New job and new store

I got a part-time job at my gym! Just 8 hours a week adn the pay is crappy but my membership is free. I keep toying with the idea of getting my ACE certification and training some but there are pros and cons and I'm having a hard time deciding. I figure being in the gym environment on the business side of things may help me make the decision. I just don't know if I'd want to be a trainer without the actual 4 year degree in it instead of just the certification...but then again, some of the best trainers I know of don't have 4 year degrees...hmmmm

Neil and I went and joined costco today. We were there wondering around for 2.5 hours. I got 4 lbs of Organic green beans for $4.99. WOW - that was pure excitement...I know, sad isn't it- that is what excites me...

Sunshine!

I'm not very good at keeping up my blog...oh well...

I'm still training hard! Got my 1500 calories of cardio in last week and boy did I have variety. This has been fun!
I ran, went to cardio kickboxing class, did some HIIT running, then did a Hip Hop class (wow, I would not want many people to see me do that - not one my talents!!), and did the elliptical machine. I think it is really good for me and my body to be switching it up so much like this. I'm feeling all new muscles and working on my coordination.

Went out to eat with the hubby tonight. Had a salad that was wonderful and not to far off plan except for some gouda cheese and blueberries on it...then the waitress comes and INSISTS we have a free desert because we sat at the table by the door and didn't complain...ugh. What to do... ugh....

I caved but my hubby prevented it from being a big cave. I would have just ordered the brownie with ice cream - if you're gonna cheat, cheat big. That has been my motto. But Neil suggested we try the rice pudding, a much smaller dessert...probably a good idea. So, rice pudding it was and it was just fine.

Then we went the the adorable little cheap theater by our house (still has original 1960s everything - chairs, lamps, carpet) and we saw 'Little Miss Sunshine'. GREAT movie. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. Maybe I laughed off all the extra calories...oh how I hope!

Is it really November?

Went for a walk tonight with my hubby and pups for 45 min. It is STILL nice here. Which is crazy for this time in MN. Usually you have to be bundled up like you are going to the North Pole...but a winter jacket and some little mittens were all that was required tonight.

Followed up with some 20 min of HIIT on the treadmill. Lvl 5 for 1 min/ Lvl 10 for 30 sec intervals.

Yesterday I had Chest/Back/Tris and 30 min moderate cardio.

Going to do lower body/arms/cardio tomorrow. Then it is off to SD for thanksgiving. I talked to my cousin that I'm staying with and she has a treadmill so I will be able to get some cardio in and probably some lunges and bodyweight exercises on Thurs and Fri. My sis is nice enought to babysit my pups so we don't have to drag them to SD. They love riding in the car but it is kind of relaxing not to have to worry about making sure they get taken out and aren't bugging anyone with all the people around.

Talked to Sully (bodybuilding coach) today on the phone - the first time I've talked with him since we've done everything via email. We are all ready to help me get my metabolism in line and I feel much better now. I'm also going to the homeopathic doc on Monday for a checkin so I couldn't have a better team to get this all taken care of! I'm very excited for 2007.

Bring it on!

I am working hard and still on program. I got dunked today to measure my body fat % and had my metabolism tested using all of the high tech equipment at the University of St Thomas. I found out that I have a low functioning metabolism and that I should probably see a doctor and get blood tests. I plan on working with my bodybuilding coach and my homeopath to see what we can do. I'm not willing to take synthroid or other synthetic crap so anyways.

Thank you to my sister and my hubby for pulling me out of the negative thoughts (I almost went and ate the biggest/baddest breakfast I could). Thanks to the movie (The secret - it is the best movie in the world and it changed my life. Order at www.thesecret.tv) and all of the positive friends and family in my life, I know I can combat this and rise above it. I'll be better than ever now that I know more of the barriers I face. I can combat what I know exists!!!

Life is a journey and I'm going to enjoy that journey. this is one of those moments that is very telling...do I embrace it and grow or do I get angry and depressed?

...I think I'll grow!

Busy weekend ahead!

It's my Friday!!! I work M-Th, yeah I'm spoiled, I know.

Had Chest, Back, shoulders this am and my little lazy hubby didn't get up to go with me so had to go alone...oh well. Had a great workout and feelin it now though!!!

Hubby and I tried a spinning class for the first time on Tues night! don't think I'd do it all the time and it was an hour long -I was supposed to do only 20min of HIIT but it was nice for a change.

