Big fish in a small pond or small fish in a big pond?

The sunshine, palm trees and ocean breeze welcomed me when I landed in Charleston, South Carolina. Mid-70s and the smell of seafood wafted through the air. In just one day, I would indulge in some authentic seafood. Until then, it was time to decide which type of fish to be.

Have you hear the analogy of being "a big fish in a small pond?"

This concept demonstrates that the fish has outgrown its habitat and environment. It could also be related to leadership and experiences. Have you become good enough in an area and are not surrounded with room to grow or develop further? Or is the talent pool around you less than or equal to your capabilities? I was disciplined and focused on this goal for just over a year in bodybuilding and felt confident and comfortable. Was I becoming a big fish in a small pond?

Cream of Rice Protein "Sugar" Cookie Recipe

I've always been a cookie fiend. Growing up, mom would always have homemade cookies on the cupboard and even in the freezer for the next time we needed a sugary snack. When meals get monotonous, as they are often are on prep for a competition, I try to change things up.

Today, I did just that.

Cream of Rice Protein "Sugar" Cookies. 

You might be thinking, "how in the world is she making sugar cookies while on her strict bodybuilding meal plan?" That's the funny part -- they are not sugar cookies. However, with a few awesome ingredients, they have a similar taste and consistency to the most recent sugar cookies I had [over Christmas]. Sigh... so long ago.

Many of today's food and nutrition companies are using science to their and our advantage. They can research and test many flavors and components. They also make them safe and affordable for consumption. These are a few reasons why I love Optimum Nutrition supplements. Not only are their products tasty, but they are very transparent and forward to consumers about why they create their products to help others find their "true strength". 

The past few months, I have had a hankering for "cake", "birthday cake" and "cake batter" flavors. Don't ask me why. Bizarre, I know. Therefore, when I placed my next order to stock up on whey protein, I chose the cake batter flavor of Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein.

YUM.

Rising up with Ryan's Root to Rise Yoga

Breathe in through your nose, out through your mouth.

Inhale... exhale...

The loft in Kindred was warmed to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Stationery candles surrounded the small area for yoga mats, blankets and blocks. Nine yogi's joined Friday morning for a session designed to help athletes and their sore or tight muscles.

Laura Ryan, owner and instructor of Ryan's Root to Rise Yoga led the one-hour session focused on hip openers, flexibility and balance. If you were not sweating within the first 15 minutes, you must not have been in the loft with us!

I credit a lot of muscle development to having a "mind-muscle connection". This is no different than in yoga. When I entered the loft, I knew I had to have my mind focused and willing to let go of outside emotions, thoughts and factors to get the most from the session. It worked.

No matter the placing, I finished first at my second show.

The jitters and nerves did not ramp up until 10 minutes before show time.

I competed in my first bodybuilding competition in August 2015 (blog here). Experience increases comfort and confidence. I definitely carried more of both for this second show. The 2016 NPC Central USA Natural Championships was held at the Century Link Center in Omaha, Neb.

This go around, the show seemed to fly by. Saturday morning was prejudging.


I made a few mistakes.


That evening for finals, those errors probably added to my results.


I placed second in my class.

Stage photos courtesy of npcnewsonline.com

Initially, I was bummed.


I had worked my tail off. Yet, again, I got second place.


After some reflection and kind words from my coach and friends, I knew that in reality, I finished first.


There were some tough competitors in the group. I brought a better physique and stronger confidence to this show. I also practiced posing much more and it felt much more natural on stage. For only my second show ever, placing second two times is a big accomplishment! I even made some friends along the way.

It's fun meeting other competitors, especially those who live nearby!

Why I am so critical on myself and don't take time to celebrate the little successes? It was a local show with a comforting environment.

The most comforting part was the group of people there supporting me.

5 steps to meal prepping for beginners

Meal prep and GO! That's all it takes.

OK, in reality, it takes a bit more than that. I know from experience. However, like anything, you have to reach a point where you are willing to dive in, head first, and start. If you don't, you will keep telling yourself you either might not have time, don't have money for healthy foods or you are doing OK at selecting healthy foods or resisting temptations on your own.

It has been nearly one year since I began focusing on meal preparations and dieting, specifically for my body building shows. Whether you are training for a contest or not, I still think meal prep has aided tremendously in how much time I save. It has helped me better budget grocery expenses on a weekly and monthly basis. It has heightened my awareness about nutrition, serving sizes and food labels. All of these takeaways and more have maintained my interest and investment into the meal prep ideology.

