Fat Free Vegan Apple-Banana Breakfast Muffins

I just made these muffins tonight! They are soooo yummy. This recipe calls for apple juice, so there is no need for any butters or oils - hence the fat-freeness. Best part is they are insanely easy to make.

2 c flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 c sugar
1 1/2 c apple juice
1 apple diced
2 ripe bananas mashed

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix it all up and pour batter into lightly greased muffin pan. Fill each cup about 2/3 full. Bake 35 - 40 min or until muffins raise and are golden brown.

Vegan Goods!

Chris and I went to dinner last night at the Blue Plate Diner. It is on 2100 South and 2100 East in Sugarhouse. Very delicious, locally owned diner that is known for their reasonably priced comfort food. I have been there before, but not as a vegan. VERY vegan friendly menu. There are actual vegan dishes listed on the menu! YUM! I ordered the hummus dip and vegan burger with cajun fries. Delicious!

It was nice to splurge out of my current diet comfort zone and have a burger and fries! I have also been looking for vegan dishes that are quick to make and HEALTHY. I am not a fan of any frozen foods, really. Prepackaged foods are generally loaded with sodium and other poisons that are poop. I was in whole foods the other day and stumbled across this 365 brand vegan PIZZA!! If there has been anything that I miss, it is cheese and pizza. They carry a roasted vegetable pizza that is only 150 calories! Sodium is high, 380 mg, but I was willing to sacrifice a little salt for a pizza. I cooked this up this afternoon and added some Daiya dairy-free cheese in Mozarella and Cheddar flavor. It was divine.

Hooray for instant vegan food! 365 also makes a gluten-free vegan pizza on rice crust. The one I chose was whole wheat.

No NPC for me....

Everything has been going wonderfully. I met with my trainer, Tiffany Heugly, on sunday to go over some of the NPC posing. I am leaner then I was at the NGA show. I was exhausted, but ready to go on stage. Still continuing with the vegan diet and I had yet to even have as much as a sniffle from allergies in over 6 months.

I woke up Thursday morning and my right eye was as swollen. It was as though someone had cut a golf ball in half and covered my eyeball with it. My eyes were watering, my sneezing had returned. I went to work that morning, then went home early and went straight to the doctor to reveal my worst nightmare. It wasn't an infection, it was my allergies again. The doctor said that it was "quite impressive" and that even my sclera (the white part of your eyeball) was swollen. He gave me a prescription for allergy eye drops and told me to put ice on it and take benadryl. I am not allowed to put my contacts in until the swelling is gone. I can see about 5 inches in front of my face. Glasses are not an option on stage.

I told my trainer and it turns out that both benadryl and panitol (eye drops) cause water retention. I had been on a diuretic to do the exact opposite. No good. My eye was burning. I can't even put lotion on my face, let alone a spray tan and stage makeup. So, here I am quasimoto, blind, sneezing, bloated, swollen eyes and face.....beautiful. Does NPC give a sympathy award?

I pulled myself out of the show. If I can't give 100% I don't want to do it. The down side?

Today is the day of the show. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't at least a little emotional. The up side?

My goal was to be in the best shape of my life. I am. I weigh the same I did when I was 17. I have leaned out a ton and all I have to gain is more muscle from here on out, so when I compete in the spring I will give those girls a run for their money.

Chris has been wonderful. I couldn't ask for better support or a better friend. When I asked him if this made me a quitter, his response was "You've done ALL the work already. That's not quitting."

I have had more support and love from friends and family and I am overwhelmed with happiness.

Tiffany and Shane Heugly are AMAZING!! They did everything that they could think of to help me to still compete. When I left the gym on sunday, Tiffany said "whatever happens, you've already won." It was that little sentence that helped me decide my health was more important than one show. They have had nothing but positive reinforcement and encouragement.

I got to eat chips and salsa. Oatmeal. A latte. Vegan mac n' cheese. Awesome!

So, that is my story. I will continue to update you with my off-season training and some yummy new vegan recipes!

Love, Sum XoXo

P.S. My before and after pics are up on teamheugly.com under women's results and there are some more pics under paparazzi 2

NGA

It's been a while since I have posted anything. If I told you my schedule, it might make sense why. I have been getting up each morning at 3:30 am to do 1 to 1 1/2 hours of cardio. I work from 6:30 to 2:30, then I go back to the gym to do another 1 to 1 1/2 hours of cardio and 30 to 45 minutes of weights. This is my schedule Monday through Friday. I have virtually no carbs in my diet and my fuel tank is running on empty. On Mondays I have a yoga instructor course at SLCC from 5:30 to 8:30 at night. Last night I cried myself to sleep......because I was so tired.
Is it worth it?
YES
The results that I have seen, the people that I have met and the strength that I have found in myself have all made this worth while. The NGA was a whirlwind. I spent the week working out, going to the gym, going to hair appointments, going to makeup appointments, practicing posing, getting up before sunrise, exfoliating and shaving (yes, shaving) my entire body. I was spray tanned in the nude by my adorable pregnant trainer, Tiffany. Tiffany has now seen every part of my body, including the 'little miss muffet'. I had to buy black sheets so the spray tan, which turns you into a different ethnicity, wouldn't stain my nice bed sheets. I drove home from tanning wearing ONLY a silk robe so it wouldn't wear off.
The day of NGA my nerves had vanished and it was so refreshing to sit backstage with not only 50 plus people that UNDERSTAND what you have gone through, but also people that are genuinely nice. Everyone was so eager to help each other. A huge group of practically naked girls, helping fix each other's suits and hair. There wasn't even a bathroom stall, just a giant open room with a toilet so we were even doing THAT in front of each other. I can say that I have carried on a conversation with one of the buffest women I have ever met while sitting almost naked on a toilet.....peeing in a dixie cup with a hole in it so my tan doesn't smear.
You might think I'm crazy. I am. A little. We don't know our limits if we don't push the limits. We cannot become truly great or realize our true potential without pushing ourselves past our comfort zone. I have one life and I intend to live every minute of it. Perhaps a bodybuilding competition isn't something you want to do and that is okay. My advice is find that somethihg that you have always wanted to do, but you are terrified of and DO IT. Pour your whole heart into it. The reward will be worth it.