By Kate Horney

I’m 5 weeks out from my bikini competition and things are going well!  I’ve been sharing lots of behind on the scenes on IG and snapchat (@beyondfitmom) but I’ve been getting lots of questions recently about how I balance it all and what my daily schedule looks like, so here’s a look at my current schedule….

 
Bikini Competition Prep: A Day in the Life

I’ll be honest, things are pretty crazy right now with running local boot camps & our online training group (we’ve love to have you join us!) and more importantly: taking care of my duties as a wife & mom.

For me, fitness is all about living a healthy, happy & balanced life, so even when I’m training for a bikini competition I practice fitting fitness into my daily life and modeling healthy habits for my kids while still keeping my family a priority.

5:00am- Wake up, grab my coffee & BCAAs and head out downstairs for my “garage gym” workout!  (Take a look at how I’m setting up my bikini competition workouts here) 

5:30am-6:00am- Workout & PWO shake (my fav right now is this brownie batter shake with a protein bar or fudgy brownie crumbled on top… SO GOOD!)

6:00am- 6:30am- I try to help Patrick get out the door for work by packing his lunch, filling his coffee, etc.  After he leaves, I love to spend time in prayer and read my Bible, set my goals for the day… and if I have time, check in on email, social media, etc. before the boys wake up (More coffee & BCAAs, of course!)

7:00am-8:00am  Jackson & Warren usually wake up around 7am.  Whenever the wake up, I make breakfast for the boys and we spend some time playing.  Our breakfasts vary from day to day but always include some protein and usually some fresh fruit. Protein pancakes, protein waffles, breakfast cookies, or a quick kid friendly protein shake on the run!  (lots more family friendly breakfast recipes here!) 

9:00am-12:00am- Jackson has pre-school 3 days per week, so this time is filled with drop off, pick up, and the usual mom duties: clean, run errands, read stories, play, etc in between.  We are part of a mom’s Bible study group as well as some other activities, so I love having that for a fun time of fellowship and connecting with other mamas and kiddos throughout the week.

12:00am-  Lunchtime!  Typically I do my bikini competition meal prep (3 ways to set up your bikini competition diet here) before the start of a busy week, so I have something in the fridge to grab, but if not I’ll stop at the grocery for a healthy lunch (rotisserie chicken, salad, and some free fruit & veggies, etc) or grab a fat loss friendly lunch while eating out.  Our favorites right now are Chipotle and Chick-fil-a…. and yes, I make those work, even while training for a bikini competition. 

1:00pm-3:00pm- Jackson doesn’t take naps anymore but I still try to find an hour of “quiet” time for him to read books and play quietly in his room while Warren is sleeping.  If things work out as I hope I am able to use this time to catch up on emails from my one-on-one nutrition coaching clients and work related items.  Sometimes it works, sometimes… not so much!  I’ll also use this afternoon time to throw dinner in the crock pot, clean up the house, etc.

3:00pm-5:30pm- Since Patrick is training for the competition as well (he’s doing Men’s Physique) I always make sure we have a competition prep friendly dinner ready when he gets home from work.  I love to throw dinner in the crock pot or make something super quick on the grill, so while it cooks we can head outside to play or go to the park for a walk, etc. 

5:30pm- Dinner is ready! Our dinners vary from night to night, but while I’m in bikini competition prep mode, I always make sure to focus on the 2 P’s (protein and produce) and since I workout early in the morning, I keep my carbs at this meal fairly low.  

A few of our recent dinners include: 

• Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken
• BBQ Chicken Quesadillas 
• Chicken & Veggie Kabobs marinated in homemade Italian dressing
• Crock Pot Cilantro Lime Chicken
• Healthy Cobb Salad 
• Crock Pot BBQ Pulled Pork
• Thai Red Chicken Curry

Note: almost all of these were served with a salad of some type. (Check out these 5 Healthy Salad Recipes) Fibrous veggies are great for keeping you feeling fuller longer, so salads are are must have during competition prep.  I ditch store bought dressing and make my own healthier versions that are bikini competition diet friendly…. get the list here.  

6:30pm- Family walk after dinner!  This is a great time to catch up after a busy day, relax, and spend some time together as a family.  I love even just a 10 minute leisurely walk (great to lower stress hormones that contribute to belly fat storage!).  I love leisurely walks as a way to rest, recover and prepare for my next day’s weight training workout.

7:30pm-9:00pm- Fat loss friendly hot cocoa or healthy dessert + Start our bed time routine for the boys. We’ll pray, read stories, etc and then Patrick and I will spend the rest of the evening together relaxing once the kids are asleep!  I have a big sweet tooth, and I tend to notice I have sweets cravings during this time at night, so I always make sure to have either a bikini competition friendly dessert or some fat loss friendly hot cocoa ready!  

P.S.  I hate the fitness industry for what they have accepted as “normal”:

• Suffering through weeks of extreme dieting
• Hours (sometimes twice/day!) of cardio
• Sacrificing endless amounts of time with family & friends 

For most women, and especially for busy moms- this is neither practical or attractive.  The idea of getting your best body ever through the fitness industry’s “norm” is a physically, mentally and emotionally draining process that does much more harm than good.

I’m passionate about doing this a different way (#dofitnessbetter)

• Quick & efficient workouts done AT HOME!  (download them here) 
• No dangerous dieting- even eating all the foods I LOVE!
• Plenty of time for what truly matters most!  (and no, it’s not my body)

I’m excited to share this journey with you and to have you along for the ride.  Make sure you follow me on Instagram and for lots of behind the scenes updates, you can find me on snapchat as well: @beyondfitmom.