tea

TRAINING

Biceps – preacher bench curls, barbell curls
Standing calf raise – seated calf raise
Abs – reverse crunches, reverse crunches with weight, hanging leg raise, Reno crunches

I read one comment last week that asked why I had stopped eating bee pollen and replaced it with Salba. As you may have noticed from my eating plan above I haven't removed it, I just switch it up with Salba here and there. Variety is they key!

I'm Still Here

Hey everybody,

I just got back from another trip to Belleville where I attended parent-teacher night with my daughter, Kelsey-Lynn. I have also been doing some serious amounts of filming this week, which accounts for my lack of updates on Wednesday and Thursday. BUT I have listed my food intake here:

Tuesday

Breakfast:
2/3 cup cooked oatmeal with 2T each flaxseed, Salba, wheat germ
5 egg whites, 1 yolk
250 ml water with juice of 1 lemon
Another 250 ml water with 6 ounces wheat grass
1 cup black coffee

Mid AM:
1 small apple
5 ounces water packed tuna
1/2 cup alfalfa sprouts
1T olive oil
1 cup chamomile tea

Lunch:
6 ounces tilapa over 2 cups mixed salad greens and chopped salad vegetables then dressed with 2T avocado oil and sprinkled with pine nuts
1 cup tea
250 ml water
4 fish oil supplements

Mid PM:
4 egg whites
1/2 small raw cuke
1 small tomato
250 ml water

Dinner:
Pork tenderloin medallions
1/2 cup steamed green beans
1/2 cup steamed asparagus
1/2 cup sweet potato
Water

Nothing before bed

Wednesday

Breakfast:
2/3 cup cooked Red River Cereale
5 scrambled egg whites
500 ml water with 10 oz wheat grass
5 fish oil supplements
3 calcium/magnesium tablets
1 cup black coffee

Mid Am:
4 scrambled egg whites
1/2 cup tomato basil salsa
250 ml water

Lunch:
1/2 cup sweet potato
1/2 cup grilled chicken topped with tomato basil salsa
1 small apple
300 water

Mid PM:
1 small apple
1/2 cup grilled chicken with 1/4 cup tomato basil salsa
250 ml water
1 cup herbal tea

Dinner:
2 turkey meatballs
2/3 cup roasted fall veggie sauce
1/2 cup spelt pasta noodles
250 ml water
1 cup herbal tea

Before Bed:
1/2 apple with 2 tablespoons natural walnut butter
Chamomile tea
4 fish oil supplements

Thursday

Breakfast:

2/3 cup hot cooked wheat germ cereale with 2 tablespoons each flax, salba, bee pollen
4 fish oil capsules
300 ml water with 8 oz wheat grass
250 ml water with juice of 1 lemon
5 egg whites scrambled
1 cup coffee

Mid AM:
1/2 cup scrambled egg whites
1 fresh tomato
250 ml water

Lunch:
Multi grain wrap with grilled chicken, sprouts and 2 tablespoons home made hummus
1 apple
500 ml water

Mid PM:
250 ml water
Black coffee
Handful unsalted almonds
4 fish oil supplements
1 apple
2 tablespoons natural nut butter
 
Dinner with Kelsey:
Steamed green beans
Poached salmon
1/4 cup fava beans
2 roasted yellow beets
Black coffee
250 ml water

Before bed:
1 small apple

To answer a couple of questions:
In the initial stages of competition prep I will bake my chicken. When it is closer to the date boiled chicken is the way to go.

As for training I will start getting a bit more detailed about my regime.

Also, thanks to everyone who shared their Thanksgiving memories and meals with me. I am glad my recipes come in handy.

Thanksgiving Memories

I've included a few pics taken over the Thanksgiving weekend. The first photo is of my nephew, Ethan, followed by a photo of his brother, Williams, next is a pic of their sister, Anika. At the bottom is a shot of my two girls, Chelsea and Kelsey, passed out post-turkey!

