Brownies Figure Competitor Style! February 24, 2011

I count every single calorie that I put in my mouth every single day…and I have been doing this for nearly a year now. I think my brain may be evolving into a food calculator. If you put a plate of food in front of me I could probably tell you the calories and macronutrients of the dish within a 15% margin of error.

Needless to say I don’t eat things like chocolate bars, cookies, cake, ice cream, or brownies…until today!

Enter brownies made with black beans. Huh?!

Exactly.

This recipe came to me via twitter from a cohort in healthy living – @monolithdigital. He builds websites and is apparently a baker of competitor friendly foods. Today he gets the Donloree stamp of approval!

I can’t have flour or sugar in my life due to my Hashimotoness, so brownies that are low carb, no sugar, and flourless…YES PLEASE!

First, I threw caution to the wind and decided to give this weird sounding recipe a try.

What the heck?! I have nothing to lose and everything to gain, right? RIGHT.

Then I gathered all the ingredients.

No flour, sugar, or butter; but a can of beans. This promises for interesting times!

• 4 eggs (of 1 cup egg beaters which is what I used)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp coconut oil (or olive oil)
• 15 oz black beans (1 3/4 cup)
• 4 tbsp cocoa ( I used the fabulous dark Dagoba drinking chocolate!)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup Agave (or 1 cup sugar or sweetener)
• 33 grams pecans (or a good sized handful)

Note from Bakerloree: At the store they only had 19 oz cans of black beans, no 15 oz cans. I finally broke down and just purchased the 19oz can. Then when I got home and started baking I did many calculations to figure out how many cups 15 oz is equivalent to because the darn label has both metric and imperial measurements. After converting to percentages, then to number of servings as per the label, and then coming up with 1 3/4 cup as the serving required for the recipe…after you rinse the 19 oz can of black beans you end up with 15 oz or 1 3/4 cup. So don’t torture yourself, just rinse the 19 oz can of beans and use all of them!

The front of the label is in mL and ounces...but the serving size is in mL and grams. I appreciate that they are embracing both Imperial and Metric, but please give all the information. Gracious!!

Then you put al the ingredients except the nuts in a blender and blend.

This does not look anything like the brownies I am used to. *nervousness*

Add nuts and bake at 325 degrees for 30-35 minutes if you used agave and 350 degrees and 25-30 minutes if you used sugar or a sugar substitute.

I wasn’t quite sure if I should try the batter or not. It was rather soupy and made from beans, but I gave it a go anyways!

I gave it a tentative lick and it was rather tasty...beans, eh?

35 minutes later my house smelled divine. It hasn’t smelled this good in months AND I get to eat one of these!

They look like brownies and smell amazing....

The true test came later after they had cooled.

Result?

Pure and absolute bliss.

I am the happiest woman on the planet in this moment...

I cut them into 16 squares. The macros are as follows:

Brownies made with agave: Calories 138.75 Protein 3.875 grams, Carbs 22.1, Fat 3.875

Brownies made with artificial sweetener: Calories 106.85 Protein 3.875 grams, Carbs 14.125, Fat 3.875

*The coconut oil gave it a fabulous flavor and perhaps next time I will try putting some instant coffee in as well!

Savi Seed Review February 13, 2011

I am always on the lookout for new foods that I can eat and whenever I find something new I get rather excited. The other day in the supplement store I saw something called ‘Savi Seeds’. They are apparently ‘the richest source of Omega 3 on the planet’ and are ‘proudly produced in partnership with indigenous Peruvian famers‘.

So of course I bought them!

Such a cute little bag! And they want to make sure that you know they aren't nuts...they're just crazy. hah!

As soon as I got home I portioned them out, after all I don’t want another peanut butter fiasco on my hands!

Ready to eat! One bag has 5 servings, can't wait to give them a try!

Oh, and did I mention they are gluten free? For a Hashimoto-ite such as myself, this made the Omega 3-rich seeds from South America a godsend! Can these darn things get any better?

Woot, woot! Glutenless (is that even a word?) seeds that are super healthy.

So the only thing left to do was to EAT them! So I poured a few out from my perfectly portioned packages, excited to give them a try.

Mmm! Can't wait!

