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Published on Thursday, 29 November 2012 20:46
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Written by Natalie Waples
Canuck Corner: Installment #15
Hi Everyon
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Well the holidays are upon us and if you are like me, you are running around trying to get everyone crossed off your gift list, planning travel, and rearranging your calendar to get to all of the holiday social engagements – sheesh! Add to that the fact that any IFBB athlete who wishes to be considered for the Arnold Classic must have their applications in by mid-December, and it can make for a few very stressful weeks, but hey, that’s what the holidays are all about - right?!
I was bursting at the seams to see the December issue of Oxygen magazine, as I knew that the buddy workout I shot with Aleisha Hart would be featured, and was also happy to see a nice picture of fellow Team FMG Athlete Felicia Romero and I, as part of the Fat Loss Q&A panel – thank you Oxygen! Fitness magazines always help me get through holiday workouts (even if it is in the tiny gym I visit when I go to see my parents!), so I am always sure to stock up on my faves before I climb on the plane to go home.
For me, the month of November was one of muscle building, getting used to a new meal plan, cutting back on the cardio and just letting my muscles do the work. A friend of mine referred to me as a ‘tank’ the other day and I am probably the only girl at my gym who would take that as a compliment – come on muscle gains! I consistently get the critique that I need more muscle mass on my frame so that is what this off season is all about – GAINS. I am what you would call a ‘hard hard gainer’ – in that lies the challenge.
So for all of you out there who do compete, what does your off season look like? Do you stay within 10 lbs of your contest weight or pack on a little bit more? Do you go completely off the wagon with respect to nutrition and eat junk food, take out, or the three deadly S’s on a regular basis(sugar, salt and starch)? We all have different ways of tackling the off season, and
no matter how you slice it, staying healthy should be the goal, as well as feeling comfortable in your skin. Maintaining a regular workout schedule is also hugely important in keeping your body on track and staying in shape. It seems like a simple notion, but it is amazing how quickly your body gains body fat and loses muscle mass if you stop training. According to the American Council on Exercise, “well-trained individuals” can often expect to maintain muscle strength upward of 12 weeks after stopping their standard workout routines. Someone not as fit, on the other hand, will start losing muscle at a much faster rate, sometimes in as little as a few weeks. Is that not terrifying? You can train for years, and if you stop for a few months, your muscle will start to deteriorate.
With that being said, keeping your workouts interesting is key to staying motivated in the gym when there is no contest in sight, or ‘bikini’ season on the horizon. I like to get all my prescribed workouts in between Monday and Friday, and then on Saturday I spice it up with some HIIT. I like to mix it up with running bleachers, box jumps, jump rope, burpees, mountain climbers, sprinting drills, rowing, speed squats, jum
ping jacks, plank jacks, push-ups, spider push-ups, planks, medicine ball work, hip thrusts, side to side hops, lunges and so on. Change is good!
Now this would not be a holiday blog without a holiday recipe, so here is a simple, no bake protein bar recipe which takes 5 minutes to whip together and tastes terrific! This recipe makes 6 servings at approximately 245 cals, 8g fat (2 saturated), 25 g carbs (4 fibre) and 27 g protein each:
Nat’s No Bake Power Protein Bars
·Ingrediants: 1 lb 1% cottage cheese, 4 table spoons of natural peanut butter, 2 cups oats(not steel cut), and 3 scoops of chocolate protein powder (I use Nutrabolics Chocolate Isobolic Whey)
·Mix all 4 ingredients together with a fork in a large bowl. Line a shallow baking pan, ceramic or glass dish with wax paper and transfer the mixture into the pan (try to smooth it out evenly throughout the pan/dish)
·Put the pan/dish into the fridge to allow the ingredients to set (*also these bars must be stored in the fridge because of the dairy)
·Let stand for a couple hours and then use a butter knife and spatula to section off and remove the bars from the batch
·Easy and delicious!
I hope you all have an absolutely wonderful holiday season - look forward to chatting again in 2013!
Yours in Health,
Natalie Waples
IFBB Figure Pro
Team Nutra & Team FMG
www.nataliewaplesfitness.com
