Surviving the holidays

Its that time of year! Next week begins the festivities of the season and with that comes, potatoes, stuffing, gravy, pies, cookies, breads...AHHHHH! Sweet symphonies of delicious comfort food! But wait! What does that mean for the waistline?

Over the past year, I've learned to regulate myself and watch my portions and also watch what I eat and when. Even with clean eating, we allow ourselves one cheat a week and I'll be sure and savour that Thanksgiving meal, and not feel like I'm punishing myself at all the other holiday functions and parties. The important thing is that I put myself back in check and not allow those occasional meals to reset the pattern. I'll need to make sure that the following days, my carbs are lower and that I don't allow myself to store the extra sugar and fats.

Things I remind myself of to help me get through the season are:

1. Exercise! Don't let it slip!
2. Watch portions.
3. If you crave it, eat it. Just don't binge. I take "nibbles" to satisfy the craving and then remind myself that its not worth it...
4. Reset by having two days of low carbs following a large cheat meal.
5. I am not resisting food to punish myself. I resist it because I choose to be healthy and strong. I deserve to be fit and healthy. Its the BEST thing I can do for myself.

Celebrate the season, but don't finish off the year wishing for a new body...start the new year fit and healthy with the best gift you can give yourself!

Tinola!

I think that this is my favorite healthy fall dish! Its so easy to make and it is absolutely guilt free!

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. coconut oil
1 onion diced
garlic clove diced
2 Tbsp ginger sliced
pepper (whatever your prefer)
3 chicken breasts cut into 1 in. pieces
2 Chayote squash peeled and sliced
1 C. water
2 C. fresh baby spinach


In a wok, saute onion, garlic and ginger with coconut oil. Add chicken and brown. Add chayote and water and simmer until squash is tender. Add spinach until wilted. Serve over rice.

I an generous with the garlic and ginger and pepper. I like a lot of flavor! Sometimes, I'll add a little soy sauce with the rice. You can also substitute the chicken with mussels. My kids love this and I feel really great about serving it!

Setting a goal!

We leave for Los Cabos, Mexico in three weeks! I'm getting back to pre-competition diet for the next three weeks to make sure I'm lean and mean for our trip! Bikini Body...here I come!

Keep it up!

Photos from a girls' night were posted yesterday on Facebook and my immediate thought, was "Wow! I really need to make sure I keep working out!" This photo was taken about a week before my competition and it made me remember that I can do this! I can keep it up! The hard core working out and the meal planning is a small price to pay!

For the first time in my life, I feel good in my skin, I feel confident and I feel secure. That's a lot to be said for a mom of two! I'm so thankful for my health and the ability to take care of my body. We only have ONE body, so we need to treat it right!

Thanks, girls for the fabulous evening out and thank you for posting the pictures to remind me to keep myself healthy and strong and looking my best!

Lisa Love

So my workout buddy, Lisa, and I are back at it! Working out with Marty just wasn't working with my schedule...I'm an early bird. Lisa and I met up again at the gym this morning and she went through my routine (Back and Arms) with HIIT between sets. We were BEAT! It was the best workout I've had in WEEKS! It felt so good to have a partner and to push each other, laugh, compete and chat.

We're meeting again this Thursday and Friday. I can't wait to get back into a groove!

Food for the Family

One thing that has been really great about this lifestyle change is that my family is just so supportive and on board with the food! I am definitely a person who LIVES to EAT so trying recipes and experimenting with food has been a lot of fun (and challenging) for me!

My daughter has been the most excited about the food; she is a lot like me when it comes to food and there really aren't many foods that she doesn't love.

I'm often asked what I feed my kids while on my "health kick" and I always feel surprised by this question. If we're eating healthy, why wouldn't we want our kids to eat healthy too, right???

The picture to the left isn't one of my MOST healthy lunches, but I think it definitely beats what most school lunches consist of; think about the hot lunch options in elementary school with their "mystery meat" and such.

Here we have, mini pita pockets, stuffed with tuna salad (made with mustard and celery and a little added spices) Mixed raw veggies with garlic hummus; water crackers with a cheese wedge and then her "treat" of gold fish. This will serve as her morning snack and her school lunch.

I'm limited because they don't allow her to heat up any food during the day. I can send a thermos, but I'll save that for the colder months. I get away with sending her great salads, sandwiches, wraps, cut up meats and cheeses, etc. We do alright with what we can work with. Of course, my pancakes always make their way into her lunches often too!

My point is, kids will eat what they are used to being fed. If we only serve our kids sodas, juices, sugars and prepacked food...that's what they will want and what they will get used to. For me, I feed my family what I eat. I want their bodies strong and healthy too!

Motivation!

You can see from my previous posts...I'm trying NEW everything. The real issue is that I'm lacking motivation. Blythe called me out today. I haven't been logging my food and exercise and I'm feeling sorry for myself. Why is this so hard? I've trained for a figure competition and did well. I changed my entire body, self image, and life perspective...why is it hard for me to get back into things now?

So no more excuses. I'm hitting it hard and I'm definitely going to work on getting my motivation back! I just need to suck it up and do it! So tomorrow, I restart! Buck up soldier!

New Partner In Crime

Marty and I have really been trying to coordinate our schedules to workout more with each other. I like working out with him because he pushes me and I was really pleased today when I was needed as a spotter for him and helped him get some hard reps at the end of his bench press. I felt like I was helping to push him too!

I've been working so hard to get a consistent workout schedule in, but with working so much this school year I'm having a hard time finding time each day (at least at the same time every day) that works. I need to get back into the mindset that this is MY time, but the mommy guilt and issues from running my own business get in the way and I find myself squeezing workouts in when I can.

For this week, I'm going to do my best to continue to workout with Marty and hopefully I'll get my hard workouts in and feel like I'm making some progress!

A New Routine

Last week I met with Blythe while she was in town. We talked about my current goals and what I would like to focus on over the next couple months. The main objective is for me to gain some muscle mass. I'm at 123lbs now, but I can tell that I've already lost some of the muscle mass that I had gained for the competition. Blythe would like for me to get to about 127, but keep my lean physique and just add muscle. She said that I'll probably look "smaller" but I'll see the scale go up.

Blythe put together some exercises for each muscle group and for my new routine, I'm to pick out two exercises per muscle group and incorporate a high intensity cardio interval between sets. The workouts should only be about 45-60 minutes long (so I've got to move FAST)! For nutrition, I'm to get 150 g of carbs 3 days a week, low to medium the other days, 150 g of protein every day and keep my fats around 50-60 g.

I'll start this new routine for tomorrow's workout! I've got to remember to push heavy weights, keep them intense and fuel my body for energy!

I'll keep you posted!

Dressed for Success!

Have you ever thought about what you wear while working out? I never did before, but then again, I was never really someone who "worked out" before last year. I remember throwing on some old sweatpants/yoga pants, a big t-shirt and grabbing whatever sweatshirt I could find if it was cold... You get the idea. I was FRUMPY and not put together; I didn't think about the quality of my clothing, how I was able to move in it and if it fit the needs of a working, sweating, straining body.

Over the last 18 months, I've learned the value of a good shoe. I wear Asics now. They support my narrow foot, provide the support and cushion I need and have outlasted other brands I've tried. I'm someone that puts a moderate amount of miles on the running shoe and I know that to protect the knees, ankles and legs, you need to invest in a good shoe. I also know that when the sole is wearing down, its time for a new shoe. It doesn't matter what brand you choose, just be sure to get a good shoe that fits YOUR needs.

As for clothing, I've learned that I like to see my body working. I want to see what muscles are used, I don't try to "hide" my body with clothing now; I want to see everything (especially the areas that need the most work!) I'm not saying I walk around in a sports bra and booty shorts, but I definitely wear tighter workout gear so I can see my muscles at work.

