As I type this, I cannot believe that 1 week from tomorrow I will be headed to Houston!  Peak Week starts Sunday!!!  I have 1 more fasted cardio session this week, one more lifting session, and a date with the Stairmaster and yoga this weekend.  The worst part is over.  That being said, I thought I’d take tonight’s post to share some of my favorite products, suggestions, and tips that have helped me get through the good and not so good parts of these last 11 weeks.

Everyone’s prep is different, but they usually have a few things in common.  Most athletes will eat 5-6 meals a day consisting of lean proteins, fibrous vegetables, healthy fats, and “good” carbs.  There are a few different philosophies, but most contest preps strictly prohibit alcohol, cheese/ most dairy outside of Greek yogurt, sugars, wheat based carbs, etc… Essentially anything with flour or sugar, or that is processed is out of the diet and not on plan.  Luckily, I knew this before I made the decision to compete, and have always been a healthy eater, maintaining a “clean” diet for the past couple of years.  Think of this as the “uber-clean” diet.  No alcohol?!?  No bread?!?!  NO CHEESE OR BAKED GOODS?!?!  How does one survive?!?  Here’s what got me through it.  The best part—you can use these as part of your healthy lifestyle too!

• VARIETY IS EVERYTHING- If you are thinking about competing and don’t love vegetables, are a vegetarian, and/or a picky eater, you might really want to reconsider thinking about competing.  Prep would be very, very hard f you were picky, considering the limited options you have during prep.  In my case, I LOVE vegetables, and have no problems eating meat of all kinds.  My nutrition plan was comprised (like most are) of lean proteins—chicken, turkey, white fish.   If I had chicken at lunch, I’d have fish or turkey for dinner.  Vegetables can be roasted, steamed, eaten raw, or—my favorite—SPIRALIZED with a spiralizer!  Every Sunday, when I went grocery shopping, I always made sure to come home with plenty of options to choose from for the week

• SPICES AND FLAVOR ARE KEY- I learned very early on that effective use of spices and flavors when I was cooking or meal prepping could completely change the flavor of a particular vegetable or meat. Vinegars (apple cider, balsamic, rice vinegar) are great ways to pack a punch of flavor without adding calories, sodium, or sugar.  FlavorGod seasonings, and Mrs. Dash have been regulars in our pantry for a while—we love FlavorGod Everything Spicy!!

• CRYSTAL LIGHT DROPS- Plain Greek yogurt is my favorite snack.  You pair it with two quick squeezes of the Tropical Coconut Crystal Light drops and boy howdy is it freaking delicious!  No calories, no added sugar.  Yes, artificial sweeteners aren’t the healthiest, but this stuff has helped keep my cravings at bay and gives me variety.  I also like the Tang and Koolaid Grape and Fruit Punch flavors.  Game changer in the yogurt.

• EXTRACTS AND FLAVORINGS- You can add extracts and flavorings (almond, vanilla, etc.) to your casein shakes. Seriously, chocolate casein and mint extract = a Thin Mint Shake!!! Freakin’ delicious! Put coconut extract in with chocolate and BOOM, you’ve got a Samoa!

• WALDEN FARMS PRODUCTS- I think they have fairies that make this stuff calorie free. The caramel dip, pancake syrup (on protein pancakes and in oatmeal!), and strawberry syrup (in my casein shakes!) have all helped me feel like I was cheating while still staying on plan and keeping my coach happy!

• PEANUT BUTTER. Skippy Natural and Peter Pan Natural are the best.  Jiff is for the birds.  Every person who’s ever prepped would agree that the peanut butter is a definite perk.

• PLANNING IS EVERYTHING- Honestly, you have to be really organized to handle this. Your prep life and routine revolves around your workouts and meals.   Before you leave the house every day (weekends included!) you have to think about what food to bring with you, pack your gym bag, grab a change of clothes, and figure out how much time you will need to fit in your workouts.  That’s a lot to think about!  Grocery shopping and meal prep are CRUCIAL.  I always have chicken cooked, and sweet potatoes baked and in the fridge.  If you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail.

• EAT EVERY 2.5-3 HOURS! Personally, I tried to space my morning meals 2.5 hours apart, and the next 4 meals 3 hours apart, and my last one (a casein shake) just before bed time.  I never woke up in the middle of the night hungry, and really wasn’t ever starving.  You just have to stay on top of your meals and EAT when you’re supposed to!

• SUGAR FREE GUM- I think I have about 10 packs in my purse right now. #truestory

• HOT TEA- Caffeine free Peppermint with Stevia was my go-to when I got hungry in between dinner and my Casein shake.

• TEMPERATURE OF MEALS- Food tastes much better served cold or hot. Lukewarm sucks, but I guarantee of the 500+ meals you will eat in a 12 week prep that you will certainly be eating a lot of them on parking lots, and at room temperature.  That said, whenever possible, refrigerate and microwave.

• A SIX PACK BAG OR COOLER- All the cool kids have Six Pack Bags. I also love my Vera Bradley cooler for when I pack less food. Plus, I look like a badass carrying my Six Pack bag around. “What’s that?” say people. I respond, “My food because I’m a badass.  And yes I eat all of it.”

• BUY PROTEIN POWDER THAT TASTES GOOD! My favorites:  Cellucor Red Velvet Cake Batter (whey), Dymatize Elite Casein Chocolate Peanut Butter and Cinnamon Bun.  Optimum Nutrition Chocolate Toffee Fudge (seriously, the best whey I’ve tried—knowing I get it at the end of a workout has helped me power through!) and Cake Batter are both excellent choices for whey too.

• GOOD SUPPLEMENTS COST MONEY- You get what you pay for both in flavor and in quality.

• CUTE WORKOUT CLOTHES- Never too much neon here. God bless Lorna Jane, Nike, and Lululemon.

• MY COUNTDOWN BOARD- I went all Pinterest and hit up the scrapbooking sections and craft stores to make myself a bulletin board full of motivational quotes and some bling. In the middle, I made a tear of sheet to help me count down the days until the show.  I hid little notes on a few pages—things like “keep pushing”, and “work hard”.  Every day I get to look at it and get excited all over again.  I can reuse it for my next one too!

Lately everyone’s been asking what I miss the most, and what I can’t wait to eat or drink after the show.  Disclaimer:  as much as I say I want to eat and drink, I’ve worked my ass off to have this amazing physique, and I DO NOT want to screw it up!!  Reverse dieting will be key after the show to keep my metabolism and body weight in check.  Another good reason to have a coach to walk you through this.  Here’s what I’m looking forward to enjoying!

• A cocktail, champagne, and wine.
• Dinner with my friends and family after the show!
• Mexican food and birthday cake—my 30^th is April 1^st, 3 days after the show, and we’re doing a big party at my favorite Mexican restaurant and have a chocolate cake ordered from Society Bakery. I can’t freaking wait.
• COFFEE CREAMER!!!! The sugar free, fat free CoffeeMate.  Any flavor will do.  Almond milk just sucks as coffee creamer.  It really does.
• Breakfast! Seriously, a biscuit, omelette and pancakes.  AND BACON.  Ohmygod bacon.  Sunday after the show, then right back to my egg whites and oats!
• A burger…maybe Monday??

Seriously though, I don’t want to go to crazy with post-show indulgences and super caloric and fatty foods.  A lot of girls put on pounds QUICKLY after a show because they binge for days and weeks, and I’ve worked too damn hard!!!  Moderation will be key.

Till next time!

-Mere