these crisps were made for snacking

once i hear or read about a product (usually food) multiple times, i must see what all the hype is about for myself!  this was one of those items- Mrs. Dash no-salt fiesta lime seasoning.  i knew it would be the bomb on some seafood, but....

go ahead and add fruit to that list.  where did i get that tip? the back of the bottle!  paired with strawberries, it makes for a sweet, citrusy snack with a kick of lime spiciness.  you've  gotta try it on mango and pineapple too!

i heart sweet potatoes. i can smash an entire package of any kind of crackers in one sitting (especially gold fish), and you already know how i feel about my beloved cheese.

i wanted something different from my nightly roasted sweet potato!  i bought a wedge of fresh parmesan cheese from HEB just for this, and you can get some at any local grocery store.

so when you put those 3 things together, you have one healthy, low-calorie sweet & savory snack cracker chip thing.

baked, not fried....you already know.

baked cheesy sweet potato crisps

the stuff:

2 large raw uncooked sweet potato, shredded

1/2 cup egg whites

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup chopped green onion

fresh cracked pepper

1 tbsp liquid aminos

1 tsp fresh rosemary (optional)

do this:

preheat your oven to 425, and spray a baking sheet with no-stick cooking spray.  shred/grate your sweet potatoes either by hand or by food processor and squeeze all the moisture out.  don't skip that step! also, chop up your green onion.  add this to a mixing bowl and pour in your egg whites, grated parmesan cheese, aminos, and pepper and minced rosemary (any other fresh herb will do). mix! make tablespoon sized mounds all over your baking pan (make sure they aren't touching) until there is no more left.  press down slightly but do not flatten and bake for 20-30 minutes or until the edges are browned, not black :lol:

serving size = i made approx. 20, but it depends on your scoop size.

adapted from here!  and yeah, i left them in for a little too long but i'm a gigantic fan of burnt cheese so it was ALL good.  had i had some greek yogurt at the time, i would have tried the smokey yogurt dip to go along with it.  i mashed up a ripe avocado and sprinkled some salt-free Mrs. Dash fiesta lime seasoning on top and that worked for me! if you have the ingredients though, go for it: 

Smokey Yogurt Dip (via How Sweet It Is)

1 cup plain greek yogurt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon cumin

i seriously only check our mailbox for my mags, that's IT.  

was this issue not perfect timing!?

i paid Christine, my posing coach, a visit earlier this week to show some love by purchasing one of these cute, sexy, 'Pose4You' racerback tops of hers!  i'm so proud to be one of her clients!

what is your favorite food and/or fitness mag? 

2012 Space City Muslcemania Championships Show / 5th wedding anniversary

*****September 15th, 2012*****

GLORY TO GOD for allowing us to participate in this journey from start to finish. 

my first bodybuilding competition has come and gone! what a weekend/week to remember.  i've been trying to collect as many pics as possible from my friends, family, and even some of the professional photos but i am so backed up with pictures and posts i need to just POST something already!!!

THANK YOU to my posing coach, Christine Anderson of CAC and Food 4 Thought.  She is an amazing woman, exceptional teacher, and most important, a true pleasure to work with.   she is always on time, pleasant, positive, full of energy, and so very passionate about sharing her knowledge and expertise with her clients.  i highly recommend working with Christine whether it's your first or 50th show.  she is as professional as they come!  i definitely learned from the best.

Christine and i together at the dress rehearsal 1 week before i hit the stage.

i can't speak for the other girls, but i was waaaay more nervous for dress rehearsal than the actual show!   i enjoyed meeting and making friends with the other competitors along the way.  i loved hearing about their 'story' and why they chose to compete.  that's definitely what i get asked the most too.  as crazy as this sounds, it didn't dawn on me that these girls were my competition until that day lol!  we all worked so hard for the changes we made to our bodies- it was an awesome thing to not only watch my own body transform, but to witness their progress too.

that following friday evening, Sonny and i attended the mandatory check-in meeting for all the competitors.  the administrators gave us the run down on how things would go on show day and other important info we needed to know.

we also got our spray tans done that night as well as our numbers, 21 and 23.  we had to wear dark, loose fitted clothing so that we wouldn't mess up the tan job. it looks like our clothes are swallowing us.

i also met up with and chatted with some of the funniest and coolest girls i've ever met, seriously.  i expected show day to be SUPER long, but hanging out and laughing with these girls backstage all day made it fly by!  the entire experience was that much more enjoyable because of them.