As I brought them close to my mouth, an odd smell hit my nose. A smell that was reminiscent of  my great grandmother’s front closet. A smell that could only be described as mildew and mothballs.

Being the hopeful Figure Competitor that I am, I plugged my nose and gave them a go.

They taste just like them smell.

Anyone want some stinky Savi Seeds? They are apparently just fabulous for you…if you like eating mildew and mothballs.

I guess I will stick to my Omega 3 supplements and never buy these again, not even the chocolate covered ones!

Savi Seeds get two thumbs down from this girl.

What is your favorite low carb snack? I would love to know seeing how I’m currently stuck with 5 servings of mildew-esque seeds.

Rough Patches Make Us Human February 12, 2011

In my heart I am a superhero that can leap over tall towers, save people from burning buildings, and laugh in the face of danger all while wearing a super cute fuchsia and lime outfit complete with cape and fabulous shoes.

I would have to have some fabulous boots to wear with my superhero outfit. Something that would stay on while I leapt over tall buildings and whatnot....

Unfortunately I haven’t perfected the building leap quite yet.  There are days I can’t get past my own demons of self doubt to do what I know I should do. I can only see a fat girl peering back at me in the mirror and am less than amazing with my eating, self discipline, internal dialogue, workout, and caring for the people I love most in life.

Until this last year, I thought I was the only one. I thought most everyone else had it together and that I had to pretend to have it together. The thing is that you can’t tell what people are struggling with or what they have overcome by their outsides. I am sure many women look at me and think I have always been thin and just have it all together.

It’s time to burst the bubble. I don’t have it all together!

*POP*

But do you know what? Neither do you! This is what makes us human.

So what do I do when I find myself just wanting to throw my hands up in the air and yell, “I give up! This is TOO hard!“? Sometimes I do just that, it feels good to get it out of your heart! Word of advice, just don’t do it in the middle of a grocery store unless you want an audience for the rest of your shopping adventure! I’m just saying….

Here are a few strategies that I use:

• DOMS of The Mind. Every Figure Competitor knows what it feels like to have DOMS. It can be debilitating and makes simple tasks like bringing a coffee cup to your mouth or going down a flight of stairs nearly impossible. I truly believe that my mind sometimes has DOMS. I can be so disciplined, focussed, positive, and fighting for the world and then *blam* I can barely get my butt to the gym and I’m less than positive about life. There isn’t even a glass that could be half empty at this point! When my mind becomes that tired, I give myself permission to take it slow. I walk gingerly in life on these days and just accept the soreness, knowing that tomorrow I will be stronger.
• Eye Of The Tiger. I stop, mentally push pause on everything going on around me, take a deep breath and then play the Rocky theme song in the background of my mind. I picture myself at the bottom of the stairs with Rocky and then I start running up the stairs. Before I know it a smile is on my mouth and I know it’s go time.
• 25 Years In The Future. I know who I want to be 25 years from now. I can picture who I am going to be and I know that every day is a building block towards that. So when I am lost, discouraged, and just want to give up I think about that woman that I am becoming. What would she tell me to do? What would she say is important? What would she say to encourage me? Oddly enough, this has been paramount in my success. Kind of like an arse kicking from the future! Hah!
• It’s A New Day With No Mistakes In It. Every morning I get to start over. I get to choose to have a fabulous day or to not. I get to choose who I am going to be that day. Do I want to be the morose, sad, and overwhelmed woman or the champion? I choose champion. Draw a line in the sand, step over it, and leave all the crap of yesterday in yesterday. Today gets to be a new day.

I am blessed to know and journey along in life with some fabulously brave women that fight for themselves and others. They aren’t fearless, but stand tall in the face of fear. They are superheroes in their own right.

Thank you Michelle, Faith, Liz, Julia, Kari, Alli, Cheyanne, Tracy, Carrie, Kait, Margie, Nicole, Chantelle, Susan, Lisa, Jessica, Debby, and Kathy for being brave with me.

If we never face our fears in life, we never get to be brave.

I don’t know about you, but being brave is actually quite liberating.

Expert Status February 11, 2011

When I am not completing an epic leg day that consists of 200 squats as prescribed by my trainer, chopping vegetables, or doling out my supplements for the next day I am striving to change the world. How isn’t always clear, but the one thing that is clear is that I need a business card.

