4 weeks out

dinner: salmon on a carrot-salad. spiced by FlavorGod seasoning 'Garlic Lemon' 

In 4 weeks I will be back from the World Championships in Warsaw, Poland.

I know, 4 weeks sound like much, but if you are in a contest prep, time goes by so quick that you are suddenly on stage and you don't know how this happened. 

Three weeks ago we experimented with carbs, which didn't really work the way we expected, so we are know cutting carbs slowly but surely again to get rid of the water retention. 

Plus, we know now why I didn't get as lean as I wished during the last contest preparations... I have a thyroid insufficiency, which is good and bad news at the same time...but at least we know why I didn't get shredded and we can act to it. 

My current diet an training plan looks a lot different than the previous contest-prep, 4 weeks out. 

Regarding my training routines, I can lift a lot heavier now and with less repetitions and I am always alternating between 3 days working out and one rest day. 

My diet also includes lowcarb and refeed days. Meaning 3 days lowcarb with 1 refeed day, then going on with 4 days lowcarb and 1 refeed again, 5 lowcarb days, 1 refeed until we start the cutting phase the week prior the championships. 

So far everything goes fine. We started this diet program last week (Thursday) and I am happy to see improvements already. I don't feel that bloated anymore, seem a little 'lighter' and due to the decreased carbs, I have more energy ( I know this sounds contradictory) because my digestion doesn't need that much of it anymore to cut down the carbs. 

In addition to that, I will get lymphatic drainages twice a week to cleanse and nourish the cells and enhance the blood flow in my legs. This doesn't only relax my muscles but also improves the definition of my legs. 

In hopes that you had a great start into the week as well, I am couchpotatoeing now.

lunch: chicken with salad and quinoa rice crackers

post-run selfie

breakfast: chicken burger with pears along with 100% almond-butter

#pumpingfairy

Only one week and one day left until this year's season starts with my first competition in France, the 'Top de Colmar'.

I can't wait for this season to start, since I am so grumpy all the time and feeling weaker and weaker day by day... I noticed it already on Monday during my leg-workout. But I think this was also because I was sick the week before, so maybe my battery wasn't fully charged by Monday. 

For almost every exercise I had to decrease my usual weights and really had to force myself through the reps. Same goes for Tuesday, which is also one of my favorite days as it's back-shoulders and back. 

You remember when I told you the first season and prep will be the hardest? Well, I guess I was totally wrong because I don't remember that I felt like sh** during my first contest prep. Which is actually a very good sign because, as my coach always states: 'the worse you feel the better your physique will be' and that sounds pretty comprehensible and logical to me.

On Tuesday I also realized that I have some baby veins that are slowly popping out, I know some girls think it's ugly but it's a good sign that your shredding phase is working and it's , for me at least , some kind of treat for the hard work in the gym and the strict diet over the last weeks. 

I am already looking forward to tomorrow as I will have a refeed day again, the last one probably. But this also depends on my shape on Saturday's checkup. If my coach is satisfied I can have my usual carb day and I will be a sweet gismo gremlin... If not well, you know what happened to the other gremlins in the movie, don't you?

But even while I am on my shredding phase I am still happy and I love to checkout how healthy my fellow pumpingfairies are eating and how consistently you are working out, just like my 9 favorites of the week. 

If you haven't joined us yet, simply use the hashtag #pumpingfairy on your Instagram account , for your fitness-&health related post like gymselfies, your cheatmeals, workouts, transformations, new gym clothes or whatsoever.

Keep up the good work people.

1. bonditobrazil having dessert time
2. caro_rouge and her new 'friend' the bosu ball
3. adrianamendes9 pumping in the gym
4. retnaz_claire532 hitting the gym
5. jimmy_nutella 's first meal on a plate since several weeks. I feel you!
6. sarah_48612 's transofmration, she lost 20kh, you can be so proud of yourself. Kepe up the good work!
7. alain_greiveldinger doing some cardio
8. xxbeliieberxx flexing her arms
9. m.egan__ 's epic delicious cheatmeal. Enjoy!