Monday consisted of a very long, traffic filled drive home. Thank goodness I had my cooler with me prepared for the ride.

Here's what I munched on that day.

Monday:

Breakfast:
Hot oatmeal with flaxseed (flax is loaded with healthy fats)
5 egg whites, 1 yolk
4 fish oil capsules (this is for healthy fats)
Plenty of water
Black coffee

Mid Morning:
Small apple
3 egg whites
Handful unsalted nuts (these contain healthy fats)

Lunch:
Chicken breast, green salad, 1/2 baked potato
Water
Coffee

Mid afternoon:
Unsalted almonds (healthy fats)
Carrot sticks
Celery sticks
Small apple
Water


Dinner: we had breakfast for dinner, which is a favorite of mine especially after long car rides when I don't feel like cooking
Scrambled egg whites with tomato, spinach and basil
Dry Ezekiel toast
Water





Yesterday I spent the day at home catching up on emails, work, and stocking the fridge for the week. I also took a few minutes in the evening to throw together a delicious salsa. Food variety is so limited during competition prep that I have to spice it up where and however I can.

Tuesday:

Breakfast:
Oatmeal with flax, Salba, wheat germ
5 egg whites, 1 yolk (healthy fats in the yolk)
Water
Coffee
Fish oil supplements
250 ml water with 6 ounces wheat grass

Mid morning:
Small apple
Unsalted almonds
3 egg whites
250 ml water
Chamomile tea

Lunch:
Green salad with loads of chopped veggies, sprouts and water packed tuna
2 Melba toast
Small apple
250 ml water
Chamomile tea

Mid Afternoon:
Protein smoothie with peanut butter, hemp hearts, plain yogurt, water,
oatmeal, flaxseed
Loads of water

Dinner:
Pork tenderloin
Steamed broccoli and cauliflower
Brown rice with coconut butter and herbs
Water, water

Nothing before bed.

Happy Thanksgiving Canada!!

I am still writing from Ottawa where I will be spending one more day with my family members before heading back home.

Here are a few things I've done while here:

On Saturday before the 5-hour drive I packed a big cooler with celery sticks, raw carrots, sweet potatoes, chicken breasts, wraps, hummus, yogurt, apples, mini whole-grain bagels, mandarin oranges and loads of water. We have been depending on this for two days for eating while we are out and about trekking and driving.

We arrive in Ottawa in good time and we warmly greeted by my brother, Rene (yes, that's his Apricot and Chicken Curry recipe in the cookbook), his wife, Jody, and their three gorgeous children, Anika, William, and Ethan. We walked down to Richmond Street for an outdoor street festival where we were serenaded by an Elvis impersonator! My sister-in-law, Jody, got a special song from him. We also visited my favorite workout store, Lululemon, and had coffee at Bridgehead.

The weather has been unbelievable. Just a perfect autumn day with sun and brilliant colors.

On Saturday night we indulged in a grilled chicken supper with several salads including wild rice, wheat berry and chick pea versions served with roasted sweet potatoes. Us parents chatted long into the night with coffee before settling in for a much-needed rest.

On Sunday morning, Robert and I woke up early and headed for the Ottawa Athletic Club for a big workout – we missed Saturday's workout. I felt much better afterward!

For breakfast our wonderful hosts prepared a delicious brunch of fresh fruit, oatmeal and boiled eggs. After breakfast we loaded our Eat-Clean coolers, packed the kids in the car, and trekked over to the Gatineau Hills for a hike. It seems everyone had the same idea – there were loads of families out there. It was breathtaking at the summit.

After our hike we prepared the big feast. The turkey is enormous! But before we ate we set up Skype dates with both Rachel and Kiersten who will be missing from today’s feast table. Thanksgivng is KK’s favorite holiday and she is missing it big time. She has just come back from Dublin, Ireland and a big visit to the Concordia – the vessel she sailed around the world in. Rachel is celebrating with best friend Robyn in Portland. They will do it up in style.

