Peak Week!

Hey all! Sorry for the lack up updates. I have been busy and just trying to relax, concentrate and not think too much and stress myself out! I'm really good at stressing the small stuff, beating myself up or comparing myself to other girls and have just really needed to take a step back and re-focus. I keep reminding myself it's MY journey, MY progress, MY body. I don't care of others' opinions on MY lifestyle. 

As you can tell, I didn't do the Boston show that was on the 24th of May… I was not mentally, physically, nor financially ready for that one, so I chose a show closer to home (~1 hour away) and 3 weeks later… which is now a few days away!! June 14th. It is 2 shows combined into one; The CT State Championships and the CT Grand Prix! I have entered in the CT Grand Prix bikini open A and will possibly enter in the bikini novice devision as well. When I was signing up I was freaking out like omggggg this is really happening! I kind of got cold feet into entering then so I will probably do it at check-ins.

The week leading up to the show, bodybuilders go through "peak week"- it is different for divisions and I'm sure as with anything, all coaches have their own way of doing it. It's definitely more for the 'bodybuilder' and 'figure' (more muscular/leaner) categories, but as bikini I will still be doing a moderate peak week. Basically, it's the last week to get your muscles to "peak" by show! It has a lot to do with the manipulation of carbs/water/sodium etc. I'll have to write more about it after I do it. But from many articles I've researched, it's not that complicated and most people over-do these steps and can ruin their final package like coming in too stringy or dry? Again, those are mainly for figure, mens' physique and bodybuilding. Bikini kind of has it a little easier. 

Well here I am, this was taken Saturday morning (1 week out) - no food or water, and I actually looked better than I thought I did in my head. Surprise. Sometimes it gets to be a giant mind-fuck when you're constantly looking at yourself in the mirror, different lightings, foods you eat that bloat you, etc. I am weighing in at 128lbs and I am 5'2". Yes, I could use to lose more body fat pounds, but it is what it is. My body has been fighting me so much these past few weeks and my metabolism is tired and damaged. I'm so excited to work on it and building my physique after this show! 

This week I haven't made any drastic changes to my diet- the only thing is I'm on lower carbs until later this week where I will start adding them back to fill my muscles for the show. I am sticking with foods that I know won't cause bloating such as chicken/tilapia, oatmeal, green beans, egg whites/ eggs, spinach. Fiber causes bloating too so I am watching my intake with that as well because I know my body is very sensitive. The last week or two is boring with food, but I would rather keep it safe than sorry. Coach told me to up my water by 50% as well for the next few days, so that is probably the hardest part for me haha I hate drinking sooooooo much water! and having to pee all the freakin time! 

As far as training, no significant changes in that either. Although this week I will be working at 80% of what I usually do because I don't want to tear down my muscles or be sore on show day. More reps ~20 and less weight. I have been doing fasted cardio for the past 2-3 weeks in the AM and will continue to do so for the next few days as I feel it really helps ME. 

I have two bikinis from Ravish Sands- one I got for free from winning a raffle and one I wanted as a back-up! Not sure which one to wear yet- but it'll depend on the fit the day of the show. The second one I bought is a color I never imagined buying… ever! Out of my box and I am so in love with it, but it's on the tight side so I'll have to see if I'll be able to wear it this show. 

I have been practicing my walk/routine/posing at home in the mirror as well as a few times at the gym! I feel slightly confident in it, but everyday I watch some sort of youtube competition videos and I make slight changes or learn a little something new. I really haven't spent much time in the heels and every blog I read with tips say to spend hours in them and get used to them lol but oh well- I'm more of a winging it type of girl. 

Checklist-

x) Bikini bite

x) bikinis 

x) heels

x) jewelry

x) Pro Tan / glaze

x) registration

x) hair/makeup

x) black hoodie & sweats 

x) flipflops

x) base tan

Need list-

-npc card

-pack food

-mani/pedi

-tan

-

I can't really think of anything else right now. I'm so nervous! The days are flying by and Saturday will be here before I know it. I have to make every single day count. I have to do something that will make me closer to my goals than further. Staying focused!! 

follow me on IG for more updates @coral.suarez

xoxo

How I Diet & Cook

There are two parts to this post. I swear, my head is always full of random thoughts that I want to share and explain but sometimes it's hard to break it all down. I try, but I know it can all be hard to understand so feel free to contact me and ask me anything :)

I'm a flexible dieter. I used to believe in "clean foods" & "bad foods," until last year when I was introduced to a whole new world of flexible dieting, aka 'IIFYM' (if it fits your macros). Yes, that means I do count my calories/protein/carbohydrates/fat/fiber intake daily. I weigh and measure my foods. Yes, it can be a pain in the ass at times, but I've gotten used to it over the years. Yes, there are days (when not on comp prep) such as family events or holidays were I don't worry about it and just enjoy! I don't believe in meal timing and I believe in carbs after dark! When you have the mind set of "good foods" and "bad foods" it makes you have a horrible relationship with food. I've been to the point of feeling so guilty of eating a cookie or two, going and killing myself with cardio on an off day, restricting more calories, and binging. It's unhealthy. If you "eat clean" all week and go on a binge during the weekend, how healthy is that? It's not. Flexible dieting allows you to eat all your favorite foods, in moderation. It definitely teaches self-control. I have set macros each day, and I fill it with whatever foods I want. A carb is a carb, a fat is a fat, and a protein is a protein. However, yes there are more nutrient dense foods, meaning carbs from fruits/veggies have more fiber than carbs from a Poptart duh. You cannot hit your macronutrients eating fast food all day, Poptarts all day, etc, just like you can't hit your macros eating only spinach and fish all day. 90% is whole nutrient foods to hit that fiber goal- which I average about 20-25g a day, sometimes more depending on my food selection. 10% can be "fun foods" and favorite treats in moderation. My "fun foods" for now include Quest bars, Greek yogurt, PB, S'Mores gold fish, etc. Remember, I'm currently on comp prep, so I'm still a bit mindful so I don't get carried away, but if I weren't, everything would be a go :) 