I also look for clothing that can "breathe". Lululemon (http://www.lululemon.com/) has great gear! I love their pants; most are reversable too, which helps add versatility to the wardrobe! There is great value in a good pant. A heavy material doesn't allow you to breathe or move. Then you have to worry about your pants shrinking or stretching and not holding their shape. I've never had the problem with Lululemon. You do have to airdry the pants, but I don't mind that, they dry quickly! Don't use fabric softener, as that can ruin the wicking effect that makes the pants so awesome!

I also love their jackets; they are great for running outside during the chilly months. They have the little thumb holes in the sleeve that keep your sleeve down during a run and protect your hands from the chill. They are thin and lightweight, but still offer great warmth, but also allow your body to sweat without getting too hot!

I get my sports bras and shirts from Target. They've got a great selection and they are pretty inexpensive. I like razorbacks and tank tops. Nothing annoys me more than a shirt that bunches in your underarm or feels like its glued to you.

Similar to your work life, you dress for success. You need to be properly dressed/prepared and equipped to do your job...same for your workouts. I'm not saying we all need to be dressed up and sportin' the latest styles, but I definitely feel better about myself and my workouts when I'm not uncomfortable and my clothing is jamming me up!

Happy Fall Ya'll! Pumpkin Pancakes!

In honor of the first day of October, I made Pumpkin Pancakes (a variation from the original Oatmeal Pancakes). OMGoodness, delicious!

2 c. Old Fashioned Oatmeal
1 c. No salt added Cottage Cheese
1 c. Unsweetened Canned Pumpkin
1 scoop Vanilla Whey Protein (I used Optimum Nutrition)
4 whole eggs
2 Tbsp. water
dash of nutmeg
dash of cinammon

Put all ingrdients in the blender, you can add more water if you need a thinner batter, pour onto griddle. Makes 12 small pancakes. 1 serving is 2 pancakes.

I haven't tried any spreads/toppings. I just eat plain; they compliment my coffee very well!

Enjoy!

Sweating the Stress Away

I woke up 30 minutes before I was supposed to (5:30 am) because I couldn't wait to get to the gym! Today was my first day to the gym with my new schedule! Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays I'll be hitting the gym before work and I could not be more excited about this. I'm definitely a morning workout person.

After getting myself and my kids up and ready and out the door, I was at the gym by 6:45 and jumped on the treadmill for a quick warm up. To my surprise, my first trainer, Kelly Gonzalez comes bouncing towards me and we had a nice chat and caught up on everything. She recently went Bikini Pro and she was also eager to hear all about my experience with the show. It was WONDERFUL to see her and it reminded me what I love so much about the bodybuilding community; they get it. They understand why you pour yourself into the workouts and put yourself on the strict diets and push yourself beyond the average person's limits.

After a HARD, KICK ASS workout. I felt like a million bucks. I was sweating, hurting, sick to my stomach, shaking and SMILING. It felt amazing. I didn't think about work, kids, deadlines, meetings, pressures...nope, I thought about flexing, breathing, 1 more rep, make it to the line with two more lunges; it was intense!

My entire day has been so much better. I have a clear head, I feel energized and motivated and so focused. Gotta love a morning workout!

Building your Immune System

After taking a month off of working out and clean eating, I found myself extremely sick. I've had walking pneumonia and it has NOT been fun at all. My first week back on track and I didn't even make it the full week before I found myself, coughing, wheezing, unable to breathe and curled up in bed.

The first thing my husband says to me is, "its because you haven't been working out. You've been stressed out and not taking the time to take care of your body." When I talked to, Blythe, she said the same thing!

I started doing research on how exercise affects our immune systems and of course there was no surprise how much exercise helps build our immune system and keep us healthy! It really is a cycle: exercise reduces stress, which stregthens the immune system, which helps keep us strong and energized to exercise and build muscle! Not exercising, reduces the ability to release stress, which then weakens the immune system, therefore allowing illnesses and disease to weaken the body and make it difficult to find energy to exercise.

So now that I'm feeling much better, I'm back to my routine. I don't like the way I feel when I'm not on a schedule with exercise and nutrition.

Yeah, baby!

So I hit it hard today! Back to my diet (modified) and I worked hard in the gym tonight! It felt so good; although, I know I'll be hurting tomorrow...and the next day!

It felt awesome to be eating clean again; especially after the holiday weekend and to be completely honest, my horrible addiction to s'mores over the last several weeks!

I do need to come up with a schedule/routine now that the school year has started back up. I am definitely a morning person when it comes to working out, but at this point, I'll take what/when I can get.

My plan right now is:

Monday-off
Tuesday- legs
Wednesday-off
Thursday- back and shoulders/cardio
Friday- chest and arms/cardio
Saturday and Sunday- cardio only

With nutrition, I'm aiming for about 50-60g fats, 50-75-125g carbs, and 125-175g protein each day. A gallon of water/day and I'll continue with my viatmins.

:o)

125 lbs

I've put on some weight in the last 3 weeks, and I will admit that I have mixed feelings about that. I wasn't really comfortable at my lightest weight (119 lbs) but what woman likes to see the scale go up?

I'm still wearing sizes 0-2 and they look pretty good. I know that this is a comfortable size for me. I hope that this is my weight/size that I can maintain for life. I feel good, confident and secure with myself and I couldn't really ask for much more. Obviously, there will always be things about our bodies that we aren't 100% happy with or that we wish we could change (for me it will always be those gorgeous stretch marks that I was blessed with- I'll call them my battle wounds that are proof my body worked hard to give me my beautiful children)

So for now, I'm on a maintenance plan; I will continue to eat clean, lift weights, get 3 days of cardio in and live a healthy lifestyle. :o)

One Year

Its amazing what you can do in one year when you put your heart and soul into it. I was dedicated, committed and accountable...TO MYSELF. Let this be a message to every woman that feels stuck. YOU are in CONTROL of how you look and feel...

Aug. 2009 (166lbs)

August 2010 (119lbs)

Overwhelmed

I think I'll end up getting back to a strict schedule before Sept. 1; I'm losing my mind. I can't believe how much of my life I just set aside while I trained for the competition. Now I feel like everything is just crashing down and I have so much to think about and do all.the.time.

During the last few weeks of competition prep, I didn't think about the upcoming school year, I didn't really think about anything that was scheduled to happen after Aug. 14th. I couldn't let myself. So now, life goes on and I have a million and three things that need to get done and I can't push aside a moment longer. I feel VERY overwhelmed and almost depressed about it all. I just feel like there is so much to do and it doesn't help that I'm not as organized as I had been in the previous weeks.

I'm sure that this weekend, I'll get back to planning and begin a routine/schedule ASAP. Whew! Who knew that life would feel like this following the big day...

Back to Reality

After putting life on somewhat of a "hold" while I prepared for the show, I can't say that I'm too surprised that life after the show has been nothing short of chaos. Work, family, homelife, etc has just been completely unorganized these last 10 days.

I haven't worked out or tracked what I eat since the competition, I also haven't planned for meals or really thought much about a daily schedule/routine. We're in the last few days of summer and I'm just trying to decompress before the school year begins. I've already put back on 4lbs, but my clothing is still very very big on me and I'm not seeing any changes in my appearance. I believe that the 4lbs is water. I'd like to put on a few more lbs for my maintenance weight.

My daughter starts school next week and both my husband and I are planning on getting on track on September 1st. Back to working out, meal planning, HIIT training and carb cycling (for Marty, not me) We're going to hit it hard!

My goal for the next 3 months is to move heavy weights! I'm going to really focus on putting on muscle mass. During the 3 months prior to my competition, I was able to put on 2 lbs of muscle even while leaning out, so I'm excited to see how much muscle I can do without trying to lose weight at the same time.

I'll continue to post my workouts and nutrition plans...Blythe will continue to monitor my nutrition online and we'll really focus on maintaining weight and adding muscle mass.

A Break

I've decided that this week I'm not going to care about what I eat or even think about working out. I'm just going to enjoy all those sinful things that I have not been able to indulge in the last several months...