Forewarning: it might feel weird or unnatural when you start making adjustments for meal preparations. However, do not let that set you back or scare you. I have had many friends reach out to me about my health and how to begin. I'd now like to share five steps to meal prepping for beginners.
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Thank you, Kale!

Mmmmm, kale. A healthy, fibrous green vegetable acclaimed by the health world as a "super food" and staple addition to a healthy diet. People in the health and food industry are always urging more people to eat veggies, "natural" products, that our bodies digest better and can be converted into healthy fuel for the body.

I agree completely. Eating more vegetables has helped me maintain and perform to levels I did not expect possible. Guess I should start eating more of this GMO.

Yes, GMO. Kale is a GMO. Genetically modified organism. And it's a damn good one. A few more of its vegetable relatives are too.

Kale: Another Fabulous Benefit of Genetic Modification (INFOGRAPHIC) from Food Insight

Kale, broccoli, brussel sprouts and cauliflower are just a few examples of vegetables that are genetically engineered for certain qualities we want. Many foods in nature today are not what they looked like many years ago. That's adaptation. Some of them, like the sweet potato, are naturally derived GMOs. Nonetheless, they are still good for you.

The term GMO gets a bad rep. Instead, first world people are obsessed with the terms like "organic, natural, gluten free", when those products may not have any other option to begin with. In today's age of technology, scientists and food production companies know the growing need for food diversity, instant meals, and more options to feed our extremely picky or extremely adventurous taste buds.

Thankful 30 - Day 17, food

Mmmmmmm, FOOD! Who does not like food? Seriously? It is funny because I have grown up surrounded by food options my entire life. Dang, I'm lucky. I'm so very thankful for food.

It nourishes my body. It comforts me. It brings people together. God has blessed me with it.

But guess what else? It causes wars. It creates food fights, miscommunication and manipulation. It causes gluttony and unhealthy choices. It could destroy us.

Curbed my craving: Homemade Cauliflower Crust Pizza

We all get cravings. Sometimes, it is for sweets and desserts. Other times, it is for salty, greasy, fat-loaded foods. I had the sodium cravings last weekend. I wanted pizza. Instead of going out and spending extra money I don't have in my budget, I made one. The crust was made from cauliflower and then I loaded on veggies, chicken and turkey bacon!

Cauliflower is a great option for someone looking to cut out carbs and fats found in premade bread crusts. Below is my recreation from a Sam's Club magazine article. I also included macronutrients of my pizza in case you'd like to make it the same. To fit my daily intake, I ate two pizzas-- you could easily eat just one... or the whole thing if you choose! :D

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Crust Ingredients

• 2 cups raw, processed cauliflower (about half of one large head)
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. garlic powder OR 1 tsp. chopped garlic
• 2 tsp. pizza seasoning
• 1 cup shredded cheese OR 2 mozzarella string cheese sticks

The evil emotion: fear.

I do not like to admit it, but I have fears. Everyone does, including you. The chemical changes in our human brains control our emotions, like fear. They allow us to interpret thoughts and actions and since everyone thinks and feels differently, we have different fears (if you keep reading, you might discover mine at the end of this post.)

People "Don't Do Vaccines"

A common fear is of the unknown or a threat. Imagine you approach a dark tunnel. Is it intimidating to look at the pitch black and not know what is there? Where does it lead? Where is the end? Anything could be there. That unknown factor impacts the situations and decisions people make on a regular basis.

Human Health and Plant Health Require Multiple MOA

We are constantly scrutinized. What should we wear, what should we eat, what we should do for our careers, how we should act and what we should think. That's a lot of pressure. One area I have seen even more pressure is to eat healthy and be fit or in shape.

Why are we fat

Some statistics and facts about ag.

The continuous impression we received from news anchors, celebrities, athletes, doctors, friends and family is that American's are overweight. As stated in this November article by Business Insider, a study from The Lancet by the Global Burden of Disease found the United States as the fattest country in the world for 2014, with 33 percent of the population being defined as "obese".

This is not a good thing for our country, but it is does demonstrate other positive aspects we have in our country, being modernized, technologically savvy and full of resources. With all of these resources from food to electronics, it has become easy to overeat, spend more time staring at computer, tablet, and phone screens and become less "physical" in our daily routines. More people sit in an office or in a vehicle for their jobs because our society has become smarter and made it "easier" for us to work.