I've counted calories for years, but still looked at food as "good" and "bad." Now, I feel a bit more FREE, having control of what I put in my body and not feeling restricted. I wish I had done more research before hiring my first coach, knowing that I could do flexible dieting while on competition prep! Ugh. I guess I had always thought competition prep was fish/chicken, sweet potatoes, oatmeal, spinach/green beans for 12 weeks. Then binging after your competition. But it's ok, now I know better. I remember at our first meeting (with my first coach), I said I had been counting my macros (probably was around 1700 then with 40%P-35%C-25%F). He said he didn't believe in that because they're inaccurate? Hmmm… Yeah ok. So when he started me on his meal plan, it was straight "eat this, at this time, no substitutions, no cheat meals." I was probably around 1200-1300 doing his "off season" trying to put on muscle… Ridiculous. Not a sustainable lifestyle, nor enough food to "put on muscle." He dieted me down too hard and too fast. My metabolism is definitely suffering right now. I cannot wait to build it back up with reverse dieting! 

Anyways, I love following these two ladies on IG- FIITNESSCHIC & 1FITASHMOM

They are two strong, beautiful women who are flexible dieters and proving that you can get shredded with a moderate diet filled with whole foods, and Poptarts ;) 1FITASHMOM was also eating over 2000 calories to maintain and started her cut (weightloss/fatloss for comp prep) from very high! Meaning, during her cut, she will be able to comfortably lose weight/fat, shred, and eat! 

Bottom line: Stop starving yourself and thinking of foods as GOOD & BAD. You want a starting point of eating as much as you can while losing fat and doing (working out) as little as possible. If you start with 1200 calories off the bat, start working out 2 hours a day, when your weightloss plateaus, where will you go? You will either have to 1. drop calories even lower or 2. workout longer/harder. Then when you plateau again, same thing. Do you get where I'm going here? 

BE SMART!! it kills me seeing girls eating 1000 calories or below, doing 2 hours of cardio. Your caloric intake is all individualized. Sex/weight/height/activity level/GOALS. If you're wanting to put on muscle, you will not be able to do it on low calories. You have to eat in a surplus! 

Stop trying to find SHORTCUTS, and doing it the healthy, slow, and MAINTAINABLE way. Make it a LIFESTYLE, not a temporary "summer body" fix. 

Need help? email me! suarezcoral@hotmail.com

**Another tip, DON'T EVER purchase "customized meal plans" from someone who is not certified and have the credentials to coach and guide you. Just because someone looks good and has found something that works for them, does not mean they know what works best for you :) Getting help/tips is one thing, but if you're going to put money down, make sure it is with someone that has their certifications/credentials and actually knows how to work with different types of people! 

Ok, part 2!! 

People always ask for my recipes, saying they don't know how to cook and this and that. Well, let me tell you something… I don't either! I don't follow any recipes (hate them), I don't use a lot of ingredients, and I just have the basic meats, veggies, and carbohydrates usually cooked in bulk for a few days and I throw them together and use different seasonings. 

Favorite seasonings: 

Favorite sauces:

Favorite sweeteners:

Proteins:

All can be combined and used in sooooo many different ways. I like simplicity! I like easy and fast cooking. So don't think I'm some whiz in the kitchen.

I hope this was somewhat helpful :) 

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Follow me on IG as well @loveliftdrift

6 Weeks Out

It's easy to become a bit obsessive (too dedicated? is that possible?) when you're in competition prep, especially as you get closer and closer to show. You constantly check your body out, looking for change, definition of muscles that you've spent hours and hours trying to build, and fat loss from diet and cardio. You check out the other competitors and think "shit, they look so good." You sometimes doubt yourself and over-think little situations. I sometimes wonder if I jumped into competing too soon after having Sylas and should have just enjoyed myself took my time. I think of how sick I am of dieting, since I've been doing it since November. You just want to see the pounds on the scale drop and your body fat disappear. Sometimes I find myself obsessing and stressing out about the little things… even the amount of veggies I eat! I will research everything on the computer and try and compare my situation with others. Deep down, I know every body is different, every situation is different. Weight/height/activity level/genetics/metabolism, everything can come into play with weightloss/fatloss. My coach always tells me to relax, not stress and stop weighing myself every day. Old habits are hard to break, competing or not. 