My sis is moving to Pittsburgh so I'm on my own again. That's ok, I'm tough! Very excited and happy for her new adventure. Hoping I can get my hubby to keep going to the gym with me a couple times a week. Will have to see.

Busy weekend for me!!


Tomorrow lunch- meeting a woman I used to work with for lunch
Tomorrow evening - my nephew Erik's bday party
Sat at 3pm - Friend's surprise 50th bday party
Sat night - going to Rollerderby with Lanae (CRAZY!! one of the women my friend works with is in the league)
Sunday morning- going to get dunked in a big pool of water to see what my bodyfat is - totally crazy only done calipers. Never done this before, I'm excited!!

Just got done with my evening cardio

20 min on tready
incline 3%
Intervals: 30 sec at level 9/1min level 6


Yeah - now I can relax for the night!!!

Awake!

Well...it is 3:11am here and I am up! Completely awake...what is with that!? Oh well.

I am doing well - I feel like I am really gaining some lean mass in my upper body which is the point right now so that is very exciting!!! I'm still about 3.5 pounds from where I was before my Hawaii trip but I think some of that is lean muscle gain so that is a good thing! I've been enjoying a free meal once a week and I haven't really reigned them in much so I'm not feeling too bad about not losing a ton of fat.

Hey Melissa - I do remember you! Yep - doing the May show in 2007 again. See you there! It is going to be a pro-qualifier...huge show!!! This is just peachy, I'm just out to do the best I can and come in better than I did last year.

1leanmom - HI HI HI! I stopped over to the blends website to get caught up on you a couple of weeks ago. Looks like you are busy as ever. I'll have to go over and 'see' you again.

My sister and I are doing a show in Des Moines Iowa on May 12, 2007 (my birthday!!!!) and then we will do the Mr/Ms Natural MN show here on May 19th. I've toyed with the idea of going to Vegas in June to do a Women's TriFitness show. You can pick which events to take part in at those shows. They have different rounds: bench press, shuttle run, box jumps, obstacle course, grace and physique (this is just basically figure without the posing). You can choose to do just one or all of the events. We'll have to see.

After that - I'm not sure when I'll compete again. We'll see if I still have the 'bug'. Otherwise, I may just try to live the lifestyle without the pressure of an upcoming show for a while. Build some muscles, maybe do some sprint tris...live it up! We will just see where life takes me!

Movie bum

Yesterday, I went to the gym at 6am and did my cardio with my hubby. Then, went to the gym at 10:30 and did weights with my sister. Our routines and schedules are different now so it was the first time I'd worked out with her all week! My workouts were hard and I lifted heavy this week. Pretty happy with myself. Me and my muscles were super tired yesterday!!

My friend Lanae called and she had the day off so we went to Marie Antionette. It was the most BORING movie i've ever seen in my life!!

Last night, Neil and I met Adam and Amy for supper and a movie. It was super fun. I had my free meal so I got to enjoy spinach and artichoke dip and apple crisp desert plus a few other goodies. We went to see Man of the Year and it was funny and serious. I really like it. Neil didn't because he thought it was just going to be funny through the whole thing. It was fun to see Amy because the last time I saw her she didn't even look pregnant! Now she is 5.5mos and she looks pregnant and we got to see pics of the nephew! Fun stuff.

Neil and I raked the front yard this afternoon so now it looks like we are responsible home owners. Ha ha!

I never reported back about Hawaii. It was fun. I took surfing lessons and both Tosh and I did REALLY good. We surfed for like 1.5 hours and caught lots of waves. We had great teachers. We got stranded for a couple days extra because of the earthquake but we found a hotel room right away so it was actually a lot of fun! It was tough coming back because I had gained so much weight my clothes didn't fit and I felt aweful! I'm back on track now and very close to my clothes feeling good again!

Sea Salt

neil and I went to a wonderful little outdoor restuarant called Sea Salt tonight. We shared a crab cake sandwich and a squid steak sandwich. Ever had squid??! It was good! I had a kiddie scoop of oreo ice cream for dessert and it was super good.

then, we took puppies for a walk down by minnehaha falls and by the creek. it was so nice adn the leaves are beautiful here right now.

Procrastinating packing for Hawaii right now...Think I'll go take a bath and then I'll pack...I promise!

2 More days!!

Only 2 days to Hawaii! It is getting hard to do anything. I'm just about useless at work - not really, I've actually been getting a lot done. But I am ready to go. Didn't do any packing tonight. Will do that tomorrow night.

