New Goals Put on Paper, FINALLY

After spending a weekend at the Olympia expo (something I've wanted to do for years) I have a new found motivation that is SO common after attending events like this. You are surrounded for a full weekend, by like minded fitness personalities who have worked HARD to get where they are. Some are just following fitness for fun and well being, others are making it a career. Most, like myself, are a little of both! I've been in a bit of a rut since my last competition. I've been staying on track with healthy eating and feeling GREAT, but I have not set any goals. This was a planned portion of time to "just be" as I call it!! So I've had my time to 'BE", but I think it's time to set some goals again....

If you haven't noticed already through your own experiences, it's super important to SHARE your goals with friends, family, social media. (whomever you choose) This keeps you accountable and subconsciously, helps you stay on track and keeps you motivated!!! I've shared my goals with my husband, but like usual, I also want to share with all of you!!! I will also share my progress as I go along. Results more than likely, won't be as dramatic as training for a competition post baby, but we'll soon find out I guess!! :)

September 25th-November 6th (6 Weeks Bulk)

I've been on a caloric deficit for a while. I find that my body and energy levels are just better this way. I've been slowly increasing my calories weekly over the past few weeks, and should be back up to where I want to be (SMALL caloric surplus) by next week. This will be around 2100-2250 Calories (that's where my surplus has been in the past anyway, we'll see when I get there!) I'm already starting to feel a little sluggish, and sleepy...hopefully my body adjusts soon, because I MISS feeling full of energy! There's no better feeling than a post nutritional cleansed body!

Over the summer I completed an AMAZING program, designed by one of my mentors IFBB Pro Ben Pakulski.www.mi40nation.com This is a muscle building program, however I completed it while in a caloric deficit. I saw amazing definition coming in compared to what I usually have!! I am going to start this up again (40 Day program) next week...this time while eating more food!!! Can't wait to see what kind of changes I see! I probably won't see more definition with the extra calories, but I hope to put on some lean mass, especially in the shoulders.

I've learnt over the past year, that I don't REALLY care that much about symmetry. HAHA For my body to look more shapely, I had been working toward growing my quads and hamstrings....did I achieve that, YES...am I happy about it..hmmmmm, actually NO! I don't like the way they look now even though I achieved exactly what I had set out to do! I'll keep em like this for a while, maybe I'll warm up to them, but in the meantime, I'm going with my heart!!! ;) SHOULDERS!!! I've always wanted my shoulders to be at a point that they look muscular thru my shirt, so that's my next goal! ;)

Here is a pic of my shoulder inspiration...well, not only shoulder inspiration, but WHOLE body inspiration.. My absolute favourite all time fitness model Jessie Hilgenberg. I KNOW myself, and my problem isn't sticking to a diet, it's EATING ENOUGH FOR LONG ENOUGH, to but on some muscle!

How am I going to achieve a fraction of this??? FREQUENCY!!! Any many many cycles of this same type of plan. If your trying to grow a specific body part, you have to do more than what you were doing before!! More time under tension, more load and work that part more often. Another lagging body part has always been my triceps, so I'm alternating shoulders and triceps all week, paired with one other body part. All in all, I'll be hitting every body part each week, but triceps and shoulders 3x! Along with eating more food of course, but more about that later.

To keep the fat gain to a minimum, and keep the blood flowing, and just because I've been enjoying it lately.....I'll be adding three days a week of cardio for 20 minutes. Nothing crazy, just easy steady state or intervals.

My marco breakdown during this time will more than likely stay at 40p/40c/20/f MAYBE 40/30/30 if I'm feeling soft. I find my body adjust quickly when I decrease carbs and increase healthy fats.

For now, I have this as a 6 week time period, but if I'm staying pretty lean, I will extend to 8 weeks, and decrease my cut to 4 weeks :)


Nov 7th-December 19th (6 Weeks Cut)

After completing my program, I'm going to start a 6 week cut...or shorter depending on how much body fat I pack on....the goal is to see my abs...I'm sure I will lose them throughout my 6 week "bulk", so I will cut until they are in sight again....I have not yet decided what program I will do for this, but more than likely one of the hybrid workouts we use for our Sisters in Shape 60 Day Challenges. They are KILLER!!! I will obviously share with you the changes I make as I make them!