Well, this morning, I was sick as a dog! My tummy was UPSET. I guess the Mint Mocha Iced Coffee was just a bit too sweet first thing thing this morning. Its momentary pleasure for a price. These last few days have been anything but "clean". Chik-fil-a, ice cream, popcorn, chips and salsa, root beer, margaritas, etc... It hasn't been pretty. I think the plan is to totally gross myself out so that I'll go running back into clean eating and exercising like a fool!

I believe that the point of this break is to just spend a few days not thinking about it all. I've spent the last several months measuring, timing, counting, cycling... its been a lot and its been very intense! Obviously, these first few days off training are a little rough, and I'm stuffing myself full of foods and treats that I wouldn't have dreamt of eating two weeks ago (or rather, I did dream of them, but never allowed myself!) I'm not going to totally go back into eating like this 24/7 and put 50lbs back on, but I do believe its healthy to just take this break for the week.

This weekend, I'll start planning ahead and setting some new goals. For now though...I think I'll make myself a bowl of cookies and cream ice cream :o)

Competition Pictures!

Competition Recap

So... no pictures yet, but as soon as I get them I'll post!

My day started at 7am with my final coat of Pro-tan and then getting my hair and makeup done. We had a competitors meeting at 9am; they talked to us about our mandatory poses, our stage walk and the order of events. Pre-judging began at 10:30 My Debut class was the third group to go on stage. There were 18 of us (HUGE CLASS) They had to split us up into two groups on stage to compare us. They didn't split us up by height for this class, us tall girls didn't have a prayer! LOL!

My fitness model class was in the middle, again, it was a larger class, maybe 12 of us. Everyone looked really great! I had a lot of fun with this group!

Novice Tall was my final class, there were 15 girls in this class and everyone looked phenomenal! To qualify for Novice, you just have to have never won first place in the class...so there were women in the class who this was there 4,5,6th show and they had been training for YEARS. One woman I talked to said that she trained for 2 years before getting the guts to compete and then trained for 1 year to get ready for this show. The top five seriously looked amazing and deserved to place!

We took a break at 2 and I went and had tacos, chips and queso with Marty, my SIL and my niece. The three of them came to pre-judging and were such a HUGE support to me! Marty and I picked Marissa up and she came to the 5pm show.

I was back at 4pm to get my tan touched up and my hair and makeup refreshed. 5pm the show started, we each walked out in numeric order to do our stage walk. I was #19 and my song was "Clap Your Hands" by Sia. I felt great. Seeing all my friends in the first row felt amazing! I was seriously moved to tears to see everyone there with their shirts and just shouting and smiling and clapping while I had my 90sec on stage!

After all 97 contestants (yeah my family and friends sat through all that!) They did finals and awards. I didn't place in anything, but after meeting the other contestants and hearing how long they worked and how long they've been at this, the girls that placed did AMAZING! I know that I did great! I felt very confident and I was the best ME. I'm very very happy with the experience.

I never went in this to win first place at the show, that wouldn't have been realistic. I've lost 50lbs, I'm in incredible shape and I'm thrilled with the results. I'm not sure if I'll ever do this again, but I definitely have some new goals for my body! I think we can always improve!

Tummy Ache

Today will not be pretty...

Special Thanks

Before I go into the show recap, there are several people that I need to thank.

Blythe Alberg has been such an amazing trainer, mentor and friend. I have truly enjoyed getting to know her and she has just been so supportive and truly an inspiration. She came out to pre-judging yesterday and helped me out back stage and made sure that I was in the right place at the right time. Also, thanks to her husband, John Puskarich, for weekly check ins with body fat, the pep talks. Both John and Blythe just have the best attitudes and its obvious that they have a passion for helping people reach their absolute best!

Jessica Thomas, my sister-in-law has been a huge support for me this past year! Thanks for always listening, cheering me on, laughing at my funny workout horror stories, giving a shoulder to lean on during my emotional break downs and always being camera ready! Jessica photographed the ENITRE day yesterday from 7am-9pm. WHEW! I can't wait to see the pictures!

Jenifer Martin, my niece is amazing! She did my hair and make-up for the day to make sure that I looked my absolute best! She also started the day with me at 7am and stayed late into the day to see how I did! Jenifer also picked up extra hours at my preschool to keep it running smoothly this week while I was in show prep. I'm sure she's ready to drop!!! I love you, baby girl!

My husband, Marty, I love you. There are no words that can express how thankful I am. Marty has seen it all. He helped keep me on track, supported my crazy workout schedule, understood my insane mood swings and tolerated our lack of variety in meals. I'll say it again; the man is a saint!

To my friends. Wow! You all have been just wonderful! Michelle, Kelly, Morgan and Megan...I'm speechless. The interest you've taken in my endeavor, your love and support---the T SHIRTS! I am so blessed to have such incredible friends!

Chantelle, Aubrey, Kristine, and Kasey; I really appreciate you guys coming out to show your support! It meant the world to me to have you there! Chantelle- I could see your face immediately when I walked out on stage and it just overwhelmed me with love and friendship! Thank you! Kristine, my husband said he could tell you were really into it and enjoyed the show! I hope to be able to support you through your journey! Anything is possible!!!!!

Chris and Kim, thanks for cheering me on! I could hear you while I was on stage! I'm truly TOUCHED that you guys made it out to see me!

To my brother, Mike, I love you! Being you've always been the athlete, I was so nervous to have you there to see me in this element! I hope I made you proud!

To everyone who reads/follows my blog...I love you! Thanks for your good thoughts, love and support! I hope that I've been an inspiration and that I've shown to you all that we can do anything we put our minds and hearts into!

No Fat Lady to Sing...

But the show is over.

I didn't place, but I'm ok with that. Of course I'm disappointed, but the truth is that the girls that did place have worked really really hard and absolutely deserved it! While spending the day with the other competitors, I learned a lot! Some of those women had been training for YEARS before they did their first show. One girl I spoke with said she worked out hard for TWO years before getting up the nerve to do a show and then trained for a solid year before finally stepping on stage yesterday...wow!

I have loved this journey; my journey. Never in a million years did I think that I would be a contestant in a Figure Competition. I started this journey with the goal to lose weight, like I've said before, my goals changed and I just kept reaching them and setting new ones. Last night, I showed to myself that I can do anything when I put my heart into it and really work hard.

I'll post pictures soon!

Final Hours

So I'm home, tan, tired and just ready to drop! Today has been a busy busy day!

I'm all registered, got my contestant number (#19), my tan is extremely dark, and I've still got one more tan in the morning! I'm too tired to blog more tonight, but all is going very well. I'll probably go to bed within the next hour or so. I still need to pack my suitcase/food/etc for tomorrow and be ready to leave by 7am! Tomorrow is going to be a long, but wonderful, day! I am super excited!

Thanks everyone for you love, good thoughts and support!

Friday

OMG. Its the day before the show! YIKES!

I scheduled this entry to post on Friday morning, I'm not sure if I'll be able to blog on Friday and Saturday. I'm completely unfamiliar with all this and not sure what to expect in the next 48 hours.

Today, Blythe and I will apply my Pro-tan at 9am. I know its going to be DARK. I'm supposed to wear very very loose fitting clothing after she applies my first coat this morning. After the tan, I've got to get back to my daughter's show (she performs in her first musical today!) Immediately after the show, I've got to get to the host hotel to take my polygraph; all competitors are tested prior to the show. I'm competing in the OCB, its a natural bodybuilding organization and they are very strict about supplements, steroids, etc... Following my polygraph, I meet with the tanning artist for the competition and she will apply my final coat for the night. Then its back to the host hotel for check in/registration for the show. I'll then head home for a good night's rest!

Like I said, my day is jam-packed, but I'm not really sure what to expect or how smoothly things will go. If I can, I'll get back on here to post pictures of my tan and update the blog with any fun details!