This week, my new goal is kill it in the gym and nutrition… everything 200%... and during my down time, not constantly research, and just RELAX and enjoy the process. When I look back, I don't want to think that I was miserable- instead, look back at everything with a smile on my face, knowing that I enjoyed the changes and challenges. I will not give up, dammit. I have been dedicated for way too long to just let things go by. The show is coming whether I'm ready or not. I will not just say "oh well, next show" again, and then look back with regret. I may or may not place well at my first one, but all I can do is give it my all and know deep down that I did my best. I will learn from this first show and use the experience to keep doing better and better at shows to come. It won't always be this hard. My future preps won't be as long. I know better from now on. I'll also "off-season" the right way and come into season the right way. After these shows this year, I'm taking my time to reverse diet correctly, BUILD my metabolism, physical and mental strength back up and go into the next season full-on, unstoppable.  

A couple changes this week:

1. I've started two-a-days this week- I will be adding in morning fasted cardio. This topic is really debatable and a lot of people have their opinions on it, theres scientific research for the pros and cons- I'm really not going to get into it. I've done it in the past, and I've felt it worked for me, so I'm going to utilize it again. I drink my Scivation intra-workout BCAAs while I do it to preserve muscles and I do it at a low-intensity, still getting in a sweat. For now I'll stick with 30 minutes. We bought a stationary bicycle for the house, so that will be my morning cardio equipment. Later, I will hit up weight-lifting for 1-1.5hrs followed by high intensity cardio for another 30-45 mins. Depending on my time/ how I feel. 

Lifting: 5x a week, 2+ body parts a day, supersets and triple-sets. 4-8 sets, 10-15 reps, depending. Lifting heavy and keeping that heart rate up, sweating my ass off!

Cardio: morning fasted cardio 5x week & HIIT/steady state at the gym 6x a week, pushing myself and getting in a sweat session. I've learned staying in "heart rate zones" are crap, and you should just PUT IN WORK. 

2. Coach has changed my macros around (still around the same calories) but will be carb-cycling with no/low-carb days and a high-carb day. The no/low days will consist of carbs from vegetables and trace carbs from nuts/nut butters, high protein, and high fats coming from egg yolks, lean ground turkey 93/7, extra virgin olive oil/coconut oil, almonds and peanut butter- almost like the Keto life. On the high-carb day, carbohydrate grams will be very high while fats are very low, and protein grams remains the same. Honestly, when I got the plan, I was like OMG, I can't have oatmeal!! It scared me. I don't think there's been a day in my life that I didn't have any starch lol! It's been a few days now, and although I miss it, I get a lot of peanut butter so I'm remaining pretty sane ;) I haven't had a high-carb day yet, but hoping it comes soon! MMMM carbs :D 

That's about it. I'll post progress photos next week and a bigger update... Just always remember, do something today that will HELP you towards your goals and get you CLOSER, not further. Only YOU know if you are truly giving it (whatever your life goal is) 200%! You cannot be upset at the results you don't get with the work that you do not put in!

Again, I just wanted to say GO CHECK OUT ISOLATOR FITNESS! They have some awesome gear and great meal bags for amazing prices. You can't beat it. With summer coming up, you'll need it extra for not just work days but beach/pool days and even family outings. We just got a 3 meal one and I love that it fits even my son's big bottles and snacks along with my shakes, water, meals and goodies :) If you like what you see, feel free to use CORAL10 for 10% off your entire purchase! 

Find me on IG: loveliftdrift

If you have any questions feel free to email me! 

suarezcoral@hotmail.com

xoxo

7 Weeks Out

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My debut feels like it's right around the corner! So crazy. I'm nervous, scared, and so UNPREPARED! Since starting with my new coach 1.5 weeks ago, I can definitely feel a difference in lean-ness, but my weight is not dropping :/ He cut my cardio in half, added more calories and his workouts are absolutely KILLER. I love it. He will probably adjust a few things this weekend such as nutrition/macros. I know I have at LEAST 12lbs of body fat I need to drop prior to show. I definitely feel happier, stronger, and so much less stressed out than I was. Still worried/stressed about the show, but I am happy with my new coach! It makes a big big difference :)

1: 9mo post partum (136lbs)

2/3: 10.5mo post partum (130lbs)

6 week difference 

It's always pretty nice when I compare like this. I always see that I AM making progress. But, I need to make more, faster. Competing kind of gets to your head because you make soooo many changes, yet you can always do better. I guess it's a good thing- you're always striving to be a better you and challenge yourself. If it's something you enjoy that is. I may not do the best at my first competition, but there are plenty to come- they aren't going anywhere. All I can do is continuing to better my package to bring and keep pushing, keep trying, and doing my absolute best. 4 years ago when I got into fitness, I would dream of getting my Pro Card, helping others achieve their goals, being on the cover of fitness magazines and being a fit icon ;P That was even before I had even competed and lived in Okinawa, Japan. I stalked my fitness idols on fb, did their workouts and did so much research haha. I dreamt BIG. I still will. I'm far from my dreams, but I won't give them up. 