Workout this morning was good. Ran hard and then got bodyfat tested. I know it wasn't accurate because you aren't supposed to workout first cuz it messes up the numbers but I thought it would give me a ballpark. Well, the trainer at lifetime doesn't really have a clue what they are doing. She took Tosh's skin fold pinch through her thick tshirt...seriously...when you are measuring millimeters, 2 layers of shirt makes a difference.

Work and home are good. Hubby is good - been working downtown. Puppies are wonderful little beasts. Sadie is curled on my lap right now and duffy sat and watched TV with me tonight. I'm a spoiled little woman with my hubby and 2 puppies. Happy times.

Flowers and a Show

My hubby is the sweetest guy ever and he loves me! So, I got flowers in a really cool pumpkin delivered to me at work on Thursday.


Yesterday, Tosh and I went to a show in Red Wing MN. My friend Janet got second in her class and she did a great job. Another friend Tonya from phat camp got first in her class. One of the other guys I know got the overall in Men's bodybuilding. It was his first show so it was very exciting. Tosh and I helped all the figure girls get ready so there was lots of tanning and sticking suits to butts... he he.



Very excited for our Show in may. I think it is just going to be a blast. I am also seriously considering doing some portions of a Women's Trifitness show next year. There is a grace and physique round just like a figure competition but there is also an obstacle course and different athletic tests, like box jumps, shuttle runs, and a bench press. I think it would be really fun. I could work to beat my own times at each compeition and it wouldn't all be based on a subjective decision by judges.

I'm sooooo excited for Hawaii! We leave on Friday and I am ready! Everything is going great with the bodybuilding coach. I am making gains and I really like working with him. I get to cheat during vacation and I have my new meal plans and workouts to start as soon as I get home. Have I mentioned I really like working with him!? It is so nice to always have a master plan and be on a mission!

Brainerd

Thank you everyone for stopping in even though I am horrible at keeping this updated! I've been off of the computer lately and haven't checked any of my blogs or anything! :-(

We went up to Brainerd to my in-laws timeshare Thurs night - Sat morning. It was rainy and cold but we had a nice, relaxing time. The cabin was beautiful and huge!!! We watched a couple of movies and Neil and his dad played pool. I did cardio on the equipment there and was thankful they had some equipment. But the elliptical machine sounded like a train it was sooo loud and clunky! Insane!

Busy

We moved Tosh into her apt last night and today. She is working pretty much non-stop so her place is a mess and no time to put things away in sight... oh well - thank goodness you are only young and getting established once!

We went to Kansas City over the weekend to an amature and pro sho and it was great fun. A couple of my friends did their first show and both of them did amazing! Another of my on-line friends won her pro card which was also really great! One of my other friends looked really great and came in at her personal best thus far - however, she has many more competitions to come so it will be fun to see her growth. It was a 7.5 hour trip one way so a lot of driving but worth it.

I found this on another board and thought I would post it.


"I'm training a girl right now, and I told her I wouldn't let her prepare for a show until she knew deep in her heart she was ready...and that wasn't just physically ready. There are emotional and mental aspects that walk hand in hand with the physique when choosing to step onto a stage.

You do have to be prepared to pull out your food anywhere, anytime. And prepared is the key word. I don't even go to the mall while I'm in contest prep without my cooler and gallon-jug of water unless I am positive I'll be back home within an hour of my last meal. When I run errands during lunch at work, I take my entire cooler with me. If anything were to happen and I couldn't get back to my office, I wouldn't want to be without my meals.

This is a lonely existence. In the end, it's up to you. No one can do this for you. It's your legs running up and down those bleachers, your arms curling the dumbbells, your mouth taking in the chicken and asparagus for the sixth time that day. It is all you. It's particularly lonely when everyone around you says, "Don't you have any fun?" This is my fun (well, one huge aspect of it). I think a part of my soul would die if I didn't incorporate this lifestyle into my existence.

The emotions ebb and flow. You have to be able to monitor them, reel them in, anchor them. Everything little thing can stress you out on some days. Other days, you feel like you're on a total high. But you can't let your emotions get the best of you and distract you from the constant entities in your life.

Your body will go through so many changes. Some you'll like. Some you won't. You have to learn to appreciate your body for what you were genetically given. Accept what you can change and set out a plan to change these areas and then accept what you can't change and go with the flow.