Love and Support

This picture is just the absolute best! I love how everyone has been so supportive and encouraging! My son's summer camp teacher helped him make this sign on her last day of work. Thanks, Darbi!!! It brought tears to my eyes! My kids want to take it on Saturday and hold it up for me while I'm on stage!

I couldn't have done this without all the love and support of my family and friends! Thanks and HUGS to everyone!

Competition Tan

So with all this talk of shaving (which is seriously about the biggest annoyance of all this) I forgot to post yesterday about trying out my tanning product!

Blythe brought her Dream Tan to show me and let me take home to "play" with. I've got to say, nothing could have prepared me for how dark this stuff is! I'm not even going to look like me! I should warn everyone, my tan isn't going to look all "sun-kissed" or "Miami Beach"...its just DARK. Its sticky and nasty. :(

All I can say is that I'm glad I'm not the only one that's going to be covered in this gunk! Here's a picture of it on my arm... I am still in shock!

Thursday

Today was a blur!

I did a lot of running around today, trying to get all the last minute details. I got my eyelash extensions, a manicure/pedicure, finished some things for work and spent some time with my daughter (we went school clothes shopping). Today was just a go go go kind of day. I don't feel like I got much accomplished, but I've felt like I've been running non-stop. I suppose its because I was taking care of "beauty" things and getting my home and work all in order since I know I won't be doing much of anything tomorrow.

Is it ok for me to hyperventilate yet? I'm getting VERY scared and nervous! I just keep reminding myself that this is such a fun learning experience and in just a couple days, my life will be very calm.

Well, I'm off to do my final "pre-show shave"!

Wednesday

AHHH. 2 days to go!

This morning, I had my last workout with Blythe. It was a very very light workout (she didn't want me to get sore). I started out on the rowing machine for ten minutes, then we did walking lunges, some ab work, did a couple sets for my calves, and finished up with pushups. Like I said, pretty easy...

After the light workout, I put my suit on for final progress pictures, worked on mandatory poses and the line up, and cranked up the music to do a dress rehearsal of my stage walk. I feel pretty good; confident. I then changed clothes into my fitness model apparel and practiced my stage walk (which is completely different from Figure in that its more relaxed, sassy and I have an opportunity to show my personality a little more) I felt like a complete boob! I'm not naturally a sassy person so I think I'm really going to have to work hard to ham it up!

After leaving Blythe, I met up with my husband for a bite to eat (I had the usual; 6 oz grilled salmon, 3/4 c rice, steamed veggies...I'll be glad when I change things up a bit!) and then finished up all my last minute shopping. I got the props for my fitness model outfit; a whistle and soccer ball. I got all the detailed jewelry and embellishments for my suit. I popped into GNC to grab some vitamins and water pills for my water depletion tomorrow and picked up a couple sponges to use to apply my basecoat of tan.

Tonight, I'll do a quick round of HIIT, have a light dinner and try and relax...although, I do run a business and the work is piling up all around me; I'll probably spend a few hours catching up in my home office. I'm thankful to have such an amazing team of teachers and staff at the preschool who have helped keep things running smoothly as I have prepared for this competition. I'll have to remember to really show my gratitude next week after all this madness ends. :o)

So that's it for Wednesday.

Tuesday

I had a wonderful workout with Blythe this morning. We did a 22 minute HIIT session on the treadmill. Walking briskly, sprinting, jogging backwards, side gallops and 10.5 incline! It really got my heartrate up!

After HIIT, we did a full body workout with lots of squats, shoulder presses, ab work, and some deltoid exercises; we threw in some biceps curls and hammer curls and finished up working my lats. It was a GREAT workout! I even did 2 PULL-UPS ALL BY MYSELF! YAY!

Today is a moderately high carb day (125g) and I'm feeling very good about that. I had a panacake this morning, topped with almond butter and natural jam; post workout I had a banana and a High 5 Protein Shake; for lunch I had a large salad with 6 oz of chicken; I'll snack later on a Muscle Milk Light and finish my day with 6 oz of spicy chicken and steamed veggies...I'm looking forward to expanding my options next week :o)

I'm headed out to purchase my show jewelry and pick up some last minute items that I need for my bag on Saturday. I'm also trying to think of ONE treat to bring with me...a cupcake? s'mores? A French Baquette? LOL! In all honesty, I really can't think of anything that I must have with me that day; I'll probably end up bringing a KitKat bar.

Tonight, I'll take it easy. I'm looking forward to loose pajama pants, a comfy couch and two spoiled children on my lap. Having a quiet night at home is just what I need to keep my mind from going into stress mode! Oh, and I can't forget that I'll do another round of shaving my body...I thought we did pretty good last night, but I'm seeing little patches on my arms, shoulders, etc where the hair is so fine and sparse that the razor must have just gone over it...

The week is moving quickly; I'm feeling very organized though!

Memorable Moments

This blog has been so much fun to write as I've gone through all my experiences prepping for a Figure Competition. At times, I wish this was more a video than writing, as there were some experiences that cannot be expressed through words. How I would have loved to seen some of the experiences as an outsider.

Looking back, I'm really happy with the progression of my journey. When I started working out last August, I was a complete NEWBIE in the gym. I worked out with my friend, Lisa. I hadn't had any real experience with workout equipment, in fact, my first week, I got injured so badly on a leg curl machine that it left me bruised for well over a month!

As I progressed with Lisa, I saw a gradual change. As the weight starting coming off, I felt myself pushing harder and harder to see greater results. 6 months after starting my workout, I hired a personal trainer, Kelly Gonzalez, and decided to persue my goal to compete in Figure Competition. Kelly worked with me to get me "clean eating" and working out to get a Figure girl's body. As life got crazy for Kelly (she was persuing her goal to be an IFBB Bikini Pro; which she accomplished LAST MONTH!!!!), and I got more and more serious about my goals, I sought out Blythe Alberg.

For the last 2.5 months, I've spent 4 hours a week driving to see Blythe and workout with her. She has monitored my food through www.fitday.com and I check in with her daily, sometimes several times a day, with my progress. Some of my most memorable moments with her are: flipping tires, running with sand bags on my back, jumping on to platforms (sometimes missing them all together and falling flat on my face) pushing the prowler and working out so hard I would feel like my stomach was turning inside out. There have been tears, laughs, nervous jitters, embarrassing moments, etc.

Some of my less than graceful moments include: as mentioned above not being able to jump up on a platform- my right leg refused to move so I jumped; it stayed planted and I fell HARD. The agility ladder: again, AA does not equal coordination. Ab routines that test the kegal muscles... Running while trying to jump rope and taking 10 minutes to finish 3 sit ups.

The most memorable moments through it all are really memorable feelings. Nothing compares to the feeling of living up to a commitment you've made to YOURSELF. I come off as a strong person to many, but the reality is I've always been very "weak", "insecure" and never had much faith in myself. Making goals over the last year and seeing myself reach those goals, set new ones and then reach those has just been amazing!

I read on someone's Facebook page last week about what people DON'T see in a Figure Competitor. People don't see the emotional meltdowns, the countless hours working out, the millions of times we have to resist a craving, the discipline to get out there and run/lift/sweat/you name it when all we'd really love to do is sleep, watch TV or snack on chocolate! What you "see" is our physical reward. The lean body, the tone physique, the muscles, the low body fat, etc. In truth, those are just side effects to the mental discipline, training, and commitment we've made.

"You are a figure athlete...Building an outer "you" to reflect the principles you hold dearest. On the outside, others can only see the physical manifestations of your training. Internally, you know your own iron will, your determination to do what's best for yourself, your unwillingness to "be like everyone else". You love every second of those challenging times and keep coming back for more. You live and breathe your philosophy, and it shines through in your work and relationships. You encourage others to pursue their ideals, because it takes nothing away from your own achievements. You live in the moment and appreciate that small positives in life are richly rewarding....And you look damn good, all the while. "

Monday

So today the madness begins. I've got my checklist prepared and I'm working on getting organized. There will be some fun things going on this week, some exciting things, and then some not-so-glamorous things I'll share... Its all happening so quickly and I just want to be sure that I really take the time to enjoy the experience and adequately document my journey.

