He came home with donuts last night, proud he had thought to quench my sweet tooth before the craving hit. Unfortunately, that meant I got to stare at a bag of Shipley’s donuts all night…and come home starving from my workout this morning to once again see those Shipley’s donuts. Fortunately, the outcome of the Battle of the Donuts is Ashleigh: 1, Food: 0.

7/11/2010: Food Log
Pre-Cardio: Protein Shake, Banana (200 calories)
Breakfast: 3 egg whites, 2 turkey bacon, wheat toast, skim latte (275 calories)
Snack: FiberOne Bar, Lowfat cheese (210 calories)
Dinner: Turkey Spaghetti and Wheat Pasta (450 calories)
Dessert: Skinny Cow Ice Cream (150 calories)
Total Calories: 1285

Exercise: 45 minutes on the elliptical – my ankle seems to FINALLY be healing a bit!

7/12/2010: Food Log
Pre-Cardio: FiberOne Cereal with skim milk, Banana (190 calories)
Snack: FiberOne Bar, Peanuts (200 calories)
Lunch: 1/2 turkey sandwich on wheat, yogurt (230 calories)
Snack: Rice cake with 1 tsp peanut butter (200 calories)
Dinner: Breaded Chicken Patty, mashed potatoes (400 calories)
Snack: Peanuts (75 calories)
Dessert: Skinny Cow Ice Cream (150 calories)
Total Calories: 1295

Exercise: 35 minutes on stationary bike

 While I am training for my big audition I am also watching my diet. If I don’t plan my meals for the day, I most likely will goof up and eat something I am not supposed to. Although I am working hard in the gym that doesn’t mean I no longer have to worry about what I eat. It’s even more important than before.

I have learned that as long as I plan and have what I need, I do well. When I wake up I remind myself that I have a plan for that day and I must follow it. I have a picture in my head of my goal and I do my best to focus on it. But sometimes I lose focus quite easily when there is sugar around. I can say no to bread. I can turn down a soda or a cocktail. But put me in the vicinity of a cookie and the fight is on. Doesn’t it seem like everytime you watch what your eating is when temptation shows up? Like the pizza and cupcakes that arrive at your workplace, or the doughnuts in the morning when you arrive. Since I have started watching what I eat it seems more junk food has been around me wherever I go! Luckily I have a great support system around me of friends and family. I don’t want to let myself down, and I don’t want to let them down. As long as I keep to my plan and stay focused on my goal, I get through my day. I have my plan, I have my goal, and I am not losing focus!

6/28/2010: Food Log
Pre-Weights: FiberOne cereal (1/2 cup) with skim milk (100 calories)
Breakfast: 3 egg whites, 2% kraft cheese, 2 turkey bacon and wheat toast (240 calories)
Snack: Protein Shake (110 calories)
Lunch: Tortilla with Turkey Sausage, yogurt (370 calories)
Dinner: Chicken patty, black beans (300 calories)
Total Calories: 1120

Exercise: 45 minutes resistance training with Meagan, 38 minutes on the elliptical

6/29/2010: Food Log
Pre-Weights: FiberOne cereal (1/2 cup) with skim milk (100 calories)
Breakfast: 3 egg whites, 2 turkey bacon and black beans (260 calories)
Lunch: Turkey Sausage, yogurt (250 calories)
Snack: Americano, shortbread cookies (180 calories)
Dinner: Chicken sandwich on bun (600 calories)
Total Calories: 1390

Exercise: 45 minutes resistance training with Meagan

6/30/2010: Food Log
Breakfast: 3 egg whites and black beans (175 calories)
Snack: Protein Shake (110 calories)
Lunch: Chicken/pasta Lean Cuisine dish, FiberOne bar (380 calories)
Snack: FiberOne bar….quite an obsession! (140 calories)
Dinner: Mini turkey sausage with Salt Lick BBQ (delish!), Instant mashed potatoes (not so delish!) (450 calories)
Total Calories: 1255

Exercise: whoops….got busy and forgot to do my cardio!

My name is Sarah Modisette. I am 27 years old with a background in dance and theatre arts. I love ballet, jazz, and modern dance, I stink at tap but I can fake it just enough to get by. I love to sing although I think I am better at dancing. I consider myself a singer/ dancer, I am a performer.

In August I will be attending an audition for Le Reve in Boulder, Co. However, before I get to that I would like to tell you how this journey began.

Years ago I was introduced to aerial silk, an acrobatic art form that takes movement and places it on a fabric suspended in the air. I had always wanted to learn aerial silk, but could never found a person or place that taught this. After years of wishing and hoping my luck changed.

Last year I took a  job I would not usually take. Instead of being onstage as a performer I would add technical theatre to my resume, but I wasn’t your usual tech. I was hired on at SeaWorld San Antonio to work at the heights of a catwalk checking equipment and assisting bungee acrobats and aerial artists. It was an exciting new challenge and the first time I had the opportunity to work with heights. I found that I could work at heights with ease and comfort, you can do anything you set your mind to! It was last year I was suddenly surrounded by talented divers and acrobats that performed brilliantly on bungee, russian swing, lyra, and aerial silk! It was in this new job I met not one, but two beautiful aerial artists that would help me begin my journey with aerial silk.

