Savage Support

This weekend marks my 2nd pro show of the year...the Europa Show of Champions taking place on April 16-April 17 in Orlando, FL. The original plan was to compete in fitness for this show however due to a hamstring injury, I will not be competing in fitness but will instead be competing in bikini. I had originally received my pro card in bikini last year, so I am very excited to step on stage to rock the new pro bikini division and to "sass it up" more so than I did in fitness just a couple of weeks ago. Although my hamstring kept me from performing my routine at this show, it will not keep me from strutting my stuff on stage - that's for sure! I am thrilled to rock it out in Orlando.

At every show I've competed in since 2006, I've had my huge support system of all my Savage Girls including my wonderful coach, Cathy. Sadly this will be the first show where hardly any of them will be there. Instead of feeling down and out, I am excited to branch out and to reconnect with other competitors and to meet new competitors - these shows are always such great experiences for me. And I will certainly be in touch with my Savage family back home, keeping them "in the know" as the weekend progresses. They have provided me with so much knowledge and information over the years, that I feel so privileged to go out there on my own and to represent our family and team and to make them proud!

Through all of my years competing, I can honestly say that I am in the best place ever physically, mentally and emotionally. I feel the most confident I have ever been and am just so excited for this upcoming show. Details to follow!

Baked Pears with Cranberries and Walnuts

Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:
3 ripe but firm pears, peeled, cored and quartered
1/3 cup pomegranate juice
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place quartered pears in a baking dish. Drizzle pomegranate juice over pears. Sprinkle cranberries and walnuts over the top.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until pears are tender.

Serve with juices and fat-free or low fat frozen vanilla yogurt.

Tangy Chicken Kebabs

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound chicken breasts, cut into pieces
4 ounces plain nonfat yogurt
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1 small to medium zucchini, cut into thick rounds.
8 grape tomatoes


INSTRUCTIONS:
Combine yogurt, cumin, chili powder and oregano. Spoon into a gallon-sized zip lock bag. Add chicken pieces. Seal bag, pressing out air. Move chicken pieces around in bag to cover with yogurt and spice mixture. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

Soak 4 wooden bamboo skewers in water.

Preheat broiler or grill.

Thread chicken, zucchini and grape tomatoes onto sticks. Spray briefly with cooking spray. Broil or grill for 5 minutes per side. Serve with whole grain rice.

On to the Next One...

So my show plans for the beginning of this year have changed. The plan was to compete in fitness at both the NY Pro and Europa Show of Champions in April then to compete in bikini at both the NY Pro in May and the Europa in July. However due to a serious hamstring pull that happened the week before the NY Pro fitness show, I have decided to focus only on bikini shows for the remainder of the year. I am feeling an overwhelming amount of emotions because I worked so hard on my physique and routine to compete in fitness however after pulling my hamstring then depleting for 1 show and doing my routine full out that night, I came back to Boston with my leg feeling worse unfortunately. I have not been able to train legs nor have intense cardio sessions and it's totally bumming me out so leaning out and working on my conditioning would have been tough to go further with fitness right now. I am lucky that the pull isn't that horrible, I can still walk and still compete so I have to look on the bright side. I'm focusing on rocking some bikini shows with a killer off season in order to bring a super tight package next year for fitness again, I really can't wait!

So watch out for me in Orlando, FL next week as I debut in my first pro bikini show! I'm hoping to show the judges out there that I have a versatile look and yes, you can cross over between 2 divisions such as bikini and fitness. I'm excited to see what happens. Stay tuned!

1st Pro Show is a Wrap!

I am home and have successfully competed in my first IFBB pro fitness show. What an amazing experience I had! Leading up to this show, I was filled with a mix of emotions ranging from anxious, nervous, happy, excited, etc. It was a roller coaster ride to say the least. But looking back on my whole experience and presence at the show, I can say that I gave it my all and performed at my best. Granted, I did have some obstacles with being a newbie and crossing over from bikini to fitness and the worst of it all - pulling my hamstring a week before show. But I held my own, walked on that stage with my head high and stood in that line up with the best of them! I am so proud of myself.