Things I need to do:
1. Register for an NPC card
2. Register for my show 
(Not sure if I'll just do Open A or Novice as well)
3. Buy suit(s) 
(I'm still losing so I've been putting it off)
4. Decide on spray tan or getting lotion to have hubby apply
5. Posing practice - I am terrible!
6. Book hotel for night before
(We are 2 hours away, but I'd rather not rush and have a place to do everything)
7. Buy foundation
(Cousin in-law will be doing my hair & make-up, thank goodness :) But I still need to buy the dark color to match the competition tan.)
8. Silicon inserts
(Need some 'oomph!' and cleavage!)
9. Get simple pedicure/manicure 
10. Buy earrings and bracelet

I think that's it?? It's definitely an expensive sport. At least for a first time competitor. You can always use most of these things such as suit/jewelry/shoes/makeup/inserts for as many times after, if you choose to. Which I definitely would… Ha. I cannot wait to buy my suit(s)! I won a raffle from Ravish Sands for $125.00 back in Nov/Dec on IG and will be using that towards them! Yes, I'm purchasing 2, not only to have a spare "just in case" but if I do more comps,  I have a choice as well. I have the colors and connectors chosen, just waiting to see what my measurements and weight may be… It's hard to tell right now. Oh, I haven't decided on 'micro' or 'brazillian' as far as the booty cut goes… I'm scared of both! They are so freakin teeny weeny… Your ass just sticks out and that's that… Guess that's why the bikini division is so big on glutes! Mine is coming along though, so in 7 weeks I will be able to put on that teeny weeny bikini and flaunt my hard work LOL ;) 

One of the things that helps most to stay on track is BEING PREPARED! If you work all day long and are one of those people that waits until their starving then grabs the first thing they can get, then you definitely need to change some habits! These isobags come with so many cute or badass designs and they have 3 ~ 6 meal bags. All YOU have to do is prepare your meals, pack and go! They stay fresh and you will stay on track all day- I guarantee it. Failing to plan is planning to fail! Use code CORAL10 for 10% off entire purchase :) 

YOU are in charge of your now and future. If you're unhappy about whatever it is in your life- relationship, body, job, major, color of your room, etc- DO SOMETHING. You have the power to change anything you want! It may not be easy, it may be a slow process, but taking small steps into making those changes will make a big difference in the end. Just do it! Even if it scares the shit out of you, do it! I know it seems like all I care about is fitness- but it's not true. I enjoy getting out of the house, the little things in life (my son's smile), traveling, learning, photography, and cars!! There is SO much I want to do. Right now my main focus is this, but eventually I will start adding more goals and things I want to accomplish. Nothing feels better than accomplishing hard goals you set for yourself! The ups and downs make it that much more sweet! 

xoxo

Follow me on IG: loveliftdrift 

9 Weeks Out - Cutting Ties

I keep this blog not only to keep track of my progress but to one day look back at how I felt, where I came from and the whole process… to learn, grow, and keep pushing. Not only for myself, but maybe someone else out there that this, possibly going through the same thing and to know they're not alone <3 I know tons of blogs have helped me out...

Saturday, I hit the 9 weeks out mark. It is also the day I finally cut my losses with my coach after 20 weeks. This past week I got sick, my body was continuing to bruise more than normal, literally black and blue all over, I was exhausted, moody, and was on the verge of a break-down. My "bad vibes" were not only seriously affecting me, but I was bringing it around Alex and Sylas. Also, I wasn't seeing much progress and felt discouraged, lost, and basically a big fat failure. I kept thinking, "why can't I do this?? It's been my dream for years, I know I have the heart, drive and motivation... why??." 

I knew comp prep would be hard, but it had been REALLY rough already, for weeks now. I had seen red flags along these 20 weeks with him, and there are very few that know what an actual hell of a rollercoster it has been. I kept telling myself to suck it up, this is how it's supposed to be, I'm supposed to feel this way, stop being so sensitive. After reading many posts- on IG, from Biolayne, & a few other blogs and videos- about "guru coaches," and talking to my two competitor friends, they helped me realize that I was down a very dangerous road and it was, in fact, NOT normal and healthy, especially this far out from comp. I would see other competitors loving the prep process, completely glowing. And here I was, trying to force this happiness to make it seem like everything was fine. 

Red Flags:
1. No communication. I had talked to him on the phone maybe 1-3x in the past 20 weeks, saw him in person twice. I sent in my progress photos and weighed in 2x a week and never really heard anything back. He would text once and a while, but I never felt that he truly cared and supported me. We had a few more miscommunications actually, and I always felt like I was in the wrong. 
2. Brought back old bad habits. It made me consumed with the scale… I would get so stressed out; "did I lose a pound?? Omg, I'm the same weight!" I would try and pee, hop back on, wait a while, not eat, pee, hop back on. If nothing changed, I felt disappointed in myself, even when giving it my all. Not healthy. I've been down these dark paths before, which is what got me into fitness in the first place- the last thing I wanted was to be going back to those habits and creating unhealthy obsessive patterns again. I want to practice what I preach; I tell people the scale doesn't matter- body fat percentage, how you look/feel/perform is more important than the damn scale! He would tell me it doesn't matter what I weigh- yet I had to weigh myself twice a week.
3. Too busy. I remember one day I texted a question, and didn't hear anything back all day, so I texted a question mark again. He later replied- stating that he works all day and is too busy to reply right away. Ok, understandable. He then again later said "I have a lot of clients. I don't have time to entertain every little question everyone has." Well, thanks! As a first time competitor, I have a bunch of questions, big and small, that I feel a COACH, someone who I'M paying big bucks, to explain, if I want. I may know a lot about training/cardio/nutrition, but the reason I hired a coach for this is because I've never competed. I don't know how to get stage ready. 
4. Too low macros & a lot of cardio. I have been on the regular "bro diet" the past 20 weeks with NO cheat days & NO flexibility (except 4 times, which was all last year). What to eat, when to eat, how much to eat. Although some would appreciate everything being laid out in such a way, to do that for the last 20 weeks and then another 9 is not a sustainable lifestyle, even for prep. He did not give me macros to follow, just a strict meal plan. So, I calculated my own macros recently and they were about 1000-1150 with carb-cycling. That is RIDICULOUSLY low. With how much time and effort I put in lifting and having me do 5+ hours of cardio a week… at 12-9 weeks out… No wonder my body started to break down. It sucked. I would see everyone else getting cheat meals for their sanity or getting to incorporate peanut butter and other foods for balance and moderation (flexible dieting). When you are cutting, you're supposed to gradually lower your intake or increase workout/cardio. I can't imagine where I would have been in the next month or two :/ 
5. He told me I should have dropped 10lbs the last 4 weeks.  Wow. Then when I didn't, he proceeded to tell me that he thinks I have a thyroid problem because if I were following his plan 100%, I would be making progress. That is when I wanted to break down and cry. I know I don't have a thyroid problem, but I know that my body needs a better plan to function and be healthy. Also sucks when you give it your complete all and get questioned like I'm in the wrong for not following through. 