I literally started learning with a silk hanging from a tree in the backyard of one of the aerialist, Elizabeth, and the other aerialist, Julia, teaching me, thoroughly inspected with a thumbs up on safety of course (location has since upgraded to a gym in Boerne). I didn’t think a year later I would plan to train for such a big audition as Le Reve, a remarkable show in Las Vegas. Little did I know I was starting on a journey. The road is difficult, but like I said before you can do anything you set your mind to.

I have been training for about a month now and it hasn’t been easy and time is running out. The audition date is August 9th and I have less then 6 weeks to get prepared. With the support of friends, family, and my trainer Meagan, I know I can do this.

If you’d like to contribute it would help greatly help. Every dollar counts! Donations can be made by clicking on the link below. Thank you for your support!

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_donations&business=4TAS3LZSAM4M2&lc=US&item_name=Le%20Reve&currency_code=USD&bn=PP%2dDonationsBF%3abtn_donateCC_LG%2egif%3aNonHosted

So, last night my sister and I went to Roaring Fork to talk business and catch up on life. For anyone who goes to happy hour, you absolutely must accompany wine with appetizers, especially if you’re at Roaring Fork – delicious! Unfortunately, as is usually the case with my sister and I, we drank a few more glasses of wine that we originally anticipated.

This morning I trained with Meagan and was in for a surprise. I regularly take two energy pills 30 minutes before I work out to help me burn fat and to wake me up for my early morning sessions. Unfortunately, energy/fat burning pills, intense weight training and a slight wine hangover don’t mix. Throw in a sinus headache for even more added value, and you’ll be the life of the party!

Next week, I highly intend NOT to drink wine the night before my training sessions. That’s a cocktail of delight which I will have to forgo in the future.

The good news, though, is those 5 lbs (the ones I put on during my 6 weeks off from my diet) are gone.

Cheers!

6/22/2010: Food Log
Breakfast: All-Brean wheat cereal (1/2 cup) with skin milk, low-sodium v8 juice (190 calories)
Snack: Fiber One Bar (130 calories) – Surprised?!
Lunch: Chicken Sausage in wheat tortilla (270 calories)
Snack: 1 cup of FiberOne Cereal in light vanilla yogurt (250 calories)
Dinner: Shredded chicken on corn tortilla (2), with black beans (330 calories)
Snack: Protein shake (110 calories)
Total Calories: 1280

6/23/2010: Food Log
Pre-weight: All-Brean wheat cereal (1/2 cup) with skin milk (130 calories)
Breakfast: 3 egg whites, one slice 2% Kraft cheese, 2 slices turkey bacon on wheat tortilla (290 calories)
Snack: Banana (90 calories)
Lunch: Chicken Sausage link, 1/2 cup of FiberOne Cereal in light vanilla yogurt (260 calories)
Dinner: Wine, seafood appetizers at Roaring Fork (700 calories ?)
Total Calories: 1470 (??)

Exercise: 45 minute resistance training with Meagan.

My current favorite bar is the Chocolate Mocha, so much that I actually had two yesterday.

While fiber is good to have in your diet, too much can be a bad thing….but thank goodness for absolutely delicious bars and cereals that are great for your health! Nom, nom nom……

6/21/2010: Food Log
Breakfast: Cereal with non-fat milk, banana (200 calories)
Snack: Fiber One Bar (130 calories)
Lunch: Chicken Sausage in wheat tortilla, banana (350 calories)
Snack: Protein shake, Fiber One Bar – yep, again! (240 calories)
Dinner: 3 egg whites, Kraft singles 2% cheese, wheat tortilla, 2 strips turkey bacon (320 calories)
Total Calories: 1240

Exercise: 45 mins on stationary bike while watching the newest episode of Lie to Me. Good times.

I love spinach.
(My 12-year-old former self is currently staring at me in disgust.)

Spinach is the best, and fortunately, I love spinach salads without dressing. If you’re looking for a tasty treat without the price tag, definitely head over to Pam’s Patio Kitchen. This is not just any ordinary salad. This salad is piled high with toasted pecans, fresh strawberries and juicy mandarin oranges.

You know you are in for a treat when the spinach stems are bursting from the seams of the to-go container – the yummy goodness taunting you, just waiting to be enjoyed.

6/17/2010: Food Log
Breakfast: Jimmy Dean Light Breakfast Croissant (290 calories)
Snack: Protein Shake (110 calories)
Lunch: Small Spinach, Fruit, Pecan Salad, sans dressing (250 calories)
Snack: Iced Americano, Shortbread cookie pack (170 calories)
Dinner: Chicken Sausage, mixed veggies (250 calories)
Total Calories: 1070

Exercise: 30 mins on stationary bike while watching Monsters, Inc. Ankle still healing, knee all sorts of out of whack. C’mon…I’m 28 years old, what’s up with this?!

Eating 1200 to 1400 calories doesn’t have to be painful. I’ll admit, when you have a craving it can be downright awful! But waking up the next morning to weigh yourself is so much more rewarding if you can hang tight and stay strong.