There will be disappointment at some shows. Subjectivity reigns in this sport; your effort, time, and dedication do not factor into the judging. Just because you busted your butt harder than you have for anything else in your life, it doesn't mean that you will get the trophy. And it doesn't mean you didn't deserve that trophy either. Understand that winning takes many shapes and forms in this industry.

Drugs are only a factor if you make them one. When you realize that you will not go that route, then you have automatically decided to take another route. Walk that path all the way, then. Don't harp on what other girls do; instead, understand that you are natural and then devise a plan so you can see the same results as those girls do.

Finally, be aware that this is all up to you. By making a decision to compete, you have made a thousand other decisions for you to follow. The moment you complain about your food, the workouts, the lack of sleep is the moment you have to realize you can fix this by simply changing the original decision. Something tells me, you won't.

In the end, it's all worth it. Every tear, every bit of hurt, every second of loneliness, every pound of fat dropped and pound of muscle gained, every weight increased in the gym, every stone glued onto a suit, every dollar given to the grocery store, every bite taken and every bite avoided. All...all...all worth it if this is what you truly want.
by JodiLeigh

Lawn conquered

I mowed that darn lawn! I started on early Friday morning and by 1pm - our lawn actually looked somewhat respectable. I pushed the reel mower through the front and about 1/4 of the back lawn. It was just too tall in the back though, the manual reel mower just wasn't sharp enough to get through the wet, thick, tall grass. So I rented a regular push mower (only $8 an hour!) and went over the front lawn again and did the back. I had to hold it kinda up in the air and tip it on its side all the time cause it kept getting clogged but I got it done! Then I raked the entire lawn...wow - I was tired. Then I attacked some of the weeds in the front and back and pulled them out too. Very proud of myself.

Had a leg workout day yesterday and cardio this morning. All the new workouts from the new bodybuilding coach and it is awesome. I haven't been sore in a long time and it feels good! Not the "so sore I can't sit" kind of sore but the "damn, I worked hard" kind of sore. Tosh and I are really pushing each other at the gym and it is nice to be on the same workouts again. Makes working out a lot more fun. For cardio this morning we set the incline on the treadmill at 6% and then ran at a level 10 for 30 sec. Then you jump onto the guard rails and leave the treadmill running while you pant and catch your breath for a minute. Then you jump back on the treadmill (this is quite the adrenaline rush as 10 is pretty fast and it is on an incline!) - you go for 30 sec and repeat the process for 10 min. I'm happy to say neither of us shot off the back of the treadmill! After that you finish up with 20 min moderate run at a level 6. It is a kick a$$ workout!

Kinda lazy the rest of today but that is ok. Overall had a great weekend. Good to get rested up before Kansas City next weekend. Driving down on Fri. Big Bodybuilding/figure show on Saturday, driving back on Sunday. Will be an exhausting trip but should be fun!

Day 1 of new workouts!

I'm done with the 7 day cleanse and I think it went really well. Now onto the next month of workouts from the bodybuilding coach! Very exciting. The workouts are comprised of lots of different variations and tempos in the training, different reps and set so it's nice to have some variety. Had Back and Bis this morning. It feels like I did well on bis...back not so sure. Back is hard to guage cuz its all pulling exercises.

My Post workout shake is one service gatorade and one serving whey...I just mixed them in the same glass...ummmm yeah - a little gross but easy so it'll probably stay that way.

I'm a loner at home today. Tosh has to work 2 jobs - ick. Neil is going to a friends house to work. I need to mow the lawn but we only have a reel lawn mower and it is too long for that (not good- it is going to seed and the drunk old neighbor lady has started yelling obsceneties over the fence!) We a push mower the previous owner left her and it is 20+ years old and you have to touch the spark plugs together and some other crazy thing to get it started...not sure about that either. maybe it will just rain and then I won't have to feel guilty like I should be mowing the grass because I just can't! I've seriously considered getting a cute little goat! :-)

Wall was no match for us!

Tosh and I went rock climbing at REI on Saturday - no problem. I made it up the wall on my first try (of course we only did the easy side since it was our first time). Was really fun. I thought it would take a lot more upper body strength but I was really good at using my legs for the most part and I didn't even feel it in my arms!

We discovered that Tosh is really afraid of heights. She made it up about 15 feet on her first try and then she freaked...not to fear - she came down for a pep talk and I sent her back up the wall. She made it all the way to the top without a problem as well. Shaky hands and sweaty palms were a small price and she conquered her fear.