I am a coach, I do business consulting, I just finished my Personal Training certification, I write, I can install toilets and sinks, and I love challenging people to be as big as they were created to be. Oh…and I avoid peanut butter at all costs.

So what the heck am I supposed to put on a business card as a title? Isn’t my name epic enough? Usually after people hear ‘Donloree‘ they stop listening for a few seconds while their brain tries to grasp what I just said.

While I mused about this, I thought about what I am an expert at in order to help me come up with a title.

I am an expert emotional eater!

I have 30 solid years under my belt of intense emotional eating. I reached expert status at the age of 20 when I made it up to Obese Class One. I will never forget the day I was branded as ‘Obese‘ in front of a waiting room full of people. The nurse called my name, weighed and measured me in the hallway next to the waiting room, and then announced that I was Obese Class One loud enough for the whole world to hear. I was mortified. Then I had to go back to the waiting room and sit in a room full of people that were covertly checking out my muffin top.

I left the doctor’s office that day and went straight to the drug store next door. Mini eggs, Doritos, and 4 chocolate bars came home with me. I never went back to see her again.

Emotional eating invades so much of my life and I didn’t even notice it until this past year. For instance, if my husband and I fight about something I can usually be found baking him muffins shortly thereafter. Funny thing is that he couldn’t care less; for him food is just fuel.

For me food is love, anger, hatred, joy, boredom, excitement, passion, connectivity, fear and every other emotion on the planet.

This past year I have been working on renouncing my expert status in emotional eating. The little blue journal on top of the fridge helps, but I have developed a few other skills to combat my emotional eating.

1. When I find myself meandering through the kitchen and ‘window shopping’ for a treat, I ask myself, ‘What’s the problem?‘ If the answer isn’t ‘I’m SO hungry‘ then I know I need to leave the kitchen immediately.
2. What do I get from emotional eating? Thinking about what I am aiming to get by eating half a jar of peanut butter while hiding in the corner of my kitchen is an amazing tool. When I find the answer, I can brainstorm other ideas to get what I need in ways that don’t damage my self esteem and make my pants tight.
3. Noticing the pattern of behavior. Whenever I find myself in the kitchen for no apparent reason, googling recipes for chocolate cake, or wondering if there is someone that needs me to bake them something I know I’m on the verge of shoving something in my mouth that I don’t want to. At this point, I usually drink some water, brush my teeth, or just leave the house for a few minutes. A brisk walk does wonders for your resolve.

So I am officially a newbie when it comes to taming the beast of overeating, but it is an amazing skill that I am determined to gain expert status in.

Good news on the eating front, but I still don’t have a title for my business cards…

This or THAT?! February 6, 2011

I have been on a extremely strict diet for a very long time now. Since August of 2010 I have been on a competition prep diet and eating prescribed amounts of proteins, carbs, and fats…and let me tell you the amount of carbs hasn’t been a whole lot. My carbs have consisted of vegetables, kasha, the odd helping of quinoa and my daily half of an apple.

Today was my first day of the new ‘Let’s Not Kill Donloree‘ plan which includes more carbs in an effort to wake up my metabolism.

After my daily nap (yes, I officially need a daily nap to make it through the whole day) I was getting my supplements together for tomorrow. I pulled out my berry supplement and a thought hit me.

The wheels are starting to turn even though I am still suffering from the post nap haze. Don't you just LOVE the hair?

‘Now I can actually EAT the berries that this darn supplement is made from!‘

It was a whole new world.

If you get to choose, do you choose this:

Not tasty at all. Getting 4 of these guys down twice a day takes some focus!

or  that?

I am drooling even now just looking at this picture. Is there such a thing as fruit lust? If so, I have it!

I pick THAT for sure! I may be in the league of 95 year olds with my daily nap requirement and have to wait another 7 weeks to even SEE the specialist to get the help I need, but I get berries again!

I spun around the kitchen and enthusiastically sang ‘A whole new world‘ even though it sounded more like nails on a chalkboard..

I wonder what other ‘THAT‘ discoveries are out there for me this week as I start this leg of my journey. What are you discovering these days that was always just under your nose? Please tell me that it makes you sing off key too!