For today, I'm putting together my timeline/agenda for the week and just making sure that I'm as prepared as I can possibly be. Blythe emailed me my checklist for competitiong day:

Shoes & Suit
Jewelry
Make up & Fake Eye Lashes
Brush/Comb
Hair spray/products
Bikini Bite
Gum or mints if you like/ toothbrush
Oil, ProTan or Jan Tana (unless you are having spray tan done @ show)
Dream Tan (if you are doing your own tan)
Disposable Gloves
Hand Towels/wash cloth
Safety Pins
Baby Wipes/Q tips
Curling Iron/Flat iron
Mirror
Music (if applicable)
Cash for tickets, membership, etc
Membership Card
Cooler with food packed for the day
Treat for aftershow

I'll be putting a bag/suitcase together this week. Thankfully, my niece, Jenifer will be doing my make-up and hair the day of the show, so I know she'll have all that equipment and make-up. Blythe is bringing some of the stuff too. It just helps to have a checklist to remind myself of everything.

Tonight, I will do a hard round of HIIT and then a full body workout. After that, I will shave my ENTIRE body (arms, legs, bikini area, peach fuzz on back, chest and tummy...everything but my face). YAY ME! From what I understand, the tanning products used for competition require absolutely NO body hair or fuzz. I'll shave every day until Thursday to be sure to get a smooth, razor bump free body! YIKES!

Foodwise, I'm on a medium carb day. I've enjoyed my oatmeal pancake and 3/4 c of rice today with my meals. I feel very good, I have great energy and like I said, I'm just trying to enjoy the week and savor the experience!

Getting Close!

So I'm just DAYS away from my competition! I haven't been blogging much...well... because quite honestly, I'm just trying not to think too much right now. I've worked out hard for the last year (really only trained for the competition since February of this year) I've been on a strict nutrition plan for months now; constantly changing it, modifying it to fit my daily/weekly/monthly goals, and I have come to the point where I'm just trying to relax and enjoy these last few steps until the big day.

I've been surrounded by great friends and family and really focusing on the rewards of this journey. My friends and family have expressed how proud they are of me, I feel amazing (aside from the absurd food cravings and low energy I've had these last two weeks) and I'm feeling 100% mentally prepared for this Saturday.

I'm absolutely DONE with the food I've been eating on a daily basis (hence the weird food cravings- I actually want a foot long hot dog loaded with relish, mustard and onions. Nevermind the fact that I intend on indulging myself with a super thick and creamy chocolate milkshake to wash said hotdog down and then I'll end my feast with a ooey-gooey brownie) My sister-in-law, Jessica says, "You'll take one bite and be sick!"

She's probably right. I'm actually not too worried about what my eating habits will be like after this weekend. I'm feeling somewhat prepared. I know that I'll be able to eat whatever I want because now I understand portion control, clean eating and re-setting my body so that I don't store the crap and fat that my body was so used to a year ago... I'm sure I'll blog lots about how my newfound knowledge of food has changed how I want and choose to eat on a daily basis. Blythe and John said that I'll probably always eat like I'm "pre-contest" and just allow myself "treats" knowing that I can easily work it off or "reset" my body. I'll definitely keep you posted on how my nutrition changes in the following weeks.

Tomorrow is when the craziness begins for the show. I'll do my best to document each day what I experience! I can't believe this is really happening!

Feeling Lean

I'm feeling pretty lean this week. My weight hasn't really dropped anymore, Blythe says that's a good thing. Even though my friend the scale isn't budging, I definitely FEEL lean. I will admit, this isn't a comfortable place for me. I'm actually looking forward to putting on about 5-7 lbs after Aug. 14th.

My measurements were down again last week, mostly in my waist and hips. YAY! I'm curious to see where my measurements will be tomorrow. I'm leveling out at 120lbs (full) and I've got nice dimensions and symmetry. I think that this will be my strong area.

Today I saw some amazing definition in my quads, triceps, deltoids and back. Both Blythe and I were super excited about that! I can't wait to get some progress pictures tomorrow and see if we can see any changes from last week!

Tomorrow, I'd like to see some measurements come down, body fat drop at least 1% and I would LOVE to see some ab definition in my progress pictures. Fingers crossed! There's not much more I think I can do in these last 9 days, but at least I've given it my best and I think that I've done pretty well for my first show prep! I can't wait until competition day to see how I compare to the other Novice girls. This will definitely be a learning experience!

The Real Reward

Some might think that when I say, "the reward is in the journey" that I'm just trying to brace myself for the fact that I might not do that well in competition. I'll admit, there have been times I've thought that about myself too. Of course I want to do well in the competition, if the competition didn't mean anything, then why would I even participate? Having said that, regardless of how I do in the competition, I know where the REAL reward lies.

When I got home from work this evening, I changed my clothes, popped in my ear buds and headed out the door for a quick round of HIIT cardio. As I was about to walk out the door, my daughter says, "Mommy, I want to run with you!" At first I was reluctant, but she insisted and I agreed to let her come along.

Our neighborhood is small and secluded. I knew that I would be able to see her at all times and that there is minimal traffic. So the plan was for me to walk with her for 2 minutes, sprint ahead for 1 minute, then walk back to her and walk for 2 minutes, sprint...etc for 25 minutes. I was so proud of her for running the full minute during the sprints (obviously, she's 6 and wasn't as fast as me, but man did she try!)

My daughter isn't athletic, in fact, she's the OPPOSITE of athletic. She's not confident in her physical abilities, she's clumsy, quirky, and just not a very physical person. Our experiences with t-ball and lacrosse were less than triumphant as she spent most of the season picking flowers, singing, holding hands with other friends, and riding her lacrosse stick like a pony along the sidelines. I suppose that's pretty typical for 5 and 6 year old girls...

During our cardio training today though, she pushed herself. She pumped her arms, stretched her daddy-long-legs and SWEAT. She was working so hard! I cheered her on as she sprinted behind me, we walked together and chatted about how hard we ran and she actually got a little competitive with me (that's not typical of her!) On our cool down home, we held hands and laughed. She spoke in an exasperated tone, exclaiming comments such as, "wow! that was hard! You did awesome, Mom! Did you see how fast I can run? Can I run with you tomorrow too?"

It was that moment I felt like a winner! My journey has been an example to my daughter. See, I'm much like her...never have I really been an athlete, I'm clumsy, awkward, I run into non-moving objects (such as furniture and walls!) and I've never ever been confident in my physical abilities... I guess the apple doesn't fall far... Today I saw that I've been setting an example. I showed my daughter that we can do anything we put our mind to and that we are stronger than we think we are.

I got a little teary as we walked home. I never want my daughter to feel trapped or stuck with her physical appearance or abilities. I want her to feel empowered and know that she has 100% control over her health and fitness. Today...that was a REAL reward!

Familiar Feelings

Oddly enough, the only way I can describe my feelings right now sort of feel like how I felt when I was approaching my due date during pregnancy.

What should I expect?

I'm nervous, excited, anxious...

I've waited so long and now it's really happening!

How will it go? Will I be strong? Will I be scared? How will I know what to do?

I think of the posing practice as like lamaze. Its ridiculous how this has all resonated with me!

So that's my thought for the day... I feel like I'm preparing for Labor and Delivery and I have no idea what to really expect! I won't get to come home with a baby, but I can't help but feel like I'm waiting for something really exciting to happen and that I'll finally feel like all my hard work and waiting paid off!

July 28th Progress Pictures

I do have progress pictures from this week even though I'm not sharing suit pictures yet. I didn't have the same outfit I've had on for the last several weeks, but its close enough...

Meltdown City

After trying on my suit, I went into complete meltdown. The meltdown lasted about two days; tears, self-doubt, misery, shock, etc. Every negative emotion imaginable...I experienced it.