I am on Day 4 of a cleanse. All protein shakes with blended fruit and veggies today and tomorrow. I'm surprised but veggies in shakes are not bad at all. Thought I would dread today and it's been just fine. Nice surprise!

Yesterday, my friend Lanae came over and all three of us went the gym for cardio. Tosh ran like the wind, Lanae biked and ran, I did the stepmill for 10 min and then the cross country ski machine for 10 min. The ski machine about killed me! I don't know how it can be sooo tough - but I was seriously huffing at the end!

We watched Last Holiday when we got home from the gym and it was actually really good. I enjoyed it very much.

Sat night Tosh and I watched eight below. That was also really good except I cried for like 1.5 hours! I am such a sucker for puppies.

Camping and training

Wow, been a while since I checked in! Neil and I went camping last weekend and it was wonderful! The weather was perfect, our campsite was secluded and quiet. We had such a great time we are going again next weekend.

Neil has been super busy this week - I haven't seen him hardly at all. He was either gone till early hours of the morning or actually staying at other people's houses every day except last night. He helped one friend with a big dvd job and the other with putting in a floor. He just left this morning for a paintball trip with a bunch of guys. Won't be home till MOnday. I'm starting to remember what single feels like! :-)

Exciting news on the training front - I have hired a new trainer! He is a WNBF pro from Maryland and he has tons of experience. Financially this will be much more feasible and I think I will get more results simply because my program will be monitored and changed more frequently. I don't need the face to face accountability of physically meeting with my trainers any longer and I haven't been actually training with them for a long time, just checking in and getting new workouts and checking the diet. I will be sending my new trainer pics every couple weeks and he'll be switching things up all the time. I think this is really great and will really help me out. I was struggling a bit over the last week and I think a lot of the problem is that I am stagnant and bored.

So, we started yesterday with a 7 day cleanse. Then I will do a baseline diet for 4 weeks. After that he says 'we will be doing all kinds of crazy things!' Exciting! There is absolutely no cheating during this first phase so clean eating for me till October.

Downtown

Worked out downtown with my hubby today and it was wonderful. The gym down there is huge and there were 2 people in the free weight area. My concentration was much better adn it was so much for to have the run of the place all to myself.

I'm doing really well today. I've had a great week and I feel really good about all of my food choices, etc. I just FEEL good. The gas and bloating are pretty much gone. I've been doing half veggie protein, half either egg or meat protein at most meals and my body seems really happy with that.

My sis moved in on Thursday and she will be here for a couple weeks. She's looking for an apt with a friend from work so we've been busy with that.

Went to meet friend for breakfast down by the lake today and that was really nice. It's beautiful out. We took the pups along and they were really well behaved.

Saw the movie "Step Up" with Tosh last night. Goood chick flick...that guy is HOT!

Doing great!

I am feeling really good this week. I cleaned up my diet and went back to basics and my stomach feels really good. My sister finally sat me down and said I was making too big of a deal of everything - she was right. And I just needed to quit cheating all the time and I'd be fine - right again.

Working on implementing the ideas in "Excuse Me your life is waiting" again -I need to force myself to read a little bit of that book everyday. It just makes me realize how great life is, can be, and will be in the future!

I went out to the farm and rode horse last night. Schnookie got bit by a big bug while I was on her - she was NOT impressed! I got off and we got some fly spray on her and she was much happier. The two fillies out there are so beautiful. I just can't beleive how wonderful they are!


Hope you enjoyed the picts from this weekend. It was so fun!

Photos

Here are some picts from this weekend at the race. They all turned out great!

25 min and 6 seconds

We ran the 5K on Saturday and this was my time!!! 25:06...that is very good for me. My best time on my practice 5K was 28 minutes. I got around 28 minutes last summer as well. My sister and I were bookin it!!! She got 25:01, she can really push that last little bit. We got 1st and 2nd place in the 20-29 age group. That is really exciting for us. My grandma, my dad and my little brothers were there to watch. Grandma said "pretty cool to do this in the town that didn't think you could hardly walk across the street." She's aluding to the fact that no one thought I was athletic or gave me the time of day as far as sports were concerned. My friend, Lanae, also got a personal best in the race. Her dad ran and got first in the over 60 category. Neil ran and got first in his 20-29 category...however, he was the only runner in his catergory...No matter - the fact that he got out there and ran it is all that matters!

