It’s been a pretty interesting weekend over here, although I think random would be a more appropriate term for it. Friday night started off normal enough. I did a really tough CrossFit class in which we had to do 60 toes to bar over the course of the workout (along with rowing, push ups, ring rows and burpees). I only got about 20 and had to do knees to elbows for the rest. So hard.
After my Friday pizza lunch I was craving something simple and clean for dinner. I sautéed some baby bok choy with Trader Joe’s Island Soyaki Sauce and vegetable broth, baked wild Alaskan salmon with Dizzy Pig’s Tsunami Spin and heated some frozen TJ’s brown rice on the side.
After an early yoga practice on Saturday morning, I found myself in sitting in the second row at…
My first body building competition. Random, I know! One of the owners of the gym invited me to go because one of our members was competing. He’s third from the right.
I got to see a little bit of everything – men’s body building, women’s body building, women’s figure and women’s bikini.
It was fascinating. Talk about sensory overload. I’ve never seen so much fake tan (and some BAD spray tans), body oil, hairspray and makeup in one place. Body builders have beauty queens beat any day. I was most impressed by all the posing that they do. It really does seem like it takes a ton of practice and you could clearly see who was comfortable/confident on stage and who was struggling a little. At one point my gym owner asked when they were going to get me up there and my response was, “uh…when I have some surgical enhancements and stop liking sweets and wine so much.” 😉
New experiences, right?
After the competition I did some damage at Trader Joe’s since it had been over two weeks since my last big grocery trip.
I took advantage of my fresh produce and made a big salad when I got home. Arugula mix, broccoli slaw mix, tomatoes, avocado, dried cranberries, toasted pecans, apples and goat cheese with balsamic vinaigrette.
After lunch I mentally went through all the things I needed to get done, freaked out and then proceeded to drink hot tea and bake cookies instead. Flourless peanut butter cookies with dark chocolate chips. It made everything all better.
The next thing I knew I was vacuuming, cleaning the kitchen, changing sheets and totally reorganizing the bathroom. All I needed was a little cookie dough!
While I was on my cleaning/organizing tear, Sullie was at the groomer getting a hair cut and a bath. She looks (and smells!) so much better now. The pensive look on her face is because I put her food in her bowl and then wouldn’t let her eat it and took pictures of her instead. This is her thinking, “please mom please, say oink oink.” She has to wait for her food until she hears those words!
Saturday night dinner was baked barbecue tofu along with roasted sweet potatoes, mushrooms and brussels sprouts. And of course a cookie or two for dessert.
I’ll have a Sunday update for you later. I have some good stuff to share from my yoga class this morning and I’m off to a baby shower now. Have a great day!
Um you could TOTALLY compete in one of those! And holy cookies, those look like perfection. Can you send me some?! THANKS!! 🙂 Enjoy the baby shower!
haha…thanks but i don’t think i have the discipline…or the ability to walk gracefully in gigantic heels! i’ll post the cookie recipe this week. they’re killer!
Ha! Love that you say “oink, oink” before Sullie can eat.
Uhhhh yeah right… you could totally rock a bikini competition! How do they even get their self-tanner that dark?!?! Or does it wash right off?
i have no idea how they do the self-tanner like that. there was a whole category on the website devoted to tanning information for the competitors. craziness!!!
To each his or her own, but I actually think bodybuilders (men and women) look kind of gross. I have things I wish were different on my body, but I’ll take my running and yoga physique any day over popping glossy muscles.
tara – i tend to gravitate more towards the type of bodies in the physique and figure categories v. the crazy bodybuilding bodies. i prefer the athletic look too! 🙂
That salad looks amazing, I think I just found my lunch inspiration!
I don’t get why body builders wear so much fake tan and all that other stuff, I am sure they would look great normal!
i know! it’s strange!
Hey Jen,
I loved the video you posted of all the exercises yesterday! Would you consider doing one for yoga too. Some basic poses would be so great!! 🙂
By the way, I tried Justin’s Maple Almond butter…YUM! lol
Thank you! Hope you’re having a wonderful Sunday.
yes, i will try to do one in the next couple of weeks with some sun salutations and basic movements. glad you like the justin’s – so good!
I just made flourless peanutbutter/sunflower butter cookies using Xylitol and they turned out pretty great. My husband had dark choc chips in his and loved them.
We always say, “Last Call” to our german shepherd for her last time to go ‘potty’ each night. It’s the one time she doesn’t dilly dally in the yard — it’s out the door, bathroom, right back in. Fun how our pets learn their routines and key words.
haha – i love “last call” – so cute!
Wow so cool – I’d love to go to a bodybuilding comp!
You so could probably do a body competition! I love how you made cookies after watching the competition 😉 Sullie is absolutely precious in the bandana? thing!
haha – that is so my style. told ya i liked my sweets too much! 😉
I agree with Tara I don’t think that the total buff look is attractive at all… I much prefer normal, fit looking people who don’t look as if they spend their lives working on getting so muscular.
i like it to the “figure” level but once it gets into bodybuilding it’s a little much for me!
Aw, I seriously cannot get over how adorable Sullie is. I think I need to make another trip to Charlotte. 🙂
I think it’s been 3 weeks since I’ve been grocery shopping! TJ’s is on my list for tomorrow.
anytime! tug of war rematch! 🙂
Your cookies look great. I also love doing flourless almond cookies. Isn’t bodybuilding interesting? I have cousin who is super into it and it’s definitely a culture. I agree, the amount of spray tan is impressive. Sullie is sooo cute!
oh flourless almond sounds good too! yes, interesting is a good word for it. 😉
I love that your say oink oink before Sullie eats 🙂 She is so adorable. Sounds like you have had a fun and busy weekend!
i’m going to make a video of it. y’all have to see her in action! 🙂
How fun! It’s an experience for sure. I never went to a show prior to competing myself. You totally could win bikini if you ever get the urge. Man, those cookies look chewy and delicious!!
that’s crazy you didn’t go to a show before competing. thanks for the kind words…i’m not sure i could walk in those heels! 🙂 i’ll post the recipe this week for the cookies.
Interesting the different opinions on body building in the comments! While I think lots of different physiques look great (e.g. a body trained with yoga, running or weight training), I personally would love to be able to do a figure comp. Sadly my sweet tooth and general eating will not get me there! Still haven’t figured out how to fix that. I mean, I get the calories in and out etc, but it’s more the motivation behind it and not going crazy around food the minute the show’s over.
But yes, I agree with the comments above saying you could *totally* do that! You’ve got your healthy meals down, and you can rock some heavy weights. 🙂
yeah, i guess different things appeal to different people. i have to say that i was impressed by those in the figure competition but the bodybuilding was a little much!
Love that Sully won’t eat her food until you say oink oink! 🙂
Those cookies look and sound delicious! You’ll have to post the recipe sometime, I’d love to try them! 🙂
i’ll post this week!
Did I miss a post- are you still married? If not, my brother lives in that area and would love to hook you up- he’s a big runner as well, has a golden retriever too (although sully is of course way cuter!)- could be a match made in fitness heaven!