Sonny passing his drug test with flying colors. too bad they don't check for traces of popeyes chicken grease :shock:

show day!

 i know, i know. looks disgusting but it's my big bowl of banana oats with cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla creme stevia.  i ate it on the way to get my makeup done and hair curled.

it's a miracle!  after 3 months of looking straight rough, i appreciated this makeover very, very much.  THANK YOU to Tinnell Sloan  for working every single ounce of her magic on me that day. i needed it.

ducklips = feelin myself.

headed to the venue, bright and early.

 but still late :roll:

we all got dressed and ready for the big group photo outside the venue...Sonny missed it by mere minutes!!

however he made it for the guys only pic. this picture SCREAMS hard work, doesn't it!?  among other things, LOL

after that, we took individual portraits outside as well.

Sonny and his washboard abs waiting his turn for his solo shot.

Dani and i waiting to take our individuals! i met this fabulous woman at our first posing camp about 2 months prior.  we exchanged numbers and kept in touch and checked on each other throughout those crazy weeks of training.

after pics, we head back to the dressing rooms to change into our theme wear.  the order of events was posted right outside the door - Sonny started the show and i ended it, literally.  and this was only the morning show order of events, not the whole day like i thought!

in the dressing room joking, taking pics, primping, eating, and just waiting.

 i was an Olympic sprinter and Dani was a pin-up girl. my baton was around there somewhere!

i went out to take a quick peek and was able to catch Sonny heading out to start the show!  this was his club wear. super sharp;)

  when they finally called our class to come line up my heart skipped several beats.

as i watched the girl in front of me take a deep breath and walk out on stage into the lights, i said to myself in my head, 'this is it, Leah, DO IT.'

the stage guy interrupted my thoughts and said 'alright, go, go, go'.  i said a prayer and just went.

  

aaaaaaaaaand 1 minute later, it was over!!!

 

here are a few shots of my Nigerian soccer player doing his thing for the theme wear round.

way to sell it, Mr. E!

my gorgeous buddy Kaleigh (1st time competitor) and i after finishing up the theme wear -tall round. we did it, girl!!  we survived on Walden Farms products (sugar-free, fat-free, carb-free, gluten-free, EVERTHANG-free) to spice up our meal plans lol.

**intermission break **

 we were able to come out and visit with the friends and family that came to support us!  we are so grateful for all the cheers, encouraging words, pictures, videos, well wishes, presence, and love.  THANK YOU sincerely, family and friends!!!

being cheesy for a pic in my runner stance.  my cheeks were so sore by that point.

my bro, Chiso, and i!  during the break, i went home to spend more time with my little guy as i missed his butt so bad and we hadn't even left for Jamaica yet.

@ home taking more pictures.

halfway done-  we then headed back to the venue for the evening show and swimwear/bikini rounds.

and we're back!  all changed and ready to go....to wait some more.

the nerves were all gone at this point- i was just ready to get it over with more than anything.

 no vid for this round, but i do think it went WAY better than my theme wear round. i was comfortable and nerve-free by then.

there's my front pose for the judges,

the back,

and the front again!  how'd i do?

2nd place - bikini tall class!!

this was certainly an added blessing.  my ultimate goal was to just get through this darn training journey and hit the stage for the first time and do my best.  i am so grateful and humbled.

that leads me to my next THANK YOU which goes to my extremely patient trainer, Travis!!!!  thank you for answering my bajillion questions, texts, emails, calls, and emails :lol: .  even when i was dog tired on the way to our sessions, i would always be pumped and re-energized after our workouts.  physically and mentally.  he encouraged and reassured me along the way and promised to have my body ready for this show.  he did just that!  i share this win with him in my heart as he contributed to making my first competition a very special one to remember.  he has plenty of clients but gave me his undivided attention and made my goals, his goals.  he's an awesome, highly recommended trainer to work with!  good luck on YOUR upcoming show, Travis!

Sonny also brought home some hardware too- that's my hubby!!! 2nd from the right in the striped bottoms. i am so proud of him.

ok back in the dressing room, i HAD to snap this of Dani savoring a snickers bar immediately after we were totally done.  she is going to kill me but her face is PRICELESS. but those abs though!!!

 'why wait?'