All in all it was a great day.

On friday we all checked in the the trainers. Neil is down 2.5% body fat, 5 lbs of fat, and gained 3 pounds of muscle. VERY impressive.

Tosh measured exactly the same.

I am up .8% bodyfat, 1 lbs of fat, lost 1 pound of muscle. Not good. Bummer.

We all cheated over the weekend. It was nice to eat meals with my family and I'm not even going to say I regret it. A lot of it was emotional eating - so be it.

We went to the camp ground on saturday and set up the tent. It was sooooooo windy and miserable. Then, we heard there were tornado and storm warnings and the big clouds started rolling in. We packed up and drove the 5 miles back home. Good thing we did because it rained a lot and it rained HARD! My one little brother hates storms and freaks out...there is no way he would have survived in the little tent.

Took us forever to get home today and we sat in traffic for hours. But we made it. Hubby got very impatient with driving at the end and I was so happy when we finally pulled up in front of our yard.

So now it is on to Monday. 3 days of bad eating behind me. Hoping to make progress in the right direction in the days to come.

Sis and I are going to check out a Snap Fitness tomorrow. The lifetime near our house is fun in theory. there are lots of buff people and it is nice to work out without kids around but he equipment is just terrible! The machines are old and they hurt no matter how much you adjust them. They don't have a standing calf machine. The dumbells are ancients and the racks look like they were welded together and it is an art to put the dumbbells away without pinching your fingers. I wouldn't be so picky except that it is really expensive to workout there and quite honestly the equipment is much better at the Y...so maybe Snap will be the answer. cheaper than the Y and Lifetime with brand new equipment. I am so hard to please!

Getting ready for the weekend

We'll be packing and getting food ready for this weekend tonight.

I met with my mentee, Frednesia, and ran for the first time last night. She has stood me up the last 4 meetings more or less...so I'm glad last night worked out. We ran for about 8 minutes out of a 30 min run/walk. She had a tough time but I am really proud of her. She tried hard.

Excited for this weekend. Neil and my sister both have check-ins with the trainers tomorrow and then we are heading to SD right from there. Forecast says rain all weekend...hope they are wrong! I don't want to run or camp in the rain!

Achy

So I made it to the gym for my back workout this afternoon. Yeah - both workouts done today! My forearms and the back of my legs are achy. Forearms because they aren't in shape enough to hold the heavier weights for my back workouts - because I've been a slacker! Back of my legs - either from running outside the last couple days or from my leg workout yesterday, probably a combination of the two.

My friend Lanae asked if I really needed to compete today. She was asking because of my free meal 'binges'. She pointed out that it is almost like a form of being bipolar. I have really extreme goals so I am extremely clean and then I go off extreme as well.

We talked for a while and I really think things are coming into perspective. First, it has only been 2 months since comp and no matter what - I think everyone goes through a huge adjustment period after their first one. On a second note - at this time last year I was around 28% bodyfat if I remember right...A lot has happened to me in the last year! I'm bound to have a bit of a time finding 'normal' for me!!!

I'm feeling really good again today. My hubby has decided to do the 5K with us on Saturday so that should be fun.

Things are going well at work. We've been without a director since May and we finally have someone starting on Aug 21! I haven't had a boss forever and I am looking forward to having that foundation again. Luckily, I would with a great team so we have all just continued on without a problem.

Thanks Nora and everyone else for stopping by!

Ratios

I'm doing well with my new diet. For the majority of the time, I am going for a vegan diet. I am having chicken, fish, and turkey mixed in there as I want. I shoot for 1900-2000 calories a day, 40% carbs, 35% protein, 25% fat. I have my workouts all planned out for the next 2 weeks. I've filled out a calendar with exactly what I have on each day and that makes me feel good. I like crossing the days off and I love having a plan and a purpose.

tosh and I ran a 5K this morning...it is dark outside at 5:30am. Tough to get up to run - ugh. We run a 5K race this Saturday in our hometown in SD so we are trying to prep for that a little bit. I want to do well. Would be kind of nice to finish well in the hometown where I was never considered an athlete.

We have also been doing yoga and pilates. I really need to stretch more. My flexibility is something to be desired! :-)

I will probably try and get my BF% tested on 8/24 when Tosh goes in for training. I would like to be at 17% then. That is the new goal.

Off to work now - I'm blogging because I missed the bus at 7:25...dang it!