Workout Wednesday - Take it to the Bench

Life is busy. For some, you may barely have time to eat lunch or make a quick call to an old friend. As we age, it can be even more difficult to balance our time to maintain a healthy lifestyle. This past summer, I found that out when working 40-hour work weeks at my internship. Not only are you tired after a long day at work, but the motivation to do anything but sit on the couch and either read a book or watch TV is daunting. But, as you activity level declines, so does your physical health.

This school year, I have made it a goal to become more active in the gym and make my physical health a priority. I have always had a high metabolism -- I took it for granted. Now, it has become clear to me that eating healthy and being physically fit is a necessary balance to stay successful in the working world.

I'm No Runner

From doing track in middle school and the beginning of high school, I knew running wasn't my thing. I was never the fastest nor did it ever "click" with something I truly enjoyed. However, I knew it was good for me. To this day, I still hate cardio. I get bored, and it does not excite me. Lucky for me, I found something better.

Yoga session in action.

Ohio State Rec Sports offers many facilities and free workout classes for its students. I have taken advantage of some of these to add diversity to my exercise schedule and push me harder. Yoga is one of my favorite exercises to enhance flexibility, toning and relaxation. There are others like suspension training and strength building classes I have attended that are really fun, yet challenging as well! If you are ever unmotivated to workout, going to a class with a group is definitely a momentum boost in my experience. Even if you are struggling, odds are, you aren't the only one pushed to your limits!

But, just attending these classes can be tedious. I recently found a new workout method that I am running with to build my physical health.

Why I Powerlift

At the start of the semester, I signed up for a free workout group called Barbelles. Unknowably, I fell in love with powerlifting for women. We have weekly "lectures" to discuss techniques and powerlifting for women and what are some of the differences between cardio and strength training. Then, we practice them at a weekly training. I had been doing some weightlifting on the side since the start of college. This course has re-inspired me to try something new and take one hour of my day to become strong(her). 

Practice technique first.

Then, add more weight to be stronger.

On Tuesday, I discovered I had been bench pressing with incorrect, possibly danger technique for YEARS. Now, I need to retrain my body to adjust and this will not only help me become stronger, but open possibilities for a new hobby: powerlifting. This is my new choice for health and fitness. Even though my schedule can be hectic, I make sure to schedule a workout in as a priority, because my life is worth it. 

Fitness For You

One hour day of exercise is all you need. Powerlifting is that one hour for me. What is best for you? Swimming? Running? Cycling? A combination of them all? Either way, being busy isn't a good excuse in my book. Plan it into your schedule and make it happen. 

I am attending the Arnold Sports Festival for the first time this weekend. I hope to learn something new and continue to add balance to my life. How do you balance a healthy lifestyle? Do you like to lift as well? Let me know and I'd love to share more thoughts. Hope to see you at the gym!

I'm a baker not a ballerina

Outside of my 40 hour work week, I wanted to find some other ways to stay active and healthy! Two of these hobbies that go hand-in-hand are cooking and exercising. On Friday night, I took my Betty Crocker skills to the kitchen by baking some blueberry banana muffins! You may think that is an odd combination, but after 20 minutes in the oven, they proved heavenly to the taste buds.

I discovered this Pinterest recipe (of course) from In Vogue at Home and will definitely be using it in the future! ***FYI, images above were taken by me. This was the first morsel of Milwaukee apartment cooking, and now I need to find some new recipes to test out as well.

Tweet What You Eat

You always hear "you are what you eat". However, it can be even more fun to tweet what you eat!

Each week, the AgChat Foundation hosts a tweet chat on Twitter to connect producers and consumers about topics concerning food and farming. These conversations are focused on specific topics brought up by followers each week and then posted as 'questions' to entice discussion.

On the third Tuesday of each month, #foodchat is conducted from 8-10 p.m. These events are steered toward health and wellness and bring in a more diverse crowd of consumers. I participated in one of these discussions this past Tuesday. The discussion topic this past week was focused on heart health and had a variety of topic questions from specific types of food that people consider heart healthy and good recipes to ways to relieve stress on the farm and how producers should better promote how these food options are healthy.

Not only was I engaged in the conversation because of the agricultural discussion, but because I enjoyed discussing different topics relating to health and wellness.

I think the AgChat Foundation does a good job of advocating for the agricultural industry using social media engagement. However, they must find new ways to draw in different consumer groups and attain their interest for topics that may not directly relate to agriculture. I think from my conversations on food chat, it is easier to connect on common topics like health and wellness initially, then transition into how these relate to agriculture.

Have you ever participated in these Twitter discussions before? What do you think is most effective?