Calories will be lowered gradually starting at 15xbodyweight, and never going below 10xbodyweight! I will more than likely be following a 40p/30c/30f split or what has worked great for me in the past has been 50/30/20. As your calories get lower and lower, protein becomes more important for more than one reason. Particularly for maintaing the muscle you worked so hard for, and keeping you satiated!

Notice that I have set pretty specific steps to achieve my ultimate goal of bigger shoulders. It's got a deadline, and I'll be measuring thru pictures, weight and mostly how my clothes feel....hopefully having tighter shirts ;) It's realistic...am I going to put on a huge amount??..probably not, it's not enough time, but progress is progress!! :) Once I hit my deadline, it's time to reassess, maybe I'll learn the same as I did with my legs, haha, that I liked them better before!! But that's a win too right, starting to appreciate what you had to begin with! ;)

Over the next 8-10 weeks, I will share with you my diet, macros and progress in case you want to learn thru my challenge!! :) I always love having others on the journey with me!

Have you noticed how I have this planned out??? YES, I have my cut ending right before xmas festivities...my calories will be increasing again, just on time, to not feel deprived over the holidays...yeah I know, BRILLIANT!

Are my only goals fitness related?? Absolutely not!! We have SO MUCH going on here in Calgary Alberta, and I'll give you some tidbits here and there!!! We have expanded mine and my husbands company, (working thru the growing pains as we speak)  I've been working hard on my coaching business and website, operationlean and I've also decided to go back to school!!! All the while my daughter had JUST become potty trained, and it seems like school is just around the corner!! ;) Holy moly, please slow time down! HAHA

Until next time my fitness friends!!!

Steph :)

Should YOU Intermittent Fast??

Unfortunately, my mind has been ingrained that my muscles have to be fed every three hours to avoid burning muscle for SO MANY years that I had been hesitant to try Intermittent Fasting despite the abundance of reasons I SHOULD be doing it!!!

I do NOT have a naturally muscular body. The entire Mackid Clan has always worked EXTREMELY hard putting on QUALITY weight ;) This is why whenever I make it to say....hour 18 of a fast, I PANICK and sprint for the kitchen!! I just couldn't get out of my head, that I may burn the small small amount of muscle I've worked SO HARD for! HAHA

Surprisingly enough I don't find the fasts hard at all. I'm never really hungry, I just eat because I love it, and need it to fuel my workouts. Its my brain that made me fall short EVERY TIME!!!! Now that I'm not AS focused on muscle building, but rather maintenance and general health, it's been EASY!!!

Here is just a small list of the benefits of fasting....

Reduced:

-Blood Lipids (bad cholesterol decreases)
-Blood Pressure
-Inflammation
-Oxidative Stress
-Risk of Cancer

****When any of these levels are elevated, they cause stress on the body, and makes it VERY difficult for the body to release weight

Increased:

-Cellular Turnover/Repair (Recovery)
-Fat Burning (More of the fat burning happens at the end of the fast)
-Metabolic Rate (actually INCREASES at the end of the fast, stimulated by norepinephrine and epinephrine release)

Impoved:

-Appetite Control ( you'll learn the difference between HUNGER and CRAVINGS)
-Blood Sugar Control (body becomes more sensitive to insulin, VERY important for physique)
-Cardiovascular Function
-Effectiveness of Chemo Treatments
-Neurogenesis (protections against neurotoxins)

So why don't I do it more often....?? Well NOW I do, and I've never felt better!

Not only am I releasing weight, but I have a little more freedom in what I eat the rest of the week because of the calorie deficit created during the fast. Does this mean that the rest of your week is a free for all!!! Heck no!!! Keep it to a few healthy meals and a couple healthy snacks to see the BEST results. You can allow for more freedom once you have achieved your preset goals.....

Click link BELOW if you haven't already done so!!!:)

GOAL SETTING

Food prep has been so simple and it has left me more relaxed when it comes to what I'm putting into my body. Better yet, it has given me SO MUCH more quality time with my family!!!

