Day 52:
136.4 - Wierd. I really needed sleep so I took a personal day to rest. I slept in until 10:40am. I still feel tired, but I still did my workout AND made up my PM workout from yesterday.

AM - 30 minutes heavy lifting - oh vey - for my back.
AM - 60 minutes elliptical w/arms
AM - (makeup PM cardio session from yesterday) 45 minutes elliptical w/out arms

I was so tired last night and sore that I ate dinner, vegged for a while and crashed.I was still tired this morning so I slept in to give my body some rest then hit the gym. Just like laundry you've got to just do it ;). Just like breathing ya know? That is how I think of it.

Sarah! I'm so sorry I missed your questions/comments last time. I'll answer your questions below ;)!

Thanks first of all.

The plan I'm following I got off the internet while researching figure competitor's eating/nutrition plans. There are so many to chose from but I selected a few items from each and them figure out how much I wanted to consume personally and created my own "plan".

I then got some great recipes from Oxygen magazine for turkey meat loaft and my favorite protein pancake! The rest is eating every 2-3 hours protein and complex carbs. I prep and cook all my own meals and measure each one into little containers I carry in my soft ice pack lunch bag. I carry it every where I go to ensure I always have food on hand. My snacks are SF jello. Love that stuff! Lots of water and just trying to eat clean. I have a glass of wine every once in a while and I still eat out with Z. I just make good choices and try to watch the portion sizes or eat a little less the meal before so I can have more oz during dinner.

Meal 1: (After my AM workout)
Protein Pancake: 1 egg, 4 egg whites or 3/4 cup of egg beaters, tbsp of Splenda, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/3 cup old fashion dry oatmeal. Mix all together and cook on Med Low in frying pan with Pam. I make 7 of these at a time so I have them all done for the week. I put them in a large Zip lock back and toss it into the fridge. Breakfast is done for the week! I eat them with 1/4 cup SF syrup and 1 Tbsp of Adams natural peanut butter. I LOVE PB!!! This meal is a huge treat for me.

Meal 2 -4: (2-3 hours later)
3 oz protein (usually grilled chicken or turkey meat loaf) and 1/3 cup of wild rice.

Meal 5:
4-6 oz of protein (chicken or turkey meat loaf) and 1-2 cups of brocolli or asparagus. I LOVE asparagus. I just steam the veggies for 3-5 minutes and they are perfect.

Meal 6:
protein shake or SF jello. I usually just eat 1-2 cups of SF jello and call it good.

I vary my calories from 1300-1500 calories per day. I keep mixing things up to keep my body guessing.

Workout Plan:
M-F I start with 30 minutes of lifting.

M - chest
T - back
W - legs
TH - shoulders
F - arms

M-F I follow lifting with 60 minutes of cardio. I prefer the elliptical w/arms or the step mill as my feet and ankles have been giving me more and more issues the older I get.

Either in the afternoon or evening I will do a second session of cardio being the same as I listed above.

Saturday and Sunday are cardio only. I started with 60 minutes once a day on the weekends, but changed that to 60-90 AM & PM to keep challenging my body. You've got to keep the body guessing right?

I also take a multi vitamin a day and my SF calcium supplements since I'm lactose intolerant and don't like soy milk or rice milk at all. I sometimes throw in a tbsp of flax seed oil straight or on top of my famous pancakes :), but I've cut it out for now as I'm still consuming my favorite natural PB so I think I'm good.

Thanks again for your support! I know you will get to where you were before. Keep at it Sarah and find what works for you!

(Engaged 9/16/05)