Confession Time January 31, 2011

So I have a confession to make. I bought a jar peanut butter and then proceeded to eat quite of bit of it all in one sitting. Something happens to me when I eat it, I become a different woman. I become a woman that cannot control her impulse to pull out her super cute coffee spoon and have a wee little taste. In reality a wee little taste would be fine; problem is I have about 500 of them.

Just ONE bite? Nope that darned cute spoon keeps finding its way back into the jar and then into my mouth!

I know why I let the jar hop into my grocery basket the other day. I am sad about my Hashimoto’s diagnosis and the resulting complications. I wanted to pretend like nothing was wrong and indulge in momentary bliss so I decided to self medicate with some good old fashioned peanut butter. I am a true foodie at heart…

The lie that I could ‘just have one tablespoon a day’ kept running through my brain…after all don’t I need those ‘good fats’? Yes, I definitely need the ‘good fats’ but not that many of them.

Then the vicious cycle of feeling bad about myself and then eating more started to happen. Luckily I have stopped myself from going too far. It normally wouldn’t be this bad, but the combination of such low emotions and the strict diet does not give me the strength to overcome the temptation.

I am reading an interesting book called, ‘The End of Overeating‘ which is eye opening to say the least. So far I have learned that I am human and normal, which is great news for a woman named Donloree! My name may be odd, but my experience with food is not.

Anyone else see the irony?

In this book they talk about the addictive qualities of sugar, fat, and salt and what chemical reactions actually happen in your brain when you eat them. In the studies they found that ‘the breaking point at which animals will no longer work for the reward (from sugar, salt, and fat) is slightly lower than the breaking point for cocaine.‘

As freakish as that sounds, it made me feel a bit better about my inability to fight the jar of peanut butter.

Rather than lying to myself some more about how I can have control over the jar of peanut butter that is screaming to be eaten, I took firm control of the situation.

Nothing a little soap and water can't quickly take care of!

How many times I am going to have to learn this $2.99 lesson?

Key Lime Apples January 27, 2011

I am not sure if this is my favorite treat because I eat it right after I finish training and am completely ravenous or because it is just plain fabulous. It’s probably a bit of both.

For most competitors, a protein shake is the go to meal after a hard workout. Not me. I am a die hard foodie and LOVE to eat so I  came up with this fabulous balance of proteins, carbs, and a bit of fat for my post workout meal.

One thing about competition prep is that the food can get pretty bland if you let it. In an effort to not eat boring, tasteless things I get creative in the kitchen. Sometimes it is really bad like the Pumpkin Pots and other times it is fabulous like these Key Lime Apples.

First gather all your ingredients:

• 1 lime
• 1 lemon
• 500 grams of 0% Greek Yogurt (1 container)
• Shredded coconut (without sugar added)
• 1/2 Gala apple (63 grams)

5 things that blend together to make something VERY tasty!

Then zest and juice both the lime and lemon and add it to the container of yogurt; mix well.

Note: The lemons and limes have seeds...so be prepared to have to fish them out of the yogurt if you are lazy like me and just juice directly into the yogurt.

You now have lemon-lime greek yogurt ! It is rather tasty to just eat on its own; don’t say I didn’t warn you!

For my daily portion of Key Lime Apples, I combine the following ingredient:

• 1/2 of a Gala apple (63 grams) chopped
• 1 Tbsp coconut
• 82.5 grams of lemon-lime greek yogurt

The smell is absolutely divine; refreshing and crisp! Must. Wait. To. Eat. Until. Tomorrow.

Protein – 10.5, Carbs – 13, Fat – 5

On a high carb day I have been known to add in some blackberries and well! Mmm!

When I am eeking out the last few reps of a hard set, I remember that I get to eat the Key Lime Apples in just a few minutes and I finish strong. I may possibly be a total creature of habit, but it can’t be denied that every morning at 8:30 they are a a glorious treat.

Let me know what you think if you try it!

A Day In the Life of Chantelle January 20, 2011

I am blessed to journey to the stage with a group of 14 other fabulous women – the Bikini Or Bust Competitors. Each and every one of them is amazing and deeply committed to giving their training all that they can.

Figure Competitors are an interesting breed of woman! So how do we go about our every day lives and fit in all the training, food prep, family, friends, work, and everything else in between?

Here’s how Chantelle does it!