A few changes

Going to the Naturopath was really neat. It is crazy how much they can tell about you by alternative means. She measure the electric energy flow through my body using a number of accupressure points. Results:

I have 3 cracked teeth under my metal filling. The teeth are degenerating under there and releasing bacteria into my system - tons of fun! My face should clear up (I always struggle with at times) and my heart will be happy when the bacteria is gone. Have dentist appt on Aug 21st to go and start the process of getting the metal filling out of these three teeth and new composites in.

My pituitary, adrenal, thyroid gland system is kinda sluggish. Mostly because I don't handle my stress very well...oops. Have a couple of vitamins to try to pump them up a little bit. This is most likely where a lot of my digestive problems are stemming from. My body isn't moving fast enough to do a good job digesting or something like that.

Last but not least - I have a hard time digesting protein from animal sources. Pretty much figured this - I knew I was unable to eat any dairy already and I guess the whole meat thing doesn't surprise me for some reason. chicken, fish and turkey are easier for me to digest than red meat but veggie protein is actually the best for my body. Now, considering I eat 6 meals a day based around protein this could seem a little daunting. However, I don't think it is so bad - actually it's kinda nice to switch things up a bit. I'm just switching to a veggie protein for some of my meals. Can't hurt to try it! Maybe I will build muscle better if my body can actually process more of the proteins I'm giving it.

Switches I've made:
Added two veggie sausage links to breakfast in place of the whole egg and 1 egg white.

Having my 2 protein shakes with soymilk instead of water and dropping down to one scoop instead of two scoops of protein powder (I buy ON 100% whey with lactase so I digest this better because it has the digestive enzyme in it).

I bought some tofu and some veggie crumbles so we'll see how that goes today...

Going out!

My hubby and I had a date night on Saturday night. Tosh babysat the pups (she really came over because her landlord is too cheap to get airconditioning and it was like 105 degrees outside). We went to Outback to eat and then we went to "You, Me, and Dupree." It was super fun and I love my hubby.

Tonight we are going to Blue October concert with some friends. Should be fun as well.

I'm going to the doctor on Thursday. I've had digestion problems my entire life. We've pretty much concluded that I'm lactose intolerant. I felt better during contest diet which isn't surprising because I eliminated sugar and icreased veggies tons. However, I was and still am bloated every day of my life. it is painful and frustrating. I've tried probiotics and digestive enzymes, and beano. I've tried different types of veggies. I've tried eliminating wheat. I just want to know what is wrong and know for sure what my body does and does not tolerate instead of trying to guess. I've got an appt with a naturopath Doctor at 3pm on Thursday...

Winners!

"Winning is not normal and those who constantly win follow an ‘abnormal’ path. The discipline, dedication and sacrifices are incomprehensible to those thousands standing outside, looking in, who are capable of joining the winning team, yet unwilling to pay the price of admission. Winners win in a fair effort, on a level playing field, because they deserve to win... they willingly pay their dues in full, time after time, after time." -unknown

A couple of people I really admire have recently been put 'down'. One woman is 54 years old and through 3 years of hard work, is now in the best shape of her life - her doctor agrees. She was told by an individual that "they liked the serious, conservative person she used to be better. She is no longer a positive role model for young women..." Excuse me?!

Much on the same note, one of the bloggers I read wrote about the use of the word 'real' in the media. She asks many of the same questions and has a great perspective on what is normal and abnormal in our sociaty. Check it out here.

Lifetime buys Northwest

Lifetime and Northwest are the two big competing gyms around here...
This is very exciting for me because my hubby was a mbr of Northwest
and my sister and I were joining Lifetime on Aug 15th. Now, my hubby
and I can work out together sometimes! We all went to the lifetime
near us in highland park and got all switched and everything last
night - soooo excited. They are buff and in-shape people there and
there aren't kids running around everywhere. And, the free weight
area is like heaven with so many more toys than I'm used to!!!

On other news, the new bulking program is great. some of my bloating has finally gone away and I feel good - which is nice to have again. I'm at about 2000-2100 calories a day which is fun. My weight is going back down - just a little bit but that is good!

feelin' great!

I'm feeling so much better - I feel like I've found myself again. My sister and I both had new workouts to do at the gym tonight. It was a blast - except she laughed at me a lot and ruined my ab workout. BRAT! :-) I'm hoping 16% bodyfat comes quickly - I'm ready!!!