I met some amazing women who welcomed me with open arms and helped to calm me down before the show. For that, I am truly thankful. I felt like I belonged and honestly, that's all that I wanted. I knew going in to the show that I wasn't the ideal physique that they were looking for - I did have that "bikini" look but with a little bit more muscle and I wasn't as lean or tight as some of the girls but I came in with the best package for me. I'm so glad that I took that enormous leap to cross over and just went out there and did it. By doing so, I learned a lot! My goal is to keep competing in fitness however I probably won't be competing in fitness for another year or so. With the pull of my hamstring a week before the show, it messed a couple things up for me and I really want to give that time to heal. I also know that my physique is not where it needs to be right now in order to do some damage on the fitness stage again. Therefore, I'm going to be competing in 2-3 bikini shows this year, have a kickass off season where I can build some more and then jump right back into fitness at the NY Pro show again next year....I'll know to give my body more time to lean down and get tighter, overall bringing a much better package to the stage. It'll also allow me to work on some serious strength moves and flexibility so I'm super excited!

Next up for me is the Europa Show of Champions in Orlando, FL in just 2 weeks! Back to hitting the gym and some clean eats - hoping to rock the bikini world now! So excited for where I'm at both mentally and physically right now...gotta keep working hard to that goal!

Week of Pro Debut

It is finally here...my pro debut! To answer any and all questions that people may have...yes, I received my IFBB pro card in bikini however I will be crossing over and making my pro debut at the IFBB Pro Fitness show this weekend - Saturday 4/3/10 in NYC. I'm really happy to be competing at the Tribecca Center of Performing Arts again as this is where I received my pro card last year, so it has significant meaning to me.

It's been a long journey to get here - many weeks were spent training hard yet questioning myself at the same time...wondering "what on earth am I doing?". I was stressing myself out to no end thinking of who I would be up on that stage with and who I would be competing against. These women are all super talented, I mean that's why they're pros right?! They've been doing it for years - they have the muscle maturity that little 'ol me just doesn't have. I was constantly analyzing the show and these women and comparing myself - I was driving myself nuts! But just a couple weeks ago, I stopped. I realized that I'm training hard, dieting hard, and simply bringing the best package to the IFBB NY Pro for ME, no one else. I have a great routine that I LOVE and is just so "me".

Needless to say....I'm over stressing myself out and simply just excited and ready for my pro debut. I'm excited to showcase what I've worked so hard for and to simply rock it out with the best of them on stage. I've certainly had obstacles in my way this time...a lot of injuries! The latest being a pulled left hamstring but I'm trying to rest up in order to give my routine my absolute all on Saturday. I simply can't wait! What an experience this is going to be!!!!!!!!!!!

To The Limit

Have you ever pushed yourself further and further towards a particular goal? Have you gone that extra mile in order to do so? With today being the official 2 week mark to my first IFBB Pro Fitness show (NY Pro 4/3/10), I am feeling an overwhelming bucket of emotions. I feel like I've worked hard, I've dieted hard, I've pushed myself and tested myself. I have done so because I feel that I have to prove myself - prove myself to everyone that I deserve this and I can rock it out with the best of them. I clearly have many obstacles in my way, such as my physique not being up to parr with most of the IFBB Pro fitness girls but I'm bringing the best package for me and I feel confident in that...it's about the best that I can be, not what someone else brings to the stage. Every day I do question what the heck I'm doing and therefore this whole journey is really proving it to myself that I can do this and that I WILL belong up on that stage. I am constantly critical of myself and hard on myself and get frustrated, upset and aggravated with myself but yet I keep on pushing. I get emotional because I feel the pressure...the pressure to do the best that I can. I know that certain people are particularly hard on me because they see potential in me and know I can succeed. I want to make people proud but most of all, I want to make myself proud and that's what I intend to do. 2 weeks! I'm on it, I'm going to be organized and structured and kill it. I'm going to bring the best that I can to that NY stage and rock it out. Because at the end of the day, doing the best that I can is all that really matters.