These are basically the things that I do NOT want in a coach. I also know the kind of coach and trainer I would never want to be. Maybe he's a good coach to others? Maybe he has his favorites? Maybe he felt I had a long ways to go so was doing drastic measures to make me look good so he would look good? I was scared to cut ties because I've heard the sport can be pretty political- and he is known in the area and I thought that it would screw me later down the road… but you know what, my health and happiness is way more important than that. He probably will not be happy when he sees me at shows. I don't want to create enemies what-so-ever, so I hope things stays professional. 

I just feel so RELIEVED to be done with him and move onto bigger and better things! I've already spoken to another coach, who I'm very very excited to work with! I want someone to want to help me and have my health and best interest in mind. I have not received my plans yet, so until then, I will be tracking my own macros so I do not rebound and throw away all my progress so far. 

Anyways, more updates to come!!! Sorry if this was a huge confusing ramble. It feels great to get off my chest and RELAX!!! I feel FREE ;)

Find me on IG: loveliftdrift

xoxo

Coral's Fav Booty Moves

So you want a nice booty? 
Did you know your GLUTES are one of the biggest and strongest muscle in your body? To build a butt, it takes time and consistency. You must build your glute muscles with resistance and intensity, yes, that means you will gain muscle in your booty which LIFTS and ROUNDS. I would recommend doing lower body, not just glutes, but hamstrings, quads, and calves at least 2x a week. 

"toned" aka MUSCLE 

^ this is seriously just a 3 month difference! 

I'm still working on building that booty too :)

you can find me on IG: @coralsuarez

Also if you're interested in a customized plan, email me suarezcoral@hotmail.com for more info!

**In order to build a nice booty, you must use resistance/weight**

Here are some tips when doing booty moves!

1. Always keep your back straight. One way to know your back is straight is to stick your chest out. Not ridiculously, but slightly, and you will feel your back straighten. Kind of like sitting up straight.

2. You want to feel the tension in your heels. The tension will go through your heels, through your hamstrings and to the glutes. Whether you're doing squats, lunges, leg presses, step ups, etc, if you feel tension in your toes, you need to reposition. 

3. ADD WEIGHT. If you don't have a gym, carry books, water jugs, your kid, your pet lol, anything to add some resistance and weight. 

4. Remember to BREATHE in and out. Don't hold your breath!

SQUATS: I think everyone knows what squats are by now. My favorite is using the free-weight barbell squat rack. If you're just starting off, you can try the smith machine (it's assisted) or hold dumbbells in each hand. Start light and work your way up, but challenge yourself. 3-4 sets of 10-15 repetitions. If you can make it to 15 reps easy, UP your weight. You won't make any changes without pushing your body. Back straight and legs about shoulder width apart. 

POP SQUATS: Also known as jump squats. These are the only booty exercise I don't use weight, although you can if you're brave haha, but your body coming back down into squat position is some good resistance. They are plyometric. You want to jump up and back down into squat position and keep repeating about 5 sets of 20 reps. You don't have to use the stand, shown below, but I just wanted to show a simple example of what they are. 

WALKING LUNGES: These burn so good. I like holding barbells on my shoulders/back because I feel I can go heavier, but dumbbells work just fine too! Remember to step and your knee should not go past your feet, and your back knee should not hit the floor and push through your heels. 3-4 sets of 15-20 repetitions per leg. 

CABLE KICKBACKS: There are different variations of this machine, the cable machine, but this is basically what they look like. The stuff you can do on thisis endless! You could get in a full body's workout, yes, including abs. What you do is lower the cable pulley alllllll the way down. You can use handles and put under the bottom of the middle of your foot, or some gyms have these nifty cuff things to put around your ankle. Either one works just fine. Hold on, and kickback and squeeze! 

HERE is a video and correct form. Do 4 sets of 12-16 each leg. 

LEG PRESS: This is at the leg press machine. I think most of you have used or seen these. There are different kinds, but pick one that you like. I like to do a variety of stances such as shoulder width and closed width and have my feet higher up to feel most of the tension and weight in my heels. Do 3-4 sets of 10-15 reps.