The suit is gorgeous. Its perfect in every single way. The fabric is rich, the jewels are perfectly placed, its cut exactly to fit my body. So what's wrong? Its TINY. I don't mean, it doesn't fit, I mean that its TINY, like barely there; non-existent. It might as well be dental floss.

I think the reality is hitting me like a ton of bricks. I'm going to be walking on stage in front of hundreds of people and asking a panel of judges to look at my body (my body that has been through the ringer with pregnancy, weight gain and weight loss) and basically exposing myself, my journey and my hard work to all. When the reality hit, I lost my confidence. It took me about 48 hours to decide that I need to go through with this and work my butt off (literally) for the next 2 weeks to give it my absolute best on competition day. Just the thought of it still makes my stomach turn. I just can't believe I'm really going through with this. Its just all so real; so sudden; so "no turning back now".

Marty says, "no one's holding a gun to your head. If you decide you can't do this, its ok" HA! I would never forgive myself. I'm not a quitter. I'm scared shitless, but I'm not a quitter! He knew that about me, he's just trying to ease my worries.

I had my workouts with Blythe on Wednesday and Thursday. I kicked my own ass on Friday, doing HIIT today on my own, and I'll push through the next two weeks with purpose. I have to remember that this is my FIRST show. I've only really been working out hard for a year and I've only been training for the competition since February 2010. That's not a lot of time for a newbie.

I've lost almost 50lbs now; I feel incredible; I'm in the smallest size clothing I've been in since High School; my life feels amazing; my kids are seeing a healthy life style... the pros go on and on! I'm already a winner!

So here I go... I'm sure I'll have a couple more meltdowns in the next 14 days. I've just got to keep my eyes on the goal and recognize that the journey has really been the reward!

(BTW I've decided I'm not posting pictures of the suit until after competition...I feel that's anti-climatic) LOL!

My suit has arrived!!!

My suit is here!!! I'll post pictures soon! It is gorgeous! Thank you, Berns from Passionfruit Designs!

Posing Class Success!

On Sunday I attended a Posing Class with Blythe and three other competitors at Athens Health Club. I was sooooo nervous! The other three women are preparing for the Charm City Classic, an OCB competition in October. I was impressed that they attended a posing class 3 months before their competition. I was also surprised that we were all so tall! It gave me hope that I wasn't going to look like such a giant at the competition (being that I have been a good 4-5 inches taller than anyone I've met previously!) Seeing that there are other taller girls competing was like taking in a big breath of fresh air.


We practiced our line up, four quarter turn mandatory poses and then did our stage walk (T-walk) I was happy I brought my music because I was able to practice and make note that my song's beat is a little fast so I need to make sure that I really slow my walk down and not speed through my routine.

During the class, I realized just how subjective this sport really is; all four of us had very very different bodies. One lady had incredible abs; unlike any I've ever seen in person. One woman's legs were solid rocks and just looked amazing; the other had shoulders with beautiful caps. I might be on the smaller side when it comes to muscle mass, but I'm definitely proportioned nicely and I think that will be my strong suit.

We all fumbled along and made lots of mistakes, but we also made lots of improvements in that short amount of time. I definitely feel more confident in my transtions, my grace, my stage presence and my posing. :)

19 days to go!!!

Things are coming together...quickly!

I'm am:

• Registered
• Tickets are Pre-ordered
• Pro-tan arrived yesterday
• music is picked out an on CD
• confirmation received that suit will be here Aug. 1st
• posing class confirmed for this Sunday

Its really coming together. I'm so anxious, excited, nervous, scared, thrilled...the list of emotions goes on and on.

I've spent the last year setting goals, reaching them, setting new goals and just working hard on my health and fitness. Now in the last three weeks before competition I feel like everything is happening so fast! I don't know if I'll ever feel ready!

July 21st Progress Pictures

I'm just a little over three weeks out until competition day. My weight has been hovering over a certain point for the last two weeks so let's hope that this next week I'm able to break the plateau and lose that last bit! Overall, I feel pretty good... I feel like if this is the best I can get for now, I'm perfectly happy with that. I'm trying not to stress and just recognize how far I've come along! Its almost time!!!

Competition Location Set!

I'm getting so nervous! I can't believe this is all happening! I'm a little over 3 weeks out until the big day and I'm about to die from nerves.

I'm getting ready to pre-order tickets! Let me know if you would like for me to reserve yours. You can also purchase tickets at the door...

Go to www.theOCB.com and look up Presidential Cup in Washington, DC for more information.

The Finals start at 5:00 pm

Support leads to Success!

I had the best time this weekend with 4 of my closest girlfriends. We spend two days at my beach house; no kids, no husbands. It was really a wonderful weekend spent by the pool, chit chatting and catching up with each other.

I will admit that this was an especially hard weekend to be socializing as I'm one who associates food with social gatherings. My girlfriends noshed on desserts, candies, pasta, bread, etc. and it was difficult for me to resist. I held steady and didn't break temptation; when it was just too difficult to bear I would allow myself a small bite, but overall I stuck to the plan without fail. I did have a couple emotional breakdowns, but I think I did very well relatively speaking.

The topic of diet and exercise came up on numerous occasions and I could feel that my girlfriends were starting to feel motivated about their own weight loss, health and fitness goals. Together, we started an online forum where the five of us could check in and discuss food, exercise, and meal planning while giving each other support and encouragement.

We're on day 2 of the online forum and its really taking off! We're checking in, asking each other questions, giving advice and helping to keep each other accountable. I know that with the support from one another, we will all reach our goals successfully!

Emotional Roller Coaster

I'm a pretty emotional person on a normal day, but this carb cycling is kicking my butt! I go from happy-go-lucky to tears in 5 seconds flat. High carb days are hard for me because I'm cramming 150g of carbs down my throat before 4pm. Medium carb days are my easy days; I don't have to think about it so much, I'm not stuffing myself, and I'm usually feeling pretty good. Low carb days are hard. Its not even about being hungry. Its more just feeling tired and irritable. Low carb day #2 is HELL. I feel cranky, jumpy, weepy and easily distracted. It doesn't feel good at all.

I'll admit that I can usually snap myself out of it, take some deep breaths, spend some time alone; whatever it takes to get myself back in check. However, some days are really hard. Working full time, raising two small children, running a business, managing people, answering questions, etc...its piles up and even on my GREAT days it can be a lot. So when all that hits on a really low carb day I just pray that I don't say or do anything that will create damage.

On Tuesday, I was EXHAUSTED. I ended up taking a day off from training. (Falling asleep while standing up against a classroom wall was the indicator that my body was drained). Wednesday I worked out hard, but I had high carbs and I felt good; I slept hard. Today, back to low carbs and I'm feeling sluggish and quite irritable. Its low carbs for the weekend too...Lord help me! Thankfully, I'm having some quiet time at the beach. I have some girlfriends coming to hang out; no husbands and no kids...this should be relaxing! I just hope my mood stays calm and that I'm able to keep myself in good spirits. I should be able to! Girls, I'm asking for forgiveness ahead of time ;o)

I'm getting a little sick from the emotional roller coaster, but I keep telling myself that this is a small window of time in my life and I can get through this! I haven't worked this hard, this long, to crumble in the last month! I'm hanging on for dear life and I'm thankful for all my friends and family for tolerating me during this journey!

July 14 Progress Pictures

With just a little over 4 weeks to go, I'm seeing some major changes! I feel very lean, especially in my legs and arms. My waist is shrinking and I think once I get rid of that little bit of fat left on my tummy, my abs will start to really show! WAHOO!!


So here are my pictures from today; my hair is always a mess because I just finished an intense workout with Blythe (the woman works me to death!):

SIA-CLAP YOUR HANDS lyrics on screen.

I'm pretty sure this is the song I'm going to do my stage walk to!

Life Changes

While on this journey of health and fitness, I have found that all that I'm learning and taking in is not exclusive to my physical look. I'm growing and changing in so many ways. I'm reflecting on my life, evaluating my relationships, cleaning, purging, and reorganizing.