DON'T.

hahahahahaahaha

few more pics with the ladies before we parted ways for the evening. two bikini girls, two figure girls.

then i went to find Sonny so we could rep for anniversary #5! all natural, baby!

this girl here... my angel.  THANK YOU, Ogechi, for inspiring me to even start blogging in the first place.  you have been with me from the jump!  you have prayed with me, over me, and for me and i'm so grateful to God for blessing me with your friendship.  i was under the impression that Ogechi was all the way in Atlanta that day, but she surprised the heck outta me and was sitting in the audience for the evening show the entire time!!! her support means the WORLD to me and i love her (and her recipes i will be posting more of! ) so, so much. i appreciate you my dear sister and friend.

 what an awesome 1st experience, period.  so grateful to have done this with Sonny by my side and also celebrate 5 years of marriage and counting.

thank you for reading!

le

wackday

wednesday was one of those days.  when i don't get enough rest my world comes crashing down.  i wanted to say screw this whole competition, quit, and eat an entire papa johns pizza. :evil:  i want to eat an entire pizza every day, but that day i threatened myself out loud.  it just got worse and worse as the day went on.  i worked out with my trainer that morning, and i somehow hit the gym in the evening for round two.

i took a pic just so i could remember this very day and my mood at the time.  i can laugh at it now, but i'm pretty positive i'll feel like this again or worse in the next few weeks as my journey to the stage draws near.  and come on, a journey wouldn't be a journey if it didn't have a mixture of good, bad, high, and low days.

keep. pressing. forward.

that was prolly my worst workout of this entire journey though.  i could barely get my heart rate up to my fat burning zone, and i literally struggled to keep it there, which is always relatively easy.  after my last meal that night, THANKFULLY Chiso calmed down enough to go to sleep early with me even though he took a late nap.

Thursday was a new day. a better day.  a high carb day.  i DID get some good rest the night before and felt tons better, mentally and physically.

Chiso wasn't the only one enjoying fresh fruit that day :)

this is just some of his meal... sweet potatoes, avocado, and his fav, strawberries.

i got in some posing practice that night after my cardio.

POW, stick that hip out there!

i can be silly/goofy/flirty, but being serious/sexy/flirty WITHOUT laughing and feeling like an idiot is the tough part.  how i will ever manage to sell it and make it believable on stage is beyond me, but i have 3 weeks to figure it out.

i feel wack taking these pics of myself but who do you think i am, june ambrose!? i need a picture snapping assistant.  sometimes.

this will be my final pose before exiting the stage. :shock: kidding.

i didn't even think to bring my show suit with me-  my coach said i should be practicing in it or at least less clothing from here on out though. she's absolutely right cause i could not see my body the way i needed to.

some days i feel way too skinny, some days i feel like i could maintain this weight.  either way, Sonny reminded me that if i do fall off the wagon after this competition, i now have the tools and the knowledge to get my body back where i want it to be. well, what could i say after that lol?

i made more banana pancakes this morning cause they make me happy.  and i need all the happiness i can get!!!!

  i think i have made/eaten them for the past week and i can't stop.  until i can add more crazy ingredients to my batter, i'll have them just like this up until the show.  so YES, more pics of pancakes are coming, you've been warned.

have you made these pancakes yet!? what did you put in yours?

*****HAPPY FRIDAY*****

le

posing camp

i picked up my show shoes friday during my lunch hour and had my first encounter with Cindie's Lingerie.

always seen it, never been inside. :shock:

taking pics from my truck, LOL

i found'em.  however,  the only pair left in my size had clearly been worn and damaged.  there are no refunds or exchanges, so i wanted and expected a brand new pair!  i was sent to another location to pick up the shoe and long story short, i was given the platform version of what i needed and didn't realize this until i got to camp:(  that was SO my bad for not checking in the box first.  i couldn't understand how or why my feet suddenly stopped working.  i could barely make a turn without toppling over and i was pretty embarrassed.  well, this has since been corrected- i went back to Cindie's after camp and got the right pair.  i have been walking and posing all around my house in these things to make up for lost time!!  practice, practice, practice.

immediately before camp saturday morning,  i got my workout in with Travis, my trainer.  so, i had to go two more hours on my feet after going to war with him and the weights.

getting in some much needed ab work.  stability balls are GREAT for your core.

it's over. finally.

i brought my breakfast with me of course and snuck it in right before we started.  you already know what it is!!

this is the woman right here- Christine Anderson, my posing coach.  here she is introducing herself at the beginning of camp.

i met some excellent, down to earth former and future participants.

 instasummary:

 i am definitely in good hands.  Christine's work speaks for itself and she possesses such a sweet, humble spirit.  she has had amazing success in this industry and i'm soaking up all the info i can from her.  Christine's husband below, Charles (l), is a retired competitor with several trophies under his belt as well.  what a team!

i met several ladies competing for the first time and we excitedly exchanged numbers to keep in contact during the coming weeks and beyond.  i also met JC Shivers- he shared with me how stepping onto his first stage just last May and winning several consecutive shows since then has completely changed his life.

i am just inspired every which way i turn in this process!  i'm holding onto every positive piece of advice and fueling my fire with the negative.

pressing forward with 11 weeks til show time!

le