LYING LEG CURLS: These bring back good memories haha. When I first started lifting and my friend was like DO THIS! I was like NOOO I DON'T WANT MY BUTT ALL UP IN THE AIR! I was so embarrassed, I'd never even touch the machine. I'd actually get so pissed he wanted me to do it that I'd walk off like a little brat. Somewhere down the road, I started to get courage to try different things, and let me tell you, these are WONDERFUL! They work your whole backside, your booty and hamstrings. I like to do 4-5 sets of 15/12/10/8. Meaning, I go heavier and heavier.

HERE is a video and correct form. 

STRAIGHT LEG DEAD LIFTS: One of my favorite, like top 3. You have to be careful when adding weight because you can easily injure your back if you do not have correct form. You want to keep your legs MOSTLY straight, but not lock your knees, and bring the dumbbells or barbell, whatever you choose, up and down, trying to touch your toes when you bring it down. You will feel the resistance in your hamstrings (the back of your thighs). Below is just an example, please do not attempt with that heavy of weights. I like to do it in front of the mirror, so I know my head is up, keeping my back straight. I like to do 3-4 sets of 10-15 repetitions.

GLUTE KICK BACK MACHINE: They are kind of like cable kick-backs but instead of at the cable machine, most gyms have their own glute kick back machine. These are killer too. They're pretty self-explanatory. I like to do 5 sets of 15/12/10/10/8. Meaning, I go heavier and heavier. 

HACK SQUATS: Took a video of these- they can feel awkward the first few times until you get used to them but they work wonders. Don't be embarrassed! You're doing it for you, not anyone else! Head straight, back straight, and make sure you're feeling it in your heels to your butt. You can vary your stances by shoulder stance, narrow and wide. Do 4-5 sets of 10-15 reps.

So next time you're at the gym, maybe choose 3-4 exercises from above and give it a try! Leg days are my favorite and it feels good to push yourself and feel it the next few days. Being sore is a good thing. You know you worked those muscles and they are growing! 

Make sure you eat a good meal before hitting these up! 

You'll need the energy! And eat afterwards too- you don't want your body to eat your hard earned muscles, you want to melt fat!

xoxo

12 Weeks Out

Today I am #12WEEKSOUT from the Jay Cutler Classic in Boston, MA! 

I was hoping my first show would be the Montanari Bros Powerhouse classic, April 5th, in New Haven, CT, but I won't be ready (which I'm okay with). Unless I magically lean out and look amazingly stage ready in 5 weeks :P No use beating myself up over it. All I can do is bring my best lean-mean-tan-package to that first show, May 24! Which will be a big one! I received my new meal and training plans from my coach on Monday, and I'm really excited! I've been muscle building for a while now and it's nice to have my usual routine changed up. It's harder and more rigorous, I love it! More sets, drop sets and different cardio regimen has been incorporated :) 

One thing I've come to realize, especially reading some other competitors' posts on IG, is the importance of balance. I've read posts of girls doing lots of fasted cardio super early in the morning, going back later for  hours of weights, not having anytime to themselves, and not having that BALANCE. Which is super important when doing anything. You can't lose yourself in the process. You have to have personal relationships, ENJOY LIFE, and know that you are doing what's best for you and what makes you happy. I don't necessarily mean go bar hopping and getting drunk off your ass and binging on crap, especially during contest prep, but you know what I mean. I remember in the beginning, my coach was very awesome while I continued to breastfeed Sylas. He didn't tell me when I had to stop, he gave me the appropriate nutrition to start this journey but to also have enough calories to keep breastfeeding. I told him when I decided to stop. Even after stopping, he was understanding of all my hormonal changes, that my body wasn't balanced yet and still adjusting, and would eventually even out. When I was 12 weeks out from the show I was hoping to do, the April 5th one, I told him "I'll go do cardio twice a day, I'll do whatever you want me to do to make that show." and he said that I shouldn't have to kill myself in the gym and hours of cardio, that he wouldn't starve me, and it shouldn't be that hard of a process. Honestly, at first I was like UGHHH,  because I was willing to do whatever it took to make that show. Now, I realize how dumb that was. When you do that, you really fuck your body up. Not just your body (metabolism), but you become mentally tired and lose yourself and the love of the process. My advice for anyone new competing or future competitors, if you have a GOOD coach that knows what their doing, TRUST in them and most importantly, TRUST in the process. That way you will LOVE the process. What fun would it be if you're dreading every day of it?

I wanted to do this little info post. To shed a little bit of light for those not familiar with bodybuilding competitions. Yes, I'm doing a bodybuilding competition, but I'm not doing the 'bodybuilding' category. For women, there are 5 categories: bodybuilding, physique, fitness, figure and bikini. Actually, I'm not even sure if they still do the bodybuilding category because I think it changed to "physique". But anyways, save the "ew she looks gross" "too manly" and ignorant hateful comments. ALL of these categories take so much dedication, self-discipline and commitment that most people do NOT have.

^ This is what people generally think of when they hear "bodybuilding competition". This is the bodybuilding category. Bodybuilders, as you can see, are the most muscular out of all the categories. They perform their routine to music, barefoot, showing off all their big muscles.

  

^ These are the rest of the categories. I'm going to go from right to left; more muscular to less muscular. All beautiful, bad ass women right here.