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our Light, not our Darkness, that most frightens us.”
~ Marianne Williamson

The first time I read this quote I think my brain breathed a sigh of relief.  For so long I couldn’t figure out why I would never strive to be better and go further with something I believed in.  This quote completely explained something I haven’t been able to explain for 7 years and it set me free of all the things that were holding me back.

Sassy, fabulous, and embracing the fullness of life!

 

“Snarly” would be the word I would use for me when I wake up early in the morning which is why I have always been the type of person who has to wake up to music. I usually set my alarm to 6am but I have a feeling that will be changing soon since I feel double cardio sessions creeping up on me.  My morning ritual is always the same, I like regularity. Food is number one before everything, always. Once I finish eating I head over to the “supplement cabinet” to grab my morning dosages of calcium, glucosamine, CLA, and fat burner, then head for the shower.  My work day starts at 8am, ends at 5pm, and includes an hour lunch. Since I’m in a small office there are no set breaks and everyone eats at their desk. This makes it very easy for me to get all my meals in. Almost too easy. J When I first started eating my supper at 3:30pm my co-workers only questioned it once and now they continually make loving pokes every time I bring it out of the fridge.

After work is training time.  Weights are first cardio is second. This is why I eat my supper between 3:30 – 4:00 that and the fact that it keeps within the 2.5-3 hour feeding times lol.  During the week there isn’t a lot of free time but I think it’s easy for me to fit it all in because there’s just me and my hubby in the house.  Kudos to you moms by the way, I don’t know how you do it.  Maybe it’s the support system you have. I know having my mom and my husband right beside me has given me strength through the tough times like Christmas.

As of right now I don’t have an exact favorite time of day or a hated time of day but if I had to choose I LOVE bedtime and I hate to wakeup. Ha-ha!  I’m such a moody person and it fluctuates from day to day. Heck from hour to hour lol.  I actually find I’m saying no to a lot of things lately, especially my hubby though it’s mostly food related situations……

“Honey let’s go out for dinner.”
“No”

“Honey let’s go to Tim Horton’s for breakfast.”
“No”

The one thing I have to say yes to is food prep.  Without food prep time all is surely lost lol.  We usually try to do a lot of food prep on Sundays but of course things need to be replenished through the week.

Sometimes I feel very abnormal during this process only to find out that what I’m feeling, what my body is doing is completely normal.  I’m not sure I’m any different from any one else either.  I’m coming to realize that even the pros have a hard time sticking with it.  They have to say yes and no to the same things as we do. That is what’s so great about this sport; your trials and tribulations bring you closer to your competitors. You form like this kindred spirit with the people next to you on stage because you know what it took to get there.

I’m finding out a lot about myself through this process and I like it.

Make sure to read her blog and follow her inspiring tweets!!

Eating Out Without Outing Yourself January 18, 2011

I don’t eat at restaurants that much anymore, but there are some events and times when you can’t eat an epic salad on the go. I have yet to eat an epic salad in a ladies room at a restaurant…but there is a first time for everything!

Needless to say, sometimes I find myself with clients or friends at a restaurant and having to eat something from the menu.

The problem is that I have no idea what is in these meals! I have had some very awkward conversations with confused waiters!

DL – Umm…Hi. *bats eyelashes* So…ummm…I have a few questions about some of the menu items…

Confused Waiter – Sure! About the specials?

DL – Not so much. So this chicken on the salad, does it have skin? Is it marinated in anything?

CW – You bet! It has an amazing lime, garlic, and sesame marinade and comes with a crispy battered coating!

DL – Oh, well that’s no good. Do you have just plain grilled chicken…naked chicken if you will?

CW – NAKED chicken?! Uh..no…

DL – Ok, that’s totally fine. These root vegetables, how are they prepared? Are they steamed?

CW – They are pan fried in butter with rosemary and garlic. Delicious!

DL – And not very vegetable-esque anymore…Ok..No vegetables then. (By this point the WHOLE table is listening intently to crazy dialogue) How about a house salad with the dressing on the side?

CW – With the zesty lime chicken?

DL – Nope. Just the greens with the dressing on the side. Oh! And can I get a glass of water with a wedge of lemon please? (More batting of the eyelashes happens at this point)

CW – Ok then? (Gathers the menu with a puzzled look on his face)

It is never fun to scare the waiter or your table mates. After enduring one too many interesting eating out fiascoes, I have come up with some fabulous ways to get around these embarrassing moments.