WHAT IS IT EXACTLY??

Intermittent fasting is basically a predetermined stretch of time that you don't eat anything. You are giving your body a BREAK...Well, you're FASTING. This Break gives your liver some time to do things OTHER than assimilate the abundance of food we are always stuffing into our bodies. We technically fast every night while we sleep, but it's when we add the extra time to a fast that we see the benefits listed above...

When looking closely at the process, you could call it many other things as well....calorie cycling, reducing calorie intake, burning more than you are taking in, decreasing processed foods and chemicals, etc. There are many different ways to complete and intermittent fast, but this is the BEST method for me!

How do you get started???

First Watch this Video.....I guarantee you will relate!!

Now Check out this link....scroll down to the recommended 30 day system and you will find the most delicious and straight forward plan to your first month of Intermittent Fasting and Cleansing Experience. ALL BACKED by a money back guarantee! :) 

You have nothing to lose, except weight, Bloat, toxins, dull hair, sleepless nights and dry skin ;)

My Associate Website

Next?? Email me at operationlean@live.com to set up a time to chat!!! I can't wait to help you through this amazing process.

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Want to Learn More about IF and the MANY MANY ways you can approach it??

Intermittent Fasting With Precision Nutrition

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Post Competition Reflection

Wow, what a week, what a prep!!! Now that it's all over, I don't even know where to start. New goals, relief, confusion, success, disappointment, excitement, etc, are flooding my brain, and I don't really know what to do with it all??!

To be honest, ever since my last competition in October of last year, I had planned on competing ONE MORE TIME, before planning on expanding family. I stuck with my plan and my training, despite, never being quite as motivated as I was last year. I always want to see improvements, but my HEART wasn't in competition prep this time around!! :(

I took the judges notes (build shoulders, and bum, to make the appearance of a smaller waist) and more volume in my hair to heart, and worked my ARSE off all winter trying to put on as much mass as possible!! Doing all of this in such a short time period, DEFINITELY added to my fat mass as well! Even though I was meeting my goals, I have NEVER been so down and out. I REALLY don't like the growing phase, and was beginning to wonder why I was doing all of this, what am I REALLY achieving??

About two months ago, after putting on a whopping 9 lbs of muscle in 7ish months but struggling to get the added fat off, I looked back at progress pics leading up to my October show. I couldn't BELIEVE how amazing I looked!!! Why had I not been happy with my physique in that show?? Was it because I didn't place as well as I would have liked?? Is it because I DID want to be more muscular?? Was it because the judges had a different idea of what I should look like than I did?? I really haven't pinpointed my feelings on this, but I know I would give pretty much anything just to look like that three week out picture again!!! I wish I had appreciated it when I had it! I basically improved my body all winter, just to look like someone else wants me to look. This is one of those important things to understand when you are going into a prep for competition. Use it as a goal to get your physique where YOU want it to be, to get yourself out of your comfort zone, to make new amazing friends, to inspire others and much much more. Don't get caught up in how you place. I think the the first time around, theres so much excitement and learning going on, you just want to get thru it, but as you become more experienced, you put that added pressure on yourself to place, and it takes the FUN out of it!

Am I proud of my achievements?? ABSOLUTELY, I worked REALLY hard, and made HUGE gains. I learned a tonne about my body through ups and downs with hormones, ups and downs with alkalinity, ups and downs with energy levels, ups and downs with sleep quality etc!! If I hadn't gone through this journey, I wouldn't know how to fuel myself to feel INCREDIBLE!!!
Not to mention, this journey has made me some of the BEST friends anyone could ask for!!! It's really incredible how many people I have met through social media (some I have FINALLY met in person) that I feel an amazing connection to! I've been able to do photo shoots, with amazing photographers, have had pictures and articles published in magazines, attended amazing camps and SO MUCH MORE!!! An actual trophy and pro card is such a small part of the experience, and I really have cherished every part of it!!!

So what now???