It is really hot and muggy here but we finally got some rain. My grass is brown. I don't believe in wasting natural resources to water it.

My hubby and I plan to go camping on Aug 25-27. I'd like to stay somewhat close so we don't spend the whole time driving. Not sure where we'll go yet. Tosh is going to watch the pups. Excited for a weekend alone!

I'm BACK!

Ugh - I feel so much better now. I'm excited and ready to go!

I am 19.5% bodyfat - at least it is still in the teens! :-)
Gained 10lbs of fat since comp...oops...

Got my weight workouts and 2 days of cardio a week. We expect I will drop down in BF now that my diet will be cleaned up. Going to try to sit aroun 16%.

Off to my family's for the weekend! Can't wait to see everyone!

I'm a Mentor!

I became a mentor tonight! I am going to be a mentor with Bolder Options. My mentee is Frednesia. She is in the 8th grade and I am very excited to be working with her. We will be teamed together for 1 year. We must complete 3 5Ks by the end of November. We will be meeting 1-2 times a week to do homework and train. This will be a big commitment but I am looking forward to it.

We are headed to South Dakota for my Grandpa's 80th birthday party tomorrow. Should be fun - will be a very quick trip though. 6 hour drive. Leaving at 12 after my training session. Have to be home on Sunday by 2 so my sister, Tosha, can get to work. i don't mind the quick trips so much though. I like getting home early on Sunday to recover a little bit. This will be the first I've seen any of my family since competition. My parents never said anything really...I'm excited to show pics to my grandparents though. Hopefully, they will think it was cool and everyone will have a better idea of what we're doing and hopefully be supportive or at least tolerant.

I'm excited and nervous about my training tomorrow. Ready to just see where I am at and set goals!

Our neighbor gave us tickets to the Twins game last night. Was fun! took my chiro and his wife and one of their friends. They are really fun to hang out with. Neil and I lost our car for about 45 minutes after the game. I was tired and hungry and little did we know we were walking around the WRONG parking ramp...good lord...

Does the world have an eating disorder?

So my sister commented and pointed out where we were in life at this time last year. We were doing straight BFL and having hugh cheat DAYS every week. Crazy...

There are many fitness freaks that have issues with binging and would just much rather eat clean...I'm seeing this resounding theme throughout blogs and forums. This makes me wonder, does this lifestyle/sport tend to attract those who may have minor eating disorders in the first place? Many of us are perfectionists with very high expectations of ourselves. I personally know that I like to have complete control over things. I like to have goals and a plan in pretty much every aspect of my life.

Now, as I'm writing this, I'm thinking - most of the time you have to battle all of society to eat 'clean'. It is a constant issue that you don't eat 'normal'... like it or not, 'normal' in this society means you will end up obese - with heart disease, high cholesterol, etc. So maybe the whole world has an eating disorder...

"Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its troubles…it empties today of its strength." – Aunt Linda (sent by Jennifer Cribbs, SparkPeople community member)

I had a busy weekend! We went to the Zoo, the body worlds exhibit at the science museum, the global market, and a drag show at the Gay 90s. And that was only Thursday and Friday of last week! On Saturday we went to the lifetime fitness Triathlon because it is 3 blocks from my house. My trainer, David, and one of my coworkers competed. My coworker got 3rd in her age group!! considering this is a HUGE triathlon really good.

I couldn't find anything to wear Thursday night - no shorts, pants, or skirts would fit me. Granted I was somewhat bloated but it was quite the wake-up call. I need to stop the binging...a little cheat is fine but my cheats are never little. This needs to be a total lifestyle change - for good. Not just 6 days a week with a cheat day, not just 12 weeks of contest dieting, etc. That is not healthy for me mentally or emotionally and it just encourages a binge-type behaviour. I was much happier and content with my strict diet. I felt better, my skin was better, and on and on. Now I'm just working on the implementation.

I'm sooooo excited for my training session on Friday. I can't wait to have a goal! sorry to keep ranting about the same things in my blog...progress not perfection!

Thank You

Thank you all so much for visiting my blog. Today has been a very humbling and surreal day for me. It is weird to have people reading my blog and telling me I am inspiring.

I'll be honest - right now I'm having a hard time. It has been over a month since my competition and between vacations and schedules I still haven't met with my trainers. This is hard because I have no real estimate of my BF to know where I am at. I have no goals and no plan. I am realizing how important goals are. No