Get Your Mind Right.

Hi strangers! A few of you have asked for another blog update- I have good news& bad news. Which would you like 1st? Bad news? Ok.

CHAPTER 1: Don't TALK about it. BE ABOUT IT. I'm not going to be blogging as much as I did for the Oxygen shoot. No posting weekly progress pics. No psychological self-evaluations.

Over the last year, I put alot of pressure on myself to meet others expectations and it took a LONG time to get my thinking straight. I felt pressed to constantly inspire people and it became unhealthy. I have been blessed with a strong support system of family & friends- specifically the women who compete in my Bible study. They have been so encouraging as I sort through all the crap I've been telling myself. I now do this for 2 reasons alone:

I do this to glorify God. (SCREEEEECH) [insert ghetto exclamation]- "Wait, hohhwd up." Bikini Competition? God? (One of these things is not like the other) Everything I've been through in life brought me exactly where He wants me. My life verse is Jer 29:11- "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you & not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope & a future." Any issues I've created along the way spring solely from not putting my trust COMPLETELY in Him- placing it in others or myself. This is still a constant battle for me- I want to be strong & do things alone. The irony is that only when I am weak, can He be my strength.

I do this for fun. For myself alone. I love a challenge. Sick? Yes, but even when I hate it- I love it. Makes no sense to me either, it's ok :o)

Now The good news! I still want to help people so if you have any questions about diet or exercise, please ask! I can definitely show you where to find great info (Dear Pinterest, will you marry me?)- It's all about discovering what works for you. Please share too- if you find something that inspires you, send it to me! I'd love to pass it on. Keep the positivity flowing! Happy training! KB <3

NKY18WEEKS- BRING. IT. ON.

Ladies & gentlemen- it's been a while so I owe you some updates! The Oxygen Magazine came out Oct 4th and it's been the experience of a lifetime! For legality, Kelly Meade & I weren't told we had the cover shot 'til 3 days prior! WHAT AN INCREDIBLE SURPRISE! The support from my friends & family has been awesome! A friend FB'ed me today saying she saw it in PARIS! Thanks to everyone who bought the issue so far!(my mom & dad had the Centerville area cleaned out for a week lol.) "Off the Couch" is a quarterly special edition so it should be out through January- please check it out!

I've also been invited to join Team Bombshell- a highly credited international fitness, figure & bikini competition squad! They are doing my prep for the Northern KY March 24 and I may also pick up the Arnold Classic March 4th.

Due to the confidentiality contract (they mean business!), I cannot discuss specifics of my diet/training. But I WILL tell you- these women KNOW what they're doing! My nutrition is crazy clean & I actually LOVE the structure. My monthly training splits are itemized down to each minute of cardio. I eat smaller portions every 2 hours for 6 meals which contain 7 forms of lean protein, 5 different complex carbs, 4 forms of essential fats, 5 different veggies & 26 supplements daily. I've completely cut wheat, dairy, alcohol, sugar (this includes artificial sweeteners-bye bye, crystal light & diet soda. Never thought I'd survive that but I notice cleaner energy!) I do use limited Stevia in my oats/coffee. No more condiments/salt in cooking except a little lemon juice/Mrs. Dash. I've also cut nuts, fruit & protein powders (casein/ almond butter are my crack cocaine!) I get all nutrition whole food & eat everything as raw as possible to preserve the nutrients. I make my raw egg whites into a protein shake for breakfast, you say E. coli- I say delicious. ( pshhh, I don't scare easy- plus with pasteurization, the whites are safer raw) I really struggled with sweets & eliminating sugar has balanced my insulin levels so I don't get cravings- it's much easier to make wise choices.

BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS. iced black coffee, egg white smoothie, oats & AM supplements. yum-pills, my favorite! :o)



3 weeks into my new training split & I'm STILL getting my ass handed to me daily (my legs gave out day #1 during my 2nd super set & I fell in front of the entire gym.) There's a REASON Bombshell athletes look incredible, these women train insane- and are know for the trademark "Bombshell Booty!" I still physically struggle to complete each split! TONS of plyometrics- I have been sore after EVERY lift! BUT I've made more progress in my legs in the last 3 weeks than I have in months so it just keeps me hungry for more! I am SO excited to see how these drastic changes impact my progress the next 18 weeks. Stay in touch- Thanks for following! Happy training <3

CONTEST PREP: 9.5 wks!

little baby musk-les

HI GUYS! It's been a while so I'm going to track my progress these last 9 weeks before the competition. I struggled after the Oxygen shoot with mental & emotional exhaustion (dieting since Jan. takes its toll) and after a month of indecision, recommitted to training & my contest prep nutrition. Thank you so much to the competitors who gave me such incredible advice during that struggle- Becky Patterson, Holly Schrader, Cara Cornacchia, J.C. Christian, and Tabitha Leandri-Klausen: you mean the world to me! I've been carb-cycling all fish since 11 weeks out and have begun to lean, daily I notice little changes- it blows my mind how my diet kicks in! I'm also training on average 3 hours/day: 1 hour cardio before breakfast, 1 hour weight training/plyo & a 2nd hour of cardio after work. The 1st week adjusting to the new schedule kicked.my.ass but I discovered a little ally in St. John's Wort that balances my mood so I don't run around judo chopping strangers :o) I'm thrilled to be training hard again, I feel like I slack if I haven't sweat completely through a shirt. Thank you so much for following, stay tuned for progress pictures every Friday!

The suit cut I chose for my 1st competition bikini!

In Turquoise Snake Scatter

.:NEW RECIPES: KALE CHIPS & "BOSS" BURGERS:.

INCREDIBLE CRISPY KALE CHIPS:

GREAT ALTERNATIVE TO POTATO CHIPS! If you're looking for a crunchy, salty fix- Kale may just be you new best friend. I got this recipe offline and was PRETTY skeptical- but INCREDIBLY surprised how light & crispy they are! Sprinkle some apple cider vinegar after baking & it's a healthy version of salt & vinegar chips. I don't do dairy, but I bet they'd be good baked w/ a little Parmesan cheese & garlic salt.

Ingredients

1 bunch kale
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon seasoned salt

Directions

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. Line a non-insulated cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil.
With a knife or kitchen shears carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces. Wash and thoroughly dry kale with a salad spinner. Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt.
Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10-15 minutes.


Calories: 58

"BOSS" BURGERS:

A classic burger that tastes great, ready in 5 min AND is healthy. Impossible!? Til' now! I eat mine bun-less with a ton of fresh garden veggies!


Ingredients

2 pounds extra-lean ground beef/ turkey
1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
1/3 c egg white
1 T Frank's hot sauce
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup rolled oats

Directions

Preheat an outdoor grill for medium high heat and lightly oil grate.
In a large bowl, combine the beef, onion soup mix, egg, hot sauce, pepper and oats. Use by 1/4 cup to shape into patties.
Grill patties over medium high heat for 10-20 minutes, or to desired temp. I like mine medium & flip @ 5min.

.:Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Protein Bars:.

Ingredients

2 cups dry oats
1/2 c Naturally More Peanut Butter
4 scoops Protein Isolate (I use Optimum Nutrition Chocolate or Vanilla)
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 c water (I use a little more)
2 T unsweetened cocoa
2 T Truvia/Splenda
1 t vanilla extact

Directions
1. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. In separate bowl, blend together water, PB, oil & vanilla. Gradually add the dry mixture into the wet ingredients- mix thoroughly.

2. Line square baking pan with wax paper. Spread dough into pan using a spatula.

3. Freeze for 1 hour. Cut into 25 mini squares. Stores best frozen. Great for pre-workout!

68 calories each
3 g of fat
6.5 g carbs
1.4 g of fiber
5 g of protein.

.:NEW RECIPES:.

Blueberry Pancakes w/ Fresh Berries

GLUTEN&LACTOSE FREE CLEAN EATING RECIPE!

Ingredients
1/2 c dry oats ground to flour
4 egg whites
1/4 c water
1 t baking powder
1 1/2 t cinnamon
1 1/2 t vanilla
8-10 packets of Splenda/Stevia
1 c blueberries
1/4 c strawberries quartered
1/4 c raspberries
1/4 c sugar free maple syrup

Directions
Heat griddle to medium high (I use the 400 setting.) Mix dry ingredients in bowl. In separate bowl beat together (w/ hand mixer) wet ingredients until foamy. Gradually beat in dry mixture until light batter forms. Fold in 3/4 c blueberries. Spray griddle w/ cooking spray & scoop 1/4 c of batter onto griddle. Flip when golden brown (look for light bubbles to form, dry looking edges, will take a little longer than regular pancakes due to the oat base) Serve w/ hot syrup & sprinkle remaining berries on top. Enjoy!