It's time to re-evaluate what I really want. I've got to make a new vision board and create new realistic, timely goals....and obviously fitness will always be part of this journey. I'm planning on completing MI40X, concentrating on CEP training. (more blogs coming on this) http://www.mi40x.com and focusing on slow and steady improvements!! I know now, that I like to be lean...I'm not sacrificing leanness to grow. Realistically, I won't get much bigger taking this approach, and that's ok! If I EVER hit the stage again, it's not going to be until I look like a different person. (watch me get the itch again before the end of summer! HAHA) If it doesn't happen, that is ok. Hopefully I will be INSPIRED by a new program like I was by Ben's last program http://www.hypertrophymax.com/welcome-offer.php (only comes out twice a year, so keep your eyes peeled!!!) This is where I learned pretty much everything new this past year! It's incredible and well worth the investment!

When it comes to diet, I plan on taking the "flexible dieting" approach. If I need to get lean, I know how to do it, but I'm happy with how I am now, and want to enjoy family outings, ditch the tupperware and baggies, and not worry about nutrient timing or missing meals. Flexible dieting is BASICALLY IIFYM (if it fits your macros) but I find most IIFYM camps thrive on how much crap they can put in their bodies while still meeting their macros. Feeling GOOD is important to me, so I WON'T be taking that approach...still good healthy, alkaline forming foods, that fuel your body, and prevent disease! Here is a pic of the food I ate the day after my competition.

THIS is flexible dieting for me, everything was healthy, I didn't feel deprived at all (quite the contrary actually, my tastebuds were in heaven!!!)

I'm going to continue to change lives with the sisters in shape 60 day challenges, where our ladies have created AMAZING friendships, while achieving incredible results, and learning the tools needed to change their lives. http://smackid.wix.com/operationlean to sign up!!! Next challenge will be starting SEPTEMBER 1!! We have sold out every challenge, so get yourself on the list now!!!  :)

I will also still be doing one on one training, whether it be training for a competition, or wanting more guidance in changing your lifestyle, I can help get you there!!! :)
I KNOW how amazing the experience of competing is, and I understand the excitement. I don't regret anything I learned from the experience!!! Just KNOW, that I do take the healthy approach to training, and you will have to give yourself 16 weeks at least. Slow and steady wins this race!!! ;)

I want to do more things non-fitness related that I used to enjoy so much....like photography!!! :) Maybe fitness photography??? LOL Anyone willing to be my fitness model to start my portfolio??
Contact me if you are in the Calgary area and are interested steph.laurendeau@sisinshape.com

I want to expand my business....so if you are a trainer, who has clients ROCKING it in the gym, but LOSING it in the kitchen, please contact me @steph.laurendeau@sisinshape.com I want to create a group of trainers working together to help our clients to remain more compliant with their diets!!!

I have SO MUCH more to talk about fitness and nutrition related, so I have set a goal to produce at least on great article/blog per month. This is realistic, and if I can do more, I most certainly will!

Most importantly, I'm looking fwd to concentrating on something OTHER than myself for a while. I plan on being a better wife, mom and friend. Competing is a very selfish sport, while being a great role model, especially near the end, you can't help but be looking out for number one WAY TOO MUCH to feel good about yourself.

Until next time all you wonderful people! Keep exercising and eating healthy!! Feel free to message me anytime either at my email, here in the comments, or on my Facebook page!!! I love hearing from you guy!! :)

~Steph

What is Alkalinity, and why is it Important to Understand??

On my Facebook page a few days ago, I posted about my problems with alkalinity, and parts of how it's affecting me, and PART of how I'm dealing with it. It stirred up a lot more interest than I expected so I decided to write a blog post about it!! I could go in MANY different directions with this, but I'll try to keep it as short as possible and simple ;)

Alkalinity is important for EVERYONE, but most important for the extremely active, and the extremely sick population (this is because the stresses both have on their body are actually quite similar)

Pretty much EVERYTHING our body does to live daily causes acid. In order to dispose of these acids, we need buffers from minerals and electrolytes. These acids need to be neutralized so they can be removed thru sweat, urine and stool. If we go long periods without neutralizing these acids, it causes breakdown of protein, DNA, causes the body to slow down and even TURN OFF cellular functions (metabolic rate, detoxification, and exercise performance) What does this cause.....well all those things that I mentioned in my Facebook post!!! Plateau in weight loss, hormone imbalances, sore joints because of inflammation, irritability because of poor sleep, body holding onto water in the wrong area's of the cell (making you look bloated) etc!!! If it gets bad enough for long enough, it will even lead to serious illness, cancer and disease!!!