PHYSIQUE: (LOVE DANA!!) This is the second most muscular category with very low body fat %. They perform in groups, doing different poses, showing off their hard-earned definition.
FITNESS: One thing that sets this division apart from the others is that there is a fitness routine to music where competitors show off their flexibility, gymnastics, strength, and physical fitness. They are athletic and fit.
FIGURE: (LOVE NICOLE WILKINS!!) Judges look for the same type of physics as the above, fitness competitors, but they do not perform to a routine. These competitors are judged from all angles and the goal is to have an athletic appearance- wide shoulders, slim hips, and thighs. More condition and defined than the next category, bikini.
BIKINI: Competitors are very lean in this category. Judges look for a softer look than all other categories. Bikini girls are judged on balance, poise, physical appearance, front/right/back angles. Tight and toned. This category has gotten very popular over the last few years.

Remember, they don't look this ripped and lean all year long. This is the competition look. They are much fuller during off season.

So there you have it! My ideal physical look that I love and want to achieve is between bikini and figure. I love both of those categories and maybe one day I will move from bikini to figure. But, for now, I want to start with bikini and see how it goes.

I started getting into fitness around 2009/2010. I saw my first bodybuilding competition in Okinawa, JP at the gym I used to work at (GUNNERS!!) and from then on I was hooked. I've always done research since then. I've been wanting to compete for a while now, but with lots of moving the past few years, some ups and downs, and with being pregnant it has been put on hold. Now, I get to chase my dreams :)

PROGRESS PICS!

9m preggo: 188lbs
1: 2w pp 164lbs
2: 3m pp 154lbs
3: 6m pp 148lbs
4: today, 9.5m pp, 133lbs

-55lbs!!! wooooooooooo

When you want something, you put your heart into it! I don't just want to lose weight, I want to have confidence, I want to love my body, I want to compete, eventually earn my PRO CARD, I want to help others achieve the "unachievable" and strive for progression every day.
This is my passion. This is what I love to do.

I don't starve myself, I don't spend countless hours doing cardio, I don't even spend over 2 hours in the gym total a day, I take my rest days, and I ENJOY this process. I cannot wait to see more changes as I begin my cut!

Follow my IG for more: loveliftdrift

xoxo

Q & A

Hellooooo! 

So this is where I answer random questions that I've received over the past weeks from YOU! I'm going to answer 5 at a time, bi-weekly. If I didn't answer your question yet, hold tight! If you have more, contact me or ask in comments and I will definitely get back to you :)

Yes, I do have my fitness trainer & fitness nutrition specialist certifications, but I am NO expert. I am still constantly researching and learning new information/methods. These answers are just my personal experiences and opinions. Just want to say before anything that there is not ONE right way to eat or to workout to achieve the physique you want. There are sooooo many things you can do if one thing isn't working! But you, and only you, know if you are actually giving it your all 120% effort to reach goals. That means eating right and WORKing out, sweating, burning fat!

1. How much & what kind of cardio do you do?

Off season I would do about 25-40 minutes, depending on how I felt, 4-5x a week of steady state cardio. Now while in contest prep, I do 30-50mins of both steady state and HIIT cardio 5-6x a week. I always do my cardio after weight-lifting.

Steady state cardio: Some form of cardiovascular exercise where you keep a steady pace and rate of exertion for the bulk of the workout.

>check out this article on steady state cardio<

HIIT cardio: HIIT stands for high intensity interval training. HIIT involves alternating between very intense bouts of exercise and low intensity exercise. Example: sprinting for 30 seconds, then walking for 60 seconds, repeat. Example: sprinting up the step mill for 20 seconds, then slowing down for 2mins 40 seconds, repeat.

>check out this article on HIIT cardio<

Personally, I LOVE the days I do HIIT cardio. I feel powerful, energized, and enjoy sweating my ass off! Both are optimal for fat loss. Just switch things up! Keep your body guessing and have some fun. If you're bored, you won't want to keep going. 

2. What do you eat? 

There seems to be two different "eating lifestyles"? I guess you would say these days. The "clean eaters" and the "IIFYM"-ers. IIFYM: if it fits your macros. Talking about these two would take up a whole separate blog so I'll leave that aside for now. My main foods I eat are lean proteins, green veggies, carbs, and healthy fats. 

*Lean proteins: boneless skinless chicken breast, extra lean ground turkey, salmon, tilapia, tuna, lean ground beef, eggs

*Veggies: spinach, green beans, brussels sprouts, kale, broccoli, asparagus (I don't like it though, yuck)

*Carbohydrates: sweet potato, oatmeal, brown rice, jasmine rice, ezekiel bread, rice cakes

*Fats: extra virgin olive oil, peanut butter/almond butter, avocado, almonds 

*Fruits: strawberries, grapefruit, blueberries, bananas

*I don't have any dairy while in contest prep, but during off season I love plain fat free Greek yogurt, fat free cottage cheese, and almond milk. Yuuuum!

There are so many more options than what I listed. Here is a wonderful example of a bigger list and options by Jamie Eason.

Example:
1. Breakfast: Oatmeal with blueberries, 1 whole egg and 3 egg whites
2. Snack: check my blog on healthy snacks 

3. Lunch: chicken/turkey/fish/beef with carbs, and green veggies
4. Snack: chicken/turkey/fish with carbs, and green veggies
5. Dinner: chicken/fish and green veggies or spinach salad with 1 tsp of extra virgin olive oil

*I always have a protein shake right after my workout, usually as I'm walking to pick up my son from the gym daycare. 