"All you need is love"

Honey Soy Broiled Salmon

(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:
1 scallion, minced
2 Tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tsp fresh minced ginger
1 lb center cut salmon fillet, skinned (cut into 4 portions)
1 Tsp toasted sesame seeds

Instructions:
Whisk scallion, soy sauce, vinegar, honey and ginger in a medium bowl until the honey is dissolved. Place salmon in a sealable plastic bag, add 3 tablespoons of the sauce and refrigerate; let marinate for 15 minutes. Reserve the remaining sauce.

Preheat broiler. Line a small baking pan with foil and coat with cooking spray.

Transfer the salmon to the pan, skinned-side down. (Discard the marinade.) Broil the salmon 4 to 6 inches from the heat source until cooked through, 6 to 10 minutes. Drizzle with the reserved sauce and garnish with sesame seeds.


Tips:
How to skin a salmon fillet: Place skin-side down. Starting at the tail end, slip a long knife between the fish flesh and the skin, holding down firmly with your other hand. Gently push the blade along at a 30° angle, separating the fillet from the skin without cutting through either.
To toast sesame seeds, heat a small dry skillet over low heat. Add seeds and stir constantly, until golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool.

Arnold Weekend Recap

I'm back home from an amazing weekend in Columbus, OH for the 2010 Arnold Classic Sports Festival Weekend. It was great to spend the weekend with my coaches at Cathy Savage Fitness as well as teammates. I was also able to reconnect with friends in the industry who I sadly only get to see at events such as these so that was a treat.

The weekend started on Thursday evening where some of my teammates competed in the 2010 Arnold Amateur Bikini & Fitness divisions. The show was an overall success and greatly organized. My teammates rocked the stage as usual while all of us in the audience went crazy supporting them and cheering at the top of our lungs! Big shout outs to my close friends Jess Kenney who placed 5th in the bikini short class, Annette Perry who placed 1st in the bikini short class and Nicole Moneer who placed 2nd in the bikini medium class. They truly shined on stage!

Friday we all headed to the famous Arnold Expo where every supplement company had booths. We walked around, got to visit friends working booths and overall just had a good time with each other. Later that night we watched the IFBB Women's Bodybuilding, Fitness & Figure finals. As a new IFBB pro who will be crossing over into fitness, it was amazing watching these talented women get on that Arnold stage and perform. It definitely got me amped up for my pro debut!

Saturday we made our 2nd trek to the Arnold Expo, although this time it was a lot busier and we could hardly walk around! We stayed for a good amount of time and then wrapped it up quick lol. I was fortunate to shoot with the talented Lianna Saadi later that afternoon then instead of going to the after party, a bunch of us went out for a late dinner filled with good food, good drinks (none for me though lol) and some good laughs - a great way to end the trip.

Weekends like these put a lot in perspective for me. I have great friends, great coaches and great teammates. I am so lucky to be surrounded by such positive and inspirational women!

2010 Arnold Sports Festival Weekend

The 2010 Arnold Sports Festival weekend is finally here and I am so excited! The sports festival weekend kicks off on Thursday 3/4/10 and runs through Sunday 3/7/10. The weekend is filled with sports events from table tennis to power lifting, an expo comprised of fabulous sports supplement and training companies and the much anticipated Arnold Classic Bodybuilding, Ms International Female Bodybuilding, Figure International and Fitness International championships. It's a great weekend for me to meet up with old friends and to meet new ones.

Events such as these get me very excited as I can't wait to reunite with old friends, watch friends compete and to network and meet new people. It's also going to get me even more motivated for my upcoming spring shows. I love being a part of this industry and always learning more and meeting more people. It's so great to have so many similar people with similar interests in 1 city - it's all happening in Columbus, Ohio!

For many of you going - I'll see you there!