What Causes Acid in our System:

*Stress
*Detoxification
*Metabolic Rate and Digestion
*Cell Growth and Repair
*Immune System
*Inflammation

As you can imagine...a person who is working out intensely, or VERY sick will be dealing with all these examples on a daily basis....so if we don't buffer these acids somehow, our bodies will run into a wall.

How can we buffer or REMOVE lactic Acid?

*Non-Starchy nutrient dense vegetables or GREENS-the customary 5 servings of vegetables a day isn't enough, we need upwards of 13-20 servings
*Limit Foods that cause acidity in the body, and eat more alkaline foods (chart below)

*minerals (magnesium, multi-vitamins)
*electrolytes (GOOD QUALITY)
*Sodium Bicarbonate
*potassium Bicarbonate is the best source (found in baking soda)

******I just bought a very expensive supplement after shipping and Customs from the US....consisting of Sodium and potassium bicarbonate ONLY. Hopefully this will help my cause!!! If any Canadians know of a similar supplement in Canada, PLEASE post below!!!

*Cleanses and DETOXES can be a great way to kickstart your progress and get your levels back to normal quickly!!!
*Change your workout volume from Hypertrophy workouts to low rep STRENGTH workouts, and to not work the lactic acid systems

If proper foods and supplements aren't getting your levels back to normal, you may have to tailor back your workouts and give your body time to get back to balance. The more you workout, the more acid you create, so if you just CAN'T keep up, you may need some time off (whence me cutting down my volume, and cardio performed till I get this under control)

How do you perform a simple cheap acidity test at home ?

You will need
*PH litmus papers from a health food store (rip off 7 strips)
*Distilled water
*A real lemon

***Do in the morning before eating or having any coffee!!

Your BASELINE
This number will represent your body at homeostasis...you haven't worked out recently, are rested and have had lots of time to buffer acid. If you AREN'T a 7-8pH it could mean you are deficient in acid buffers. If it IS a 7-8, is still doesn't mean you are great at buffering acid, it just means that given enough time your body can get to a good level

Minutes 1-5 -
These are the important numbers...and will show you how you buffer acid in the body, and how quickly. The lemon water will bring pH down to a 5...acid buffers in your saliva SHOULD bring the acid level in your mouth back to a 7-8 within those 5 minutes....

SO

1. Swish some distilled water around in your mouth. After a few seconds, take your BASELINE reading. (compare colour with the chart that will come with the strips)

2. Pour a little more distilled water into a glass, and squeeze a good amount of lemon into the glass...drink, and take your START LEVEL. This should be a 5.

3. Every Minute there after (for 5 minutes), take another reading and record.

If your baseline was a 7-8 and you get back to there after 5 minutes, you're GOLD, good work!!! :)
If your baseline was a 7-8 and you only get back to a six, you have some work to do
If your baseline was a 6 and you may or may not get back to 6...like I was, YOU HAVE LOTS of work to do!! HAHA

YOU should be doing the cleanse and detox with me starting on May 26th...message me for details on this challenge, and I will send you the supplement info, and cost! Even the testers who don't make it back to 7-8 completely will benefit from this process!!!

Here is a link to a supplement vlog I did, describing what I use to keep myself functioning properly! If you go to the last few minutes, I show some of the products used in the cleanse..(I would HIGHLY recommend getting the Product B as well)..there will also be a Facebook group for support through the tough days!!! I know you will love it as much as I did! :) Let me know if you want more information, and I will get you set up!!! OperationLean

Product Website

In the meantime, if you don't get enough vegetables, get yourself some powdered greens and start on that supplementation right away, and drink lots and lots of water, include electrolytes post workout as well. This should start you in the right direction!

I hope this was helpful, if you have any more questions, post in the comments and I will try to answer everything!! :)

Want to learn MORE!!!? Make sure to subscribe to this blog so you don't miss out on future posts!!! There should be many more to come this summer!

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