Parmesan Roasted Broccoli

Ingredients
2 pounds broccoli
2 T minced garlic
2 T first cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 T lemon juice
1/4 c Parmesan cheese
2 T basil leaves

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut the broccoli florets from the thick stalks, leaving an inch or two of stalk attached to the florets. Cut the larger pieces through the base of the head with a small knife, pulling the florets apart. You should have about 4 cups of florets. Place the broccoli florets on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Toss the garlic on the broccoli and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, mix on pan til coated. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned.

Remove the broccoli from the oven and immediately toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice, Parmesan, and basil. Serve hot.


Seared Citrus Herb Tilapia

Ingredients
4- 4 oz tilapia fillets
4 T Olive Oil
1 T Minced garlic (I love garlic so I throw in extra- sorry for my breath lol)
1/4 c lemon juice
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 t Paprika
1 T Parsley
(any of the salt free Mrs. Dash seasonings can be good too)


Directions
Heat oil on medium (til almost smoking)in large skillet. Quarter the 4 oz fillets, they cook quicker & allow more surface area for the seasoning to adhere. Mix ingredients in small bowl & add to pan- be careful the lemon juice may cause the oil to spit. Flip w/ metal spatula when edges begin to brown. Fish is ready & tastes the best when a golden crust is forming. Cover large plate in paper towels & place fish on towels to drain excess oil. Enjoy while hot!

.:OXYGEN SHOOT IN 5 DAYS! 16 WKS FROM COMP:.

.:OXYGEN SHOOT INFO:.
Hello Everyone,
Here are the details for the Tuesday, July 12th shoot. The shoot will be taking place at Paul Buceta's studio in Mississauga. We will be shooting for most of the day and wrapping around 5:00 pm. Models please see call times below for when you are to come in. If you have any questions please let me know asap.

Date: Tuesday, July 12th

Call Time: 8:30am
Video Call : 9:00am

**Kelly Meade Call time: 8:30 am
**Kerrianne Browne Call time: 10 am

Location: Paul Buceta's Studio
2532 Wharton Glen
Mississauga Ontario

Photographer: Paul Buceta
Hair and Make up: Lori Fabrizio
Models: Kelly Meade & Kerrianne Browne
Stylist: Nadia P

Shot List: Success story shots

If you have questions please let me know asap.
See you all Tuesday

Thanks Erin

Erin Smith
Assistant Art Director,
Oxygen Magazine
Art Director, Special Issues

July 6, 2011

progress in delts & quads

yay front delt!
Things I have learned: NEVER VACATION WHILE ON COMP DIET. I was sitting on Edisto Beach eating sandy fish & brown rice out of tupperware in 90 degrees heat & the thought passed my mind, "This is ABSOLUTELY miserable!I want a cookie & a cocktail!" Incredible vacation, but part of me is glad to be back on my regular training routine & excited for the week ahead...

I leave to shoot w/ Oxygen Mag in 4 DAYS! I shoot @ 10am Tues and will be featured with another girl who has a similar transformation. The issue will be titled "Off The Couch" but I'm not sure yet which month it will come out.

I cannot WAIT...SO MANY people helped prep me for this- I was literally the Salon Reveal Project! Rachel gave me a a certificate for airbrush tan, Val made me a blonde bombshell, Dr. Sesslar did a series of peels to make my skin glow, Nicole is making my little nails gorgeous, Monty put up w/ my crazy ass through my diet, Megan & my family donated $ to expedite my passport. SO many of my friends have been so supportive & checking in regularly to encourage me. I get a little embarrassed when people tell me they brag to their friends about me, but deep down- it feels amazing to make the people I love proud. I would NEVER be here without those people. I feel like this next week is a HUGE checkpoint in my life & such a 180 from where I was 2 years ago or even this time last year. I literally cannot thank you enough for all the cheerleading! Happy training!