• Google. If you know where you are going prior to the event, take time to Google the menu and the nutritional information. Then make a choice before you arrive to the restaurant. This means you can peruse the menu with everyone else and ‘choose’ something from the menu. It is a very stealthy way to ensure you stay within your macronutrients for the day!
• Eat before you go out. If you eat your meal prior to going out you aren’t going to be hungry and tempted to just order something! I have eaten prior to meeting friend for lunch and then simply ordered a meal that comes with a starter salad. I order the house salad with the dressing on the side and then just move the food around on the entree plate. It’s amazing how ‘eaten’ a meal can appear if it’s simply been cut into a few pieces and moved around on the plate. Then I ‘pack up the rest to go’ and Jon gets a fabulous lunch the next day. Win – win if you ask me!
• Go to the bathroom, ahem, bar. After you’ve been seated and you figure out who your waiter is, go for a quick visit to the bathroom, aka the bar, and find your waiter. This gives you the opportunity to have the high maintenance needs conversation without a captive audience. Then when it comes time to order you can do so without an issue and he knows exactly what you want. No one has to be the wiser!

I can’t be the only Figure Competitor that does such things! I am pretty sure that every woman in contest prep mode has done at least one of these! What other fabulous coping mechanisms do you use while eating out and trying to appear normal?

Total Science Experiment January 17, 2011

People always want to know what my nutrition plan looks like. I am always leery to tell them, but not for the reasons that you may think. What and how I eat is not a super-duper-secret, nor is there anything rather special about it. I eat a healthy balance of proteins, carbs, and fats and my calories are consumed in small meals all day long. I also eat very large salads.

The reason I worry about telling people how I eat is that they will start to implement exactly how I eat and end up with less than stellar results.

Every person is different, has different calorie needs, metabolizes food differently, and has a different genetic make-up. This means that there is no silver bullet plan. I get more than a tad nervous when I hear competitors say things like, “I bought the Figure Competitor nutrition plan and am implementing it starting tomorrow!”

I am blessed to be able to work with Joe Klemczewski for my diet and training. He customizes everything for each competitor and works with me daily to ensure I’m  on track and meeting my goals. And he’s trained many athletes to get their pro cards all while ensuring they are healthy and happy while they do it!

Not everyone can work with a nutritionist and get a custom plan though! I know that feeling. It took me a long time to start asking the right questions and learning what I needed to learn about food, longer than it should have. I just took in information from people that were not experts and got poor results from my diet. I overate protein, and fat for quite a long time and didn’t lose the weight I needed to for my first show.

This is one of the areas that I should have taken more leadership in WAY sooner and I definitely regret. But from every unintended result in life, there are things to be learned!

My piece of advice for all competitors is to learn about nutrition, food, emotional eating, and how your body uses food sooner than later. Treat yourself like a science experiment!

• Start a daily food journal and write down everything you eat
• Take not of your training and how you feel during and after
• Weigh yourself every day and see how your weight fluctuates based on diet and exercise
• Cut out certain kinds of food and see how you feel with or without them
• Supplement your diet! Greens, omegas, calcium, vitamins, glutamine, and iron supplements may change your whole outlook on life and protect your health

While you collect all the data about your eating, start learning about food and how to prepare healthy meals that you enjoy. Just because you are training for competition your life does not need to consist of only boiled chicken breast and broccoli. Some fabulous resources are:

• The Diet Docs’® Guide to Permanent Weight Loss: Secrets to Metabolic Transformation
• The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite
• The Eat-Clean Diet Recharged: Lasting Fat Loss That’s Better than Ever!
• Mark’s Daily Apple
• The Primal Blueprint: Reprogram your genes for effortless weight loss, vibrant health, and boundless energy
• The Primal Blueprint Cookbook: Primal, Low Carb, Paleo, Grain-Free, Dairy-Free and Gluten-Free

It is so important to figure out what eating works best for you, not me or anyone else! Your health is in your hands, so consult experts, ask questions, and don’t just blindly follow a plan just because it worked for someone else. Train hard in the gym and the kitchen!