*I always eat 30-60 minutes before my workout as well. DO NOT go workout on an empty stomach. It will not help in losing weight/fat. Your body will start eating your muscles, and you do not want that because more muscles= more fat loss. The more muscles you have, the less fat your body has. 

Above is just an example. To know how much of what you should be eating, you would need to calculate your BMR, and from there we would get your maintenance caloric intake and from there we would see what your macros are to lose fat/weight or gain, if your goal is to gain (mostly men). It's very important to get a well balance of PROTEIN, CARBS & FAT! There is no magic number that works for everyone. 
If you would like help on this, please email me at suarezcoral@hotmail.com

3. What are macros?
Macros are macronutrients. Macros, in short, are the PROTEIN, CARBOHYDRATES, & FATS in every single thing you eat & drink. People pay too much attention to CALORIES, when they should be paying attention to more detail, as in whats IN those calories. 
1g of protein = 4 calories, 1g or carbohydrates = 4 calories, 1g of fat = 9 calories. 

People think "oh these crackers are only 120 calories!" but what's in those 120calories? usually 40g carbs, little to no protein, and lots of fat! Plus, you're most likely going to get hungry again in 5 minutes. Or have another. 

It's super important to learn how to read labels. If you don't know how to yet, go grab something from your fridge or pantry and look at the label. Read how much PROTEIN, CARBOHYDRATES & FAT that is in ONE serving! I bet most of you will be surprised. Especially because people don't read the serving size and eat 2-3x the amount! 

Macros are what will get you to your goals. You can workout and workout, but if your eating is not on track, you're going to end up going in circles.

This topic is very huge. I think I could go on and on, but I will keep it short and simple.

4. What is your routine?
There's no magic routine, magic number of sets, magic number of reps. I weight train for about 45-1hr 15 minutes followed by 30-50minutes of steady state or HIIT cardio. I take Sundays off to recover. When I weight train, I train at least 2 muscle groups at a time.

Example: glutes and abs, biceps and back, biceps, triceps and shoulders, legs and chest, back, chest and abs. 

Each workout I do, I do 3-5 SETS with anywhere from 6-15 REPS. If you see workouts saying 3x15, that means 3 SETS of 15 REPETITIONS. 

My coach has told me to do them all to failure. What that means is, if it says 3x12/10/8, I make sure I'm doing a heavy enough weight to FAIL at that number (cannot do another rep.) If I go over that number, I know my weight isn't heavy enough. If I'm a bit under, it's okay as long as my form is right. I believe this has really changed my body.

*Don't be afraid to LIFT HEAVY. It won't make you look manly! It will burn fat, create "tone" aka MUSCLE, and bring out your lovely beautiful curves. 

*Exercise tip: workout with INTENSITY & RESISTANCE. Sweat! If you are talking while you are lifting weights, you're not doing it right. You're not working hard enough.

To be honest, I don't believe in those "30 days squat challenge" and etc. I believe in working every muscle group to be strong, adding WEIGHT (that's how you get that booty!) and RESISTANCE to burn the fat. I may think the "30 day squat challenge" was awesome if they were JUMP SQUATS. Try that if you really want to do body weighted squats every day.

5. What's the best way to start losing weight?

My advice, don't pay attention to the scale. Weigh yourself once and hide it until a month or so later. Go by the way your body looks in the mirror, the way your clothes fit, the way you FEEL. Don't think of it as numbers you have to lose, think of it as body fat you want to burn. 3 easy ways to start:

1. Clean up your eating habits, little by little. Drink soda? Stop and drink more water- I drink a gallon a day! Eat lots of cheese? Cut down, try some non fat, and use more seasonings in your cookings. Moderation is key. Start eating more lean proteins and veggies, exchange your pastas for some sweet potato and brown rice. Give up your butter and vegetable oils for coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil. Start walking 30 minutes a day. Anything. There are so many ways to make little lifestyle changes so it's not overwhelming.

2. Ask me about the Advocare 24-Day Challenge! I wrote a previous blog on it, so check it out :) It's a fail-proof plan, I swear by it. It will guide you with a day by day nutrition and supplement guide consisting of what, how much and when to eat and the bundle comes with high quality supplements filled with vitamins and aminos to kick start your fat loss, increase energy/wellness, AAAAND I would be your coach to support you through it all! 

3. email me at suarezcoral@hotmail.com with YOUR GOALS and we can discuss what's right for you and your lifestyle for nutrition/training :)

Just wanted to add ONE MORE THING- because I read it today on IG and it's awesome and SO TRUE: "It's time to break the weight re-gain cycle. If you can't see yourself eating the way you are eating now in 6 or even 12 months, then it's time to rethink your approach because it's sustainable. Cutting out whole food groups is not sustainable. No carb is sustainable. 2 hours of daily cardio is not sustainable. Take care of your metabolism and employ a system of eating that allows you to incorporate almost any food in healthy moderation so that you don't rebound." - Dr. Layne Norton

Pizza is not bad. Burgers and fries are not bad. IN MODERATION. I do believe in having a good relationship with food. Don't think of them as 'good' or 'bad' foods, or make yourself feel guilty for having a cookie! Everything in moderation!! Chocolate, peanut butter, even the "good" foods must be balanced right. 

If you have more questions, don't hesitate to email me or comment!

Follow my IG for more daily stuff: @loveliftdrift

xoxo