After a delicious feast we were tuckered out and laid low for the evening. Today we will be driving back home... but not after a few more minutes with my family.

Thank you for sharing your delicious Eat-Clean meal ideas with me. I hope they all turned out well. What did everyone else do?

Sloppy Joes and Stanley Cup Detroit Style

Sorry for the delay in updating. I was in Ann Arbor, Michigan visiting my brother, Ron, and my sister-in-law, Tammy, for a few days while doing CBS and FOX TV appearances in Detroit. I made a delicious batch of Sloppy Joes, which is a recipe in The Eat-Clean Diet for Family and Kids.

It was great to see Tammy who is training for a mountain bike event and Ron who was whipping up a contest-style chili for a chili cook off. Their sons Ryan and Reid (who you may recognize from The Eat-Clean Diet for Family and Kids) are sweet and fun – we watched the deer eat all of Ron’s tomatoes out of the garden. They especially like the green ones.

On Wednesday we just happened to be in the neighborhood for an up close and personal visit with the Stanley Cup. It was at the home of one of my brother’s neighbors who is in charge of security for the Detroit Red Wings – hence the photos.

Thursday was crazy busy with TV appearances, but the gorgeous autumn weather prevailed. In the evening Tammy organized a night out with some of her fit friends –

A special shout out to Tammy, Gingi, Bonnie, Ingrid, Susan and Casey!

They support each other with all their training! Go girls! You are true Sisters in Iron.

MY EATING --

Thursday:

Breakfast:
¾ cup Oatmeal, 2 T each flax, Salba
4 egg whites
500 ml water
Black coffee – my brother makes the best coffee ever!!!

Mid AM:
Apple, handful nuts – these tasty treats are my traveling partners - I don't leave home without them

Lunch:
Brown rice
Steamed veggies
Salmon
250 ml water

Mid PM:
Protein shake

Dinner:
Broccoli
Sweet potato
Chicken breast
250 ml water

Thursday:

Breakfast:
Same as Wednesday

Mid AM:
On TV - missed a meal here! oops!

Lunch:
Egg white omelet
Coffee
Water

Mid PM:
On TV - missed another meal here!

Dinner:
Chicken
Broccoli
Sweet potato

MY TRAINING --

My training was on hiatus while I was away on Wednesday and Thursday, but I picked it up again last night when I got back home.

WHAT'S ON TAP:

This weekend is Canadian Thanksgiving and I am trekking to Ottawa with my husband, my daughter, Kelsey-Lynn, and my stepdaughter, Chelsea, to visit my other brother, Rene, and his family. I will keep you posted!!

Oh Yeah About Detroit!

I almost forgot about the Detroit thing. I am travelling to Detroit to do a few TV appearances. So I am packing my food and things for the trip. And while I am there I will be staying with my big brother Ron and his wife Tammy and their two kids, Ryan and Reid. I am looking forward to seeing them. Wish me well on the drive!

Cheers,
tosca

Getting Ready for Detroit

Hello Everyone!


This day was just stunning! I thought I would start with that. The weather was gorgeous - that perfect fall day that is sunny and crisp but not too cold and not too hot. I took our dogs for a walk along the Bruce Trail. I was fed up with writing and being cooped up in my office and I thought having a walk on the trail would be good for my soul as well as good cardio. So it was a perfect day.


Here is my eating for today:
Breakfast:
3/4 cup cooked oatmeal with 2 tablespoons each flaxseed, wheat germ, Salba
250 ml hot water with lemon juice
250 ml water with 6 ounces wheat grass
1/2 cup black coffee
5 scrambled egg whites
4 fish oil supplements




Mid Morning:
4 egg whites
1 fresh medium tomato
chamomile tea


Lunch:
bison meat ball
1/2 sweet potato
1/2 cup steamed spinach
250 ml water
chamomile tea


Mid Afternoon
5 ounces tilapia
10 slices cucumber
250 ml water


Dinner
2 bison meatballs over spelt pasta noodles and 1/2 cup homemade tomato sauce
250 ml water
chamomile tea
apple


This is my best friend Franca. She does my makeup and grooming for me for EVERYTHING! She is the best and I love her. She is coming to Vegas with me because she is afraid I will wreck my makeup. She's right!







