Vacations are SABOTAGE!!

My handsome guy a couple months ago! 

Good news, I'm back! It's been quite some time since I've posted on here. First, I had a hectic week between work, schoolwork, and the internship getting ready for Spring Break. Then, Spring Break was here and I was on my way to New Orleans and Palm Beach, Florida, but not without a quick stop home first to say hi to my mom. And to drop the pooch off (thanks, Mom, for puppy-sitting!).

Before the worst :)

I've never really been a vacation person. Yes, I've had those "family vacations" in which you visit some family member or other and you get spoiled all week between your family and which ever member you are visiting. However, I'd never had the "I'm doing this on my own" vacation, and I was pretty pumped for the opportunity. Except for one little thing--HOW was I supposed to stay on track with my training and my biggest worry most importantly, my nutrition. After all, I was going to be in New Orleans during Mardi Gras. And that can only lead to one thing--flashing boobs an unnecessary, excess consumption of empty (alcoholic) calories. Sheesh! I wasn't even given a fair chance of surviving the week! 

Oh, guess I did get in a bit of exercise...

Let's start with my intent to workout: I went into the week hoping to workout in the hotel exercise room for the 3 days I was there and workout at the Gold's Gym in Palm Beach for the rest of the duration. Did that happen? No. Let's see, the first morning, I did workout at the hotel, and it felt good--HIIT and some random moves with dumbbells (it was all they had). The next morning, even though it was supposed to be open at 7am (and I got there at 8am), the room was locked! Jerks! From there, I had a few days off until Friday in Palm Beach, where I took a tennis lesson. Here's the lesson I learned: I suck at tennis. I'd rather run. Or lift. Yes, lift--perfection! Saturday, despite really REALLY wanting to check out the Gold's down there, I went to the country club gym after an HIIT run outdoors--ah, the gorgeous Florida air/weather/environment! It was a'ight. Nothing special. I did have one of the men that worked there come up and tell me that I was working the hardest he's seen anyone workout there. But that really isn't saying much, because most of the people that live in this country club community are OLD. O-L-D, old. So I'm pretty sure it's really easy to workout harder than them, oops, did I just say that out loud??

Nutrition: I won't go into too many details, but let's just say the first half of my week (in New Orleans), while my food consumption was fairly decent, my alcohol consumption was most likely off the charts. Okay, slight exaggeration, but the drinks there kick you on your ass! First of all, ALCOHOL. Second, SUGAR. It's like they didn't even know how to make a drink without adding all this unnecessary sugar. And for someone who rarely eats added sugars in her diet, I was done for with the first drink I had! The second half of my week, I cut back dramatically on the alcohol (poor, poor liver!), but it was impossible not to eat while staying at a big-ass mansion beach house on a country club/beach club resort. The good news is I didn't have to pay for practically anything, but the bad news is, gulp, I gained a few pounds.

Some healthier meals (well, coffee wasn't a meal, but a travel necessity): gumbo & anti-cobb salad (aka a very fruity salad).

 

You have to admit this is hilarious.

Okay, okay, I know: Bad, BAD Liz! But hear me out. First of all, it's super hard to adjust to three long car rides (15 hours, 12 hours, 14 hours). Not only did I have to succumb to the places the other girls wanted to eat (KFC buffet, anyone? Okay I may have said fine to that just because it was a funny sight), but do you know just how BORING long car rides are, let alone three of them?! It's not that I ate particularly unhealthy, but it was that I ate too much because country clubs add ALL these unnecessary courses to your meal. No, I do not need a (multigrain) bread basket, hors d'oeuvres, AND a salad bar BEFORE my meal! Geez people, how can you eat like this on a regular basis?! 

The experience has gotten my ass in line though--by that I mean, I'm at the point where I realize just how close my competition is. Albeit, it's still many weeks away, but I need to be on no less than my A-game ALL. THE. TIME! How is it going so far--great! I have officially dropped the weight I (briefly) gained and I'm actually asking for butt-whooping gym sessions. And so far, so good! I haven't cried (haven't actually done that at the gym yet), I haven't let myself do the "easy" routines, and, most importantly, I haven't quit! As I said to Kevin last night: If I didn't wanna do it, I would have just stopped. But I told myself I'm doing a competition, and I'll be damned if I don't do everything in my power to do it! And not only do it, but do it well. So that's where I stand now, after my weeklong setback--more determined than ever! And more sober--I promised a friend I would go out with her on St. Patrick's Day, one of my fave days, and since I can't back out, I'm gonna go (without drinking). Hello figure competition, I will kick your ass!

They always want to cop a feel!