1/3 c. Ideal (Xylitol)

2 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 c. oat flour + 2 scoops vanilla whey protein (I used Fahrenheit Nutrition’s Vanilla Ice Cream)

1 tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. Ideal (Xylitol) or 1/4 c. Stevia in the Raw

2 egg whites

1 c. unsweetened almond milk (Almond Breeze)

4 oz. baby food applesauce

Preheat oven to 350. Spray an 8×8 inch Pyrex dish with non-stick spray.

In small bowl combine: (set aside)

1/3 c. Ideal (Xylitol)

2 tsp. cinnamon

In large bowl combine: (whisk together)

1 1/2 c. oat floar + 2 scoops vanilla whey protein

1 tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. Ideal (Xylitol) or 1/4 c. Stevia in the Raw

In medium bowl combine: (whisk together & add to large bowl)

2 egg whites

1 c. unsweetened almond milk (Almond Breeze)

4 oz. jar of baby food applesauce

Pour a shallow layer of batter into the pan (about 1/4 of the batter).

Sprinkle heavily with half of the cinnamon/”sugar” mixture. Repeat with remaining batter and cinnamon/”sugar” on top.

Draw a knife through the batter to marble. Bake for 24-28 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Bread will be dense.

Pick up the January issue of Muscle & Fitness Hers to see the new ad for Fahrenheit Nutrition featuring one of their newest sponsored athletes! You can check out Fahrenheit Nutrition and all of their products at www.fnutrition.com!

During peak week, my girly side always shines through. Manicure, pedicure, hair, and a massage were all on the docket for this week. I may be a little hardcore in the gym, but I do love getting primped and pampered.

The encouragement and support of my family and friends has been overwhelming this week. I’m so thankful to have so many on my side and in my cheering section. I really appreciate every kind word and good luck wishes. It truly means a lot to me.

Today was my last workout before the stage and I’m feeling really good. As I’ve said before, I always go into each show trying to beat my last performance and I believe I’ve done just that. No matter win or lose this weekend, I’ve done my best, given 150%, and undoubtedly pushed myself to the limits. I’ve accomplished my goal, personally; now the rest is up to the judges.

My suit arrived yesterday, putting the cherry on top of this prep. I couldn’t be more amazed at how stunning it is. A HUGE thank you to Caron Hospedales for making it so gorgeous!

Looking forward to a spectacular weekend in South Beach! Best wishes to all competitors & I will be seeing you all very soon! Let’s have some fun!!!!

Until next time,

Train hard, give it all you’ve got, & never stop believing in yourself!

xoxo/Ashley

Overall, prep continues to be going great and right on schedule, in my opinion. Only a few more hard workouts left!

All travel plans have been finalized and entry was mailed in this week, no turning back now. The only thing left to do is wait on my suit to be finished & I will be ready for take off.

Last weekend, I was feeling run down & just plain exhausted. But, after a small refeed & a higher carb day, I’m feeling back to 100%.

Support and encouragement has been through the roof this week and I’m so very thankful for that. I couldn’t ask for better people standing behind me every step of the way. You all know who you are! =))

As I said, another set of progress pictures were taken which I’m very satisfied with at this point in the game.

Until next time, train hard! Thanks for reading! xoxo

]]> http://www.ashleylemmons.com/journey-to-npc-nationals-2011/feed 6 http://www.ashleylemmons.com/new-image-nutrition-depot?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-image-nutrition-depot http://www.ashleylemmons.com/new-image-nutrition-depot#comments Sat, 22 Oct 2011 21:44:15 +0000 Ashleyl http://www.ashleylemmons.com/?p=926 I’m proud to be working with new local business and new sponsor, New Image Nutrition Depot.

Located in Princeton, Indiana; New Image offers a wide variety of vitamins, supplements, sports nutrition products, and select whole foods. I look forward working with New Image on several projects promoting a healthy lifestyle for our local community. Our mission is to help and inform customers on how to fulfill their health and wellness needs.

New Image Nutrition Depot is located at:

1545 W. Broadway

Princeton, IN 47670

812-386-7825

Store Hours:

Monday-Friday 8:30am-6:30pm

Saturday 8:30-5:00pm

Photo courtesy: Alex Morgan Imaging    www.alexmorganimaging.com

1. Eat Old Fashioned or Plain Quick Oats instead of pre-packaged flavored oatmeal. Oatmeal is loaded in fiber so it will help keep you full longer. Pre-packaged flavored oatmeal is usually loaded in sugar.