This is the beautiful Jennifer Nicole Lee. She competed with me and shot with me recently. I love her positive energy and strength. No wonder they call her La Tigra! Meowww!


Goodnight ladies and feel free to send questions, hugs or anything your heart desires!
I am listening.
Hugs,
Tosca

Books, butts and Belleville

Hello All!

This picture to the left is a shot of a wonderful fan named Marisa who came to watch me compete a few weeks ago. Shout out to Marisa who is a strong, courageous woman battling her own health issues and coming out strong with training. You rock girl!

It is Monday evening and time to add some details to my blog. I have not forgotten you! Yesterday I drove to Belleville to visit my dancing daughter, Kelsey-Lynn. She and I went to get pumpkins and decorated the front steps of her billet home with them. Things are looking and feeling a lot like fall these days.

Since I was in the car for much of the day it was necessary for me to pack a cooler. So I will tell you how the eating went.

Breakfast on Sunday:

1 cup cooked oatmeal, 2 tablespoons flaxseed, 2 tablespoons bee pollen, 2 tablespoons Salba

250 ml warm water with lemon juice

250 ml water with 6 ounces wheat grass

1 cup black coffee

5 egg white frittata with tomato, basil and onion

Mid Morning:

another piece of frittata from breakfast

250 ml water

hot tea

Lunch: which was packed in the cooler

1 piece tilapia

10 slices cucumber

1 cup steamed broccoli

250 ml water

Mid Afternoon: consumed in the car

1 apple

handful unsalted almonds

Dinner: which I ate with Kelsey

salmon

steamed carrots

3 baby potatoes

250 ml water with lemon

evening: driving home from Belleville

1 apple

handful unsalted nuts

Training: I trained back and chest and did 45 minutes of treadmill work.

Your Questions Answered

Hello ECD Bloggers,
I have been collecting some questions from the comments section and have some answers for you:

Question: What type of nails do I have?
Answer: I use seaweed protein sculpted gel nails. My real, healthy nail is underneath. The seaweed coating simply acts as a strengthening and protecting barrier so my nails look tidy all the time.

Question: What bee pollen brand do I use?
Answer: I like to support local business so I get it from a farm here in Caledon, Ontario. You can also find great bee pollen options online or in the health food store.

Question: Is there a quick yogurt cheese?
Answer: This is a tough one. There are some places that sell strained yogurt, but it is hard to come by. It is a matter of thinking ahead and always having it on hand. I usually by an extra yogurt during my grocery shopping and pop it in the strainer as soon as I get home. It will keep for a week and I can use it in so many things... dips, dressings, frostings, sauces, etc.

Question: Is there a winners list for the WBFF show I competed in?
Answer: There should be a list coming soon to the WBFF website. Sometimes it takes awhile for it to come up, so be patient. Here is the link: http://www.wbffshows.com

Question: What tanning lotion do I use?
Answer: I use Jan Tana Competition Tan and Bronz 'n Glo spray tanning system.

Question: What is a ballpark cost of competing?
Answer: You can go all out or keep it within a budget. Here are some things you will have to pay for: Registration can cost up to $400 depending on the show. You will need 2 pairs of shoes, which can cost up to $100 each. A large cost is the suit. You can splurge on a $5000 bejeweled costume, or keep it modest with a $100 suit. You will usually need a couple of outfits: sportswear, bikini, one piece, etc. If you are not planning on competing on a regular basis I would not recommend splurging on a suit. Your travel and accommodation costs can vary depending on your location. Finally food and training also add cost, but may not be too much more than you already spend on a clean eating and exercise routine.