6/14/2010: Food Log
Pre-Weight Training: 1/2 c Fiber One Cereal with 1/4 c skim milk (100 calories)
Breakfast: Jimmy Dean Light Sausage Croissant (290 calories)
Snack: Protein Shake (110 calories)
Lunch: Chicken Sausage Dog (no bread), v8 low sodium, Gala apple (260 calories)
Snack: 1/2 c Fiber One Cereal with 1/4 c skim milk (100 calories)
Dinner: 1/4 box of Hamburger Helper made with lean beef and skim milk (315 calories)
Snack: Wheat Thins Fiber Crackers (130 calories)
Total Calories: 1295

Exercise: 45-minute personal training session with Meagan. Clearly, waking up at 5:00 a.m. and working out means I am SUPER hungry. My trick is to eat a little bit…and often.

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6/15/2010: Food Log
Breakfast: 3 egg whites, 2% cheese slice, wheat toast, 2 slices turkey bacon (230 calories)
Snack: Protein Shake (110 calories)
Lunch: Breaded Chicken Patty, 1/2 c Fiber One cereal with skim milk (280 calories)
Snack: Gala apple (80 calories)
Dinner: Chicken Sausage, Mixed Veggies (300 calories)
Snack: Turkey bacon and cheese (200)
Total Calories: 1200

Exercise: 35 minutes on the stationary bike; I recently rolled my ankle playing tennis, so I’m doing low-impact cardio until I heal.

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6/16/2010: Food Log
Pre-Weight Training: 1/2 c Fiber One Cereal with 1/4 c skim milk (100 calories)
Breakfast: 3 egg whites, 2% cheese slice, wheat toast, 2 slices turkey bacon (230 calories)
Snack: Protein Shake (110 calories)
Lunch: Tuna Filet (Starkist pouch), instant mashed potatoes with skim milk (290 calories)
Snack: Wheat Thins Fiber Crackers & cheese (150 calories)
Dinner: Freetail Brewing Co Pizza – two slices of pepperoni/goat cheese (estimated 500 calories)
Total Calories: 1480

Exercise: 45-minute personal training session with Meagan.

Note: I’m not sure how much the pizza was in terms of calories. Typically, my husband and I opt for a large and eat way too much. This time, we ordered a medium and only ate half of it (two slices each). The slices were much smaller than a large would have been, and we stopped ourselves from eating more, when normally we would pig out. The good news was I still managed to keep my calories down, ate the pizza 3 hours before going to bed, and weighed less at the next day’s weigh in.

Lesson: Dieting doesn’t mean starving yourself. It means making sensible decisions – even at a pizza place!

I’ve always been relatively fit. I grew up playing tennis, traveling throughout Texas in order to maintain my state ranking. Activity was something that just happened in my life – it’s how I operated on a day-to-day basis.

My struggle with weight began in college. Without tournaments and practice to keep me on the tennis courts, I kept eating the way I was used to eat as an athlete. Additionally, it didn’t help that I no longer had my 16-year-old body with speedy metabolism.

Ashleigh versus Food
Fast forward to post-graduation, post-graduate school and post-marriage. Guess what? Weight is still an issue! I struggle everyday and feel as though I am in a battle against food. Fortunately, I’m determined not to let food win.

I’ve been training with Meagan for a year or so now. If I had to single out the most important thing she’s taught me, it’s that diet is key. If you had to pick between exercise and diet (ideally you must do both), diet has to win in order to reach your fitness goals. I learned this lesson the hard way.

Last October (2009) I intensified my training to 3 times a week with Meagan. Despite training and doing cardio a few times a week, I was not losing weight. I knew diet was key, but I wasn’t keeping a food journal and I surely didn’t want to give up my daily glass of wine.

However, the beginning of December I was fed up. Thanksgiving had come and gone and I felt disgusting. No clothes were fitting me, and I was not about to go buy a larger size.

Something’s Got to Give
I took charge and began keeping a journal. Within 8 weeks, I’d lost nearly 15 pounds!

How?

DIET!

Plain and simple, I kept a log and watched my diet in addition to keeping with my training with Meagan and cardio sessions on my own.

After 4 intense months of a daily intake of 1200 calories, I took about 8 weeks off to let my body leave its plateau and to relax a little bit. I continued with my training and cardio, but allowed myself to splurge a bit more often on food. Fortunately, I’ve only put on about 5 lbs…which I attribute to water weight and too much sodium. Three days ago I kicked my diet back into gear (1200-1400 calories) and I’ve already dropped a few lbs of that water weight.

It’s tough. Every day I battle the urge to eat pizza or ice cream. I love food. Unfortunately, food doesn’t love me. It goes to my stomach, love handles and arms.

Sharing My Journey
I’m on a mission to help Meagan educate everyone about nutrition, and that dieting doesn’t have to suck. Stay tuned as I post my food logs – you just might discover how much food 1200 calories really can be. And, you’ll come to discover that “cheat meals” are a pretty fabulous reward at the end of the week!