2. Eat Whole Wheat or sprouted bread (Ezekiel Bread) vs. white bread. In the process of making white flour, the bran and the germ have been removed from the whole wheat grain; the bran and the germ contain most of the nutritional value. With the bran and germ lacking from white flour, white bread is lower in fiber, zinc, thiamin, niacin, trace elements and “good fats” and oils.

3. Eat FRESH fruits vs. canned or processed. Although fruits are simple carbohydrates, the natural fructose or natural sugars will not cause a quick rise in blood sugar, hence will not make your body store fat as easily as a canned or processed (which is loaded in added sugars) fruit would. Fruits are also loaded in fiber & other nutrients beneficial in weight loss.

4. Eat Natural Peanut Butter vs. Regular PB. Natural peanut butter contains polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, which are considered “essential” fats to the body. Regular peanut butter contains only saturated fat, which will raise your bad cholesterol. Not to mention the regular is loaded in extra sodium and sugar from the man-made oil.

5. Replace soda with water or Crystal Light. If you replace a daily 20 oz soda with water, you would easily lose up to 35 pounds in 1 year. One regular soda contains 250-275 calories, plus added sugars & sodium.

6.  Ditch the calorie-laden sauces and dressings. Enhance the flavor by experimenting with natural flavors like spices and herbs, such as lemon, dill, cinnamon, paprika, cumin, chipotle chili peppers, ginger, and garlic.

7. Shake the salt habit. Excess salt can damage cells, meaning cells won’t function at their best. This will leave your metabolism suffering and decrease your ability to burn fat and repair muscle.

8. Eat sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes. You’ll store fewer carbs as body fat when you switch to sweet potatoes, but you’ll still get the energy you need for your workouts. Added bonus, a medium sweet potato provides more potassium than a medium banana.

9. Choose plain nonfat Greek yogurt vs. fruit flavored yogurt. Greek contains no added sugars and is higher in protein, keeping you full longer. Flavored “light” or “fat free” yogurt usually contains around 20 grams of sugar per 6 oz and has the word “juice” in its ingredient list.

10. Choose lean proteins vs. processed fatty sources. Pick up some boneless/skinless chicken breast, ground turkey, and fish (such as tilapia). Avoid high processed meats like hot dogs, deli meat like bologna, high fat ground beef, and bacon.

2 a days are currently underway. I’m doing 45 minutes fasted cardio in the morning with at least 20 more minutes at night. With a brand spankin new playlist on the Ipod, time has been flying by during the sweat sesh and I’m lovin it!

In the weight room, I’m still feeling strong & have made some new PR’s in the past few weeks. I’ve added some size to my back since Jr. Nationals and making the waist look even smaller, which was the goal. =) Currently, I’m 3 pounds away from my stage weight at Jr. Nationals, which is great, considering I’ve added size. Stoked!

Diet is going great as well. Food is fuel. Sometimes it takes me a week or two to get into the groove and in that mind frame, but I always know when it’s time to flip that switch. Of course, there’s been several days where I’ve been extremely hungry, but I know that’s my metabolism firing & it just gets me pumped up knowing that everything is working & falling into place. Cravings haven’t really been too bad yet, except for the random craving for a tootsie roll the other day. I don’t even know where that came from.  I’m sure more cravings will hit in a couple weeks or so.

Besides a little personal stress & my mind being in a million places at once, everything is looking pretty good. I’m feeling good with my training & prep and that’s the one thing that’s important here. =)

Thanks for reading & Train Hard! xoxo

Progress Pictures were taken yesterday.

I’m also very excited to start my personal training career this year as well. I’ve already had the opportunity to help several people accomplish great things and build some self-confidence. I look forward to helping many others achieve their goals in the future. Above all, that is most rewarding for me while working in the fitness industry.

My website is also new for 2011. I hope to reach out to even more people around the globe with online personal training through my site. Followers can stay up to date with what I’m up to, ask questions, and get training/nutrition advice as well. A HUGE thank you goes to my web developer for working so hard and doing a fantastic job! It wouldn’t be possible without him.

During the next couple weeks, I will continue to try to add a little bit of size to my back and round out the shoulders a tad more before dieting down for the next show in November. The ham/glute tie in will also be on the agenda during the next few weeks of hard training. As for diet, I’m still eating clean, but also adding a little more food while trying to put on a little more size in certain areas.

Remember, I’m always listening to your questions and comments. Please, do not hesitate to contact me because someone else may have the same question you do.  I will do my best to answer any topics that you may have.

Train Hard!

xoxo/Ashley