Question: What body fat percentage did I drop down to for this show?
Answer: I dropped down to 8% body fat and a weight of 138 pounds for this competition. I usually am at 10% body fat and 12 pounds heavier in the off season. For this next show I would like to shave off a few more pounds.

Question: How do I eat my salba?
Answer: I eat the entire seed. It does not need to be cracked. Since I would rather eat my nutrients I usually avoid taking the pill form. However, if this is the only way you can get it down then take advantage of this option.

Question: What are sodium depleting and drying out?
Answer: They mean the same thing. About 4 days before the competition you take sodium tablets to shed water from the body (also called drying out). You also drink distilled water to assist the process. This leaves the skin very tight around the muscles giving you the ripped appearance. This can be very dangerous. Do not take diuretics while doing this. Instead eat a lot of asparagus and keep your mouth wet rather than drinking a full glass of water.

What to Eat on Saturday?? Not a Bird!

Hi All!

It's Saturday and a little gloomy and rainy outside. Regardless of weather training and eating have to go on, although I must admit the jet lag from Europe is difficult to get over.

Breakfast consisted of the usual 1/2 cup oatmeal cooked with 1 cup water. I ran out of wheat germ so I tossed in some Salba and bee pollen. I craved something sweet so I had a banana. It was delicious.

250 ml warm water with lemon juice

250 ml water and 6 ounces wheat grass

black coffee

5 scrambled egg whites

Mid Morning

1 cup pumpkin spice coffee

hemp protein smoothie with 1 tablespoon natural nut butter

Lunch

2 cups salad greens with chopped salad veggies

5 ounce grilled chicken breast

250 ml water

Mid Afternoon

1 bowl homemade turkey vegetable soup (yummy!)

Dinner

3 small Bison meatballs

2 roasted baby potatoes

1 cup steamed broccoli

chamomile tea

Before Bed

probably nothing since I am not hungry.

Training:

Leg Day!!!

We did leg extensions, hamstring curls and squats. Lots of squats with an Olympic bar and plenty of weight.

PS. Curious about the picture? That is my Aunt Corrie teaching me how to kiss their budgie while I was in Holland. It felt really funny on my lips.

Good night all! My legs are done!!

Contest Prep 101 - Round 2

Hi Ladies!



I am back! And here we go with some good old contest eating. I have been super busy trying to dig out from underneath the "Back From Holland" work pile so I have grouped my first few days of eating together. Actually Day 1 was off the rails because I had no food in the house thanks to the trip to Holland but here it is regardless.



Oh, that's me in Delft, Holland standing on a bridge in this 600 year old town. Delft is my mother's home town, where she was born and raised. It is also the town where they make Delft Blue Pottery for the royal family.






October 1
Contest Eating
Breakfast
1/2 cup long cooking oats cooked in one cup hot water, topped with bee pollen and flax seed
4 egg whites, 1 yolk
250 ml hot water mixed with the juice of one fresh lemon
black coffee
4 fish oil capsules



Mid Morning Meal
4 egg whites
1 small apple
250 ml water

Lunch
2 cups spinach tossed with chopped cucumber, tomatoes and shredded carrots, drizzled with pumpkin seed oil and flax seed
1 can water packed tuna
2 whole grain melba toast
250 ml water


Mid Afternoon Snack
protein smoothie with 2 tablespoons flax seed, yogurt cheese, walnut butter and applesauce


Dinner
grilled chicken breast
8 asparagus spears
handful string beans (picked from my own garden)
1/2 baked yam
250 ml water


before bed:
4 egg whites
250 ml water


TRAINING - None, this is a rest day!

Here I am in Delft having coffee in the beautiful sunshine. Aaaahhh! So relaxing!