I wish I could say that its been easy, but it hasn't. I'm looking at toxic relationships and situations and cutting them out. Life is too short for drama and turmoil. I look around me and I'm thankful, truly thankful, for the people in my life who are supportive, encouraging, loving and honest. I think if we really look at our lives, we will learn that there really are few people that can be all those things to you. Family is by far the most important thing we have; we need to work hard to invest in those people who love and support you; no matter what.

Blythe and John have spent a lot of time talking to me about how much of this journey is a mental game and they are right! Because I'm learning to organize my time, balance my life and stay strong both physically and emotionally, it is only natural that this will affect all aspects of my life. They tell me that at this point in my life I will be the most organized I will ever be. They are right.

I want to feel good. Just like cleaning out my diet from crap foods, I'm cleaning out my life from crap situations and relationships. Just like working out hard to build muscles, I'm working hard to support and develop the things that bring joy, love and happiness to my life (friends, family, work, etc...)

These are HEALTHY life changes and I really feel that overall I'm changing in a very positive way!

Two-a-days

Tomorrow begins the next phase of my training. I'm going to two-a-days. I will continue to work out with Blythe on Wednesdays and Thursdays, but now I will also be adding two-a-days three additional days. I'm not sure I'll always stick to the same three days; I may do Monday, Tuesday, Friday and have weekends off, or I may take Tuesdays or Fridays off and workout on Saturday. Not sure; we'll have to see what life has in store.

The plan is for me to do HIIT training all three of those days in the morning and then strength train in the evenings. Ideally, the strength training will be a full body workout. I'm looking into taking one of those Body Pump classes or Boot Camp classes at my gym since they work the entire body in an hour. However, if I'm too sore from my workouts with Blythe, I'll have to modify it so that I don't burn out or injure a body group.

When Blythe gave me my instructions, I of course told her that I would do whatever she said. I started to have questions about the reasoning. Not that I questioned her, but I wanted to know and understand the process; so I asked. Hey, its my body, I should know what's going on, right?

Blythe explained to me that we don't have time for my body to plateau and then make adjustments, I need to be one step ahead and confuse my body and make it work harder. So I'll be increasing my caloric intake and expenditure. I only have 5 weeks to go and so I need to make sure that in these last 5 weeks I tap into critical fat and turn my body into a fat burning FURNACE!

I'm really excited about starting my two-a-days and I'm even more excited to see the changes in my body during this last month! I can do this!

Refeed Day

I worked out with Blythe yesterday morning, but before my workout John did a body fat measurement and I was down another % in a WEEK! YAHOO! I earned a REFEED day! A refeed day is when I get to have ANYTHING I want to eat! ANYTHING!

So through my workout, I started thinking about what I would eat on my refeed. Pasta? Steak? Potatoes? Cake? Alcohol? So many choices! After the workout, I immediately called my husband and we started planning. We were definitely going to take advantage of this!

After eating clean all day, we decided we were going to head into Bethesda and hit Maggiano's (a fabulous italian restaurant!) My mouth was watering the entire drive! I didn't really take full advantage of my last refeed day, and I wasn't about to let this one slip by me.

We ordered Pinot Noir, Shrimp Scampi, Stuffed Mushrooms, Chopped Salad, Spaghetti and Meatballs and Rigatoni D (Chicken with Mushrooms). I sampled it all! To most, I probably still ate like I was "dieting" but for me, I felt like I was truly PIGGING OUT. We ended the dinner with the most delicious piece of Tiramisu. YUM.

So that was my refeed; like I said, I didn't let it go to waste. I slept like a rock last night, restored my glycogen and then hit it hard today with cardio. Life is GOOD.

Sibling Rivalry

My brother, Mike, did HIIT training with me today! Man did that push me hard! Mike has always been the athlete in our family so yesterday when he said he would do training with me this morning, I will admit that I got a little lump in my throat. I knew that there was no way I would be able to keep up with him!

So I was up bright and early, got myself mentally prepared, took my Jack3D and got my game face on for him to arrive at 8:30 am! He was there at exactly 8:30 and he was ready to go. I was sooooo nervous!

So we started out on our 2 minute warm up before our first interval of sprints. Two minutes was up and we took off...of course he shot out like a canon and within 20 seconds he was out of sight. I thought at that rate he's be in Baltimore by the end of our training. :o)

After our first sprint, he walked in place (more like circles) waiting for his heart rate to come down and let me catch up. I caught up with him just in time for our next interval to begin. I was pleasantly surprised in myself when I was able to maintain a steady pace and keep him within visual. I was only about 20 yards behind him.

We continued the interval training for about 25 minutes. The "Hill of Hell" as I call it (its a hill with about a 70% incline) about killed him. Hills are definitely easy for people with shorter legs. I had the advantage being I'm about 7 inches shorter than him. After that hill, I was able to maintain pace with him and we hit it pretty hard for the remainder of the HIIT.

I noticed that I was making much MUCH better time on the course. Where I am normally around 20 minutes, we were approching at 17 minutes. That was pretty darn impressive to me! That meant that I was about 3 minutes faster than my last HIIT on this course. Mike was PUSHING me HARD! I was so proud that I had made up time and I was thankful that my competitive streak with my baby brother was pushing me to surpass my previous goals!

The last 2 minutes I could tell were getting hard on Mike. I challenged him to one more sprint and he lived up to it. He pushed me hard, yelling at me, "Don't let me beat you!" and in that sprint I thought I was going to puke! I was only about 5 yards behind him the whole time, pumping my arms and legs hard, feeling my shin splints and praying that finish line would move closer to me! We finished hard and then had a nice cool down walk home.

I am so thankful for a supportive family, people that push me to my limits and being able to laugh and compete with those that I love. Thanks, Mike for an awesome HIIT training today! See you next Sunday! I'm READY!

What Motivates Us?

On the CUT THE FAT PODCAST Facebook page, there was a question about what motivates us. It was so inspiring and extremely motivating to hear what other people do or think to motivate themselves. It made me reflect inside myself and think about what motivates me.

I remember talking to a woman who was recently divorced. She and her husband had been married over 20 years and it was sad to see their marriage just deteriorate. I asked her..."what happened?" and her answer was quite simple..."I forgot how to be a woman." Man did that resonate with me!

I think that's what was happening with me, I forgot to be a woman; some may think, "what the heck does that mean Alice Anne?!?!?" I admit I'm probably just about the girliest girl out there. I don't mean woman in the sense of being feminine. Femininity is not something I've ever lacked. I'm talking about being a PERSON. I was so busy being a mother, a wife, a business owner, a daughter, a volunteer, etc....I didn't take care of ME.

What I realized was that in the efforts to give so much of myself to so many other people and things, I was stretching myself too thin and rather than doing good for a lot, I was doing a lot...and not very good. I was stressed, tired, irritable, achey, sick, frantic, busy, overwhelmed and I didn't feel very good about myself at all. My life was in a downward spiral and everything around me was just falling apart.

I thought about the recently divorced woman and remembered her words about "being a woman" and decided it was time to start taking care of me. Does that sound selfish? Probably. However, in taking the time for me to take care of my body, eat healthy, gett rest and feel good about myself my friends, family, and work reap the benefits.

My husband says, "Yeah, I benefit...my wife is SMOKIN' HOT!" LOL! Then he goes on, "in all honesty, I don't worry about you; you're not getting as sick as you were before, you're less stressed, happier...and yeah, you're smokin' hot!" Thanks, Marty!

My kids see me eating healthy, taking care of my body and they are making good choices about the foods they eat and they want to exercise too! Today, on the way to the gym my husband and I were planning our workout, my son exclaims from the back seat, "I'm gonna workout too! I'll do the bench, then flys and then some airplanes cuz I'm a muscle man!" TOO CUTE!