October 2nd
Breakfast
1/2 cup oatmeal cooked with 1 cup water and sprinkled with 2 tablespoons Salba, 2 tablespoons bee pollen and 2 tablespoons flaxseeds
4 egg whites
500 ml water
black coffee



Mid Morning
Tulsi tea
250 ml water
1 small apple
handful unsalted almonds


Lunch
1 1/2 cups home made Lentil soup
1 spelt rice cake
250 ml water


Mid Afternoon Snack
2 tablespoons yogurt cheese spread on 1 spelt rice cake, sprinkled with flaxseed
250 ml water


Dinner
I was invited to speak at a seminar and was served a lovely dinner of chicken breast roulade stuffed with shredded vegetables and served in a chicken broth that was loaded with chinese vegetables
2 mouthfuls red wine - I did not drink the whole glass because I had to get up and speak!Otherwise I would have had the whole glass!
Dessert was chopped fresh fruit in light yogurt
250 ml water


Before Bed:
nothing - I was too tired to even open my mouth! Still jet lagged.


Training: 45 minutes cardio on the treadmill doing HIITS and trained chest and back




Today's Eating:
1/2 cup Ezekiel cereal over which I poured 1 cup hot water, topped with 2 tablespoons bee pollen, 2 tablespoons flaxseed
5 egg whites, one yolk
250 ml hot water with lemon juice
250 ml water with 6 ounces wheat grass
black coffee
4 fish oil capsules




Mid Morning
1 small apple
4 small pieces roast turkey (I put a turkey in the oven this morning)
250 ml water
tulsi tea


Lunch:
Chicken and vegetable stir fry over rice, no sauce
250 ml lemon water
black coffee


Mid Afternoon Snack
1 small apple
handful unsalted almonds
chamomile tea
250 ml water


Dinner
roasted turkey
steamed asparagus
steamed green beans
brown rice
250 ml water


Training - legs!!!




Here is one final picture for you to enjoy. This is me with a group of the some of the most fit women in the world on the Monday after my contest. We had a group photo shooot with Paul Bucetta and had a blast even though we were all hungry and tired!!

The women in the shoot with me are Tina Rigdon, Melissa Hall, Jennifer Nicole Lee, Dianna, Ashley and Ocean. We are all smiling because someone just told a funny joke.

Good night all! Take good care of you.

Love,

tosca

I'm Back...

Hello bloggers I am back from Holland and ready to go... sort of. Who knew an inbox could get so full and the fridge could seem so empty! I spent most of today trying to dig my way out of mail, fill the fridge, and talk to my kids, all while experiencing serious jet lag. You know all those lovely responsibilities that come with being a mom, wife, and working girl. So before I start keeping you posted on my competition prep again (remember, I have another one coming up at the end of November in Vegas) I have some photos to share with you from my trip. Enjoy!





Here I am with my girl. We had our first meeting at the Bruine Boon – which is like the Starbucks of Holland. In the little town of Leiden there are mostly students so everyone is out and about laughing and talking and consuming massive quantities of coffee. The absolute dessert to have with your coffee is not a muffin but Dutch appeltaart – that is Dutch apple tart. Yes I had some and is absolutely delish!


Here are my mom, Tina, and my hubby, Bob, standing my the canal after dinner. Kiersten enjoyed a wonderful dessert made with strained yogurt (that’s yogurt cheese folks) and a fig jam. It was so good it apparently won an award in a recent foodie competition. I did not have it, I had a bowl of strawberries. This little restaurant is called Zout en Peper – that is Dutch for Salt and Pepper. This were also the first Dutch words I taught my girls.



Here's a shot of the typical Dutch windmill. We saw tons of these on train ride to visit my family members in their respective parts of Holland, including Delft, home of the beautiful blue and white pottery.



Here's my hubby, Bob, trying out the bike and doing pretty well. This is Holland's primary form of transportation and one we used almost everyday, aside from walking and the train. I think we have it all wrong here in North America.