I really feel that what motivates me is that I want to be the BEST ME so that I can give the very best to those who need me. If I don't take care of my health and my body, how could I possible do anything to be there for my family, friends and work? I think about that when I'm planning my food and when I'm pushing hard at the gym. I'm doing this for me...so that I can give to others!

I want to hear what motivates you! Please comment on what motivates you...it really is inspiring to hear and read!

"You're TOO skinny!"

So the comments begin...

I understand that to many people I probably didn't look like I had a lot of weight to lose. The truth is, I've perfected deception thanks to my fashion skills. LOL! I wore a lot of just below the knee skirts, cardigans, layers, cinched belts, high heels, etc. If it made you LOOK skinny, I owned it.

As the weight has come off, so have the layers of clothing. I'm wearing shorts; and they aren't even BERMUDAS; they are real 3 in inseam shorts! I wear tank tops (without the cardigan to hide the granny triceps) and I find that I'm showing a lot more skin than I used to. This could also be attributed to the record heat we're having here in Maryland...

As people see me, they are starting to make comments like, "are you sure this is healthy?" or "You're getting too small." or "I'm not sure I want to see you lose more weight..." Ummm, that's nice... The reality is, I'm actually VERY healthy. Its taken me a good year to lose the weight, which probably means, I'll keep it off. I'm training hard, but that's for a COMPETITION, I won't always be carb cycling and flipping tractor tires.

I didn't completely cut carbs out of diet, I eat healthy from the earth foods, and I stronger, more fit and sleeping better than I ever have in my entire life. Where are the negative side effects (aside from the mood swings on my low carb days)? Overall, I think I'm doing pretty damn good!

I'm at about 120lbs now, some days I'm up a few pounds, but I expect to lose another 8 lbs in the next 4 weeks. I'm averaging about 2lbs a week in loss. That's going to put me at just about the smallest I've been in my adult life. I recognize that this is not a state that I will keep myself; this is ONLY for the competition. That's why competitors take a break afterwards, put 10lbs back on and go back to a higher body fat percentage. I understand this and I don't plan on maintaining the low body fat after the competition. I think where I'm at RIGHT NOW TODAY is where I feel comfortable and happy for every day life.

My clothes are going to look big for the next couple weeks, but I'm not ill, I'm not fading away, I'm just in prep mode. In my workout gear, I look much fuller and developed. Its a mental game and optical illusion! LOL!

Don't lose faith in me. I promise I've been healthy in doing this and I FEEL healthy and AMAZING! Its hard work, but it really is the best thing that I could do for my body right now! I'm clean, I'm lean and HEALTHY!

Kids and Teens Certification Cancelled

Bummer!

I was scheduled to go for my certification as a Kids and Teens Personal Fitness Trainer this Saturday, unfortunately there wasn't enough interest in the course so the class was cancelled. :(

I'm really disappointed, as this is what I was most looking forward to learning so that I could incorporate it in with my preschool and personal goals to improve health and fitness for children!

I'll do some more research and see if another venue is offering the training... Wish me luck!

One Year and 45 lbs later...

July 6, 2009

July 6, 2010

I can totally see a difference! I just can't believe it! It makes me really feel like my hard work is paying off!

July Progress Pictures

Progress pictures were taken after Thursday's workout. I'm down 4 lbs and about 2% body fat! I see some changes and hope to see BIG changes in the next couple weeks!

Focus on the Positive!

I've GOT to break this funk!

Rather than psych myself out and worry over things I cannot control, I want to take a moment to think about the things that really great about this experience. You'll see throughout the history of this blog that I do this when I need to lift my spirits and find motivation and strength!

I want to give special thanks to my friends. Michelle, Kelly, Megan, and Morgan! Thanks so much for this week. Seeing you girls and learning that you all are planning on attending the show means so much to me! I'm glad to help you all with meal planning and exercise routines. You 4 are simply the best friends any girl could ask for! Thanks for cheering me on and being so supportive!

Ashley, I can't tell you how surprised I was to hear how this blog has inspired you! I actually felt shy when you approached me! This has been an incredible exeperience for me and I'm thankful that you were able to enjoy reading about my journey!

Kara, thanks for the words of encouragment! You helped remind me that there are tremendous rewards that I take for granted! Thank you!

Jessica, thanks for being the best photographer out there! You have been amazing to work with, I'm happy that I'm so comfortable with you and I feel that you truly captured my hard work in your art!

Ronnie, my religious reader! Thank you, honey for following this blog and responding to almost every thing! I love that I share this with you!

Lolly, thank you for turning to me for advice. Helping you keeps my focus on my own health and fitness strong!

Blythe, the best trainer ever. Thanks for keeping me accountable, pushing me to my limits and guiding me through this journey!

Marty...you are a saint. Thanks for rushing at a moment's notice to get me my carbs, never getting angry with me when I'm a complete raging bitch, and for making sure that I'm prepared each day for success. I could not do this without you.

I am blessed with an amazing support group! LOVE YOU ALL!

Keeping Motivated

I'm in the last 6 weeks before the big day and its becoming difficult to keep motivated. I know that we all go through cycles and about 6 weeks ago I found myself in a similar slump. This past year and more specifically the last 6 months have been extremely difficult, both physically and emotionally. Its hard to keep the momentum and stay on track in regards to diet and exercise. I do sacrifice a lot and I know that the rewards are great, but it is so hard to stay on track week in and week out. I do get my "cheat" meals, but as I get closer the cheat meals don't seem worth it...so I get irritable and frustrated, especially when I don't see major muscle gain or fat loss.

I am definitely on the smaller side and so I'm preparing myself to not get my hopes up high when it comes to the competition. I'm really looking at this as a learning experience and really when it comes to whether or not I've "won" anything...I really do feel like a winner in that I'm in the best shape of MY life.

I do get doubtful and self conscious, I think that's normal and I admit that each day is like playing mental games, some days I feel great, other days, I feel flat (that's what we say when our muscles look small) I'm leaning out quickly, so I feel lanky, I was expecting to see more muscle definition and I'm very small.

I'm working out with Blythe both Wednesday and Thursday of this week. Then I'm headed to the beach for some R&R and down time with the Foley Family. I think that will be good for me. Its going to be hard because my nutrition is so strict right now and I cannot allow for any slip ups; but I think that the time away will help me regain focus!

I usually feel better after my workouts with Blythe, when I hit it hard, I feel rejuvinated and motivated. I just need that kick in the butt! This is hands down the hardest thing I've ever done in my life!

Overcoming Temptation

This weekend has been especially challenging when it comes to temptation. Friday night my husband and I went out to celebrate a friend's birthday. It was incredibly difficult to party all night and not that I'm even much of a drinker, it definitely felt hard to not have a single sip of alcohol (not to mention that people aren't as funny as you remember when you're sober LOL!)

On Saturday, we spent the day at Eastport Rockin', an Annapolitan block party with close to 30 bands rockin' out, and once again I found myself in a pickle not being able to find "good food" and beverages that didn't consist of alcohol.

Today, I celebrated another birthday with friends and let's just say that they had the most gorgeous chocolate cake in all the world there for the taking! I seriously felt that I could knock down walls to get to a piece of cake. Inside, my world was spinning out of control, but outside I calmly fed my children this delicious (so it looked) cake. Yes, I held the cake, on a tiny little plate, and carefully fed my children said cake and didn't so much as lick the fork.

So, through this entire weekend, I was constantly surrounded by temptation and it would have been easy to sneak a taste or just let the plan slip, but I've made it SO FAR and I just can't justify it. Blythe said to me on Friday night via text: This is only a very short time in your life. You are healthy and you're on a mission. Keep reminding yourself of that!

She was SO right. After coming home from today's party, I went and indulged in a greek yogurt (yeah, that's my "treat" these days!) Thankfully, I can still have "vanilla" flavored and that seemed to calm my sweet tooth.

I like knowing that I defeated temptation and that I held strong. It doesn't feel good at the time, but I know it feels better than the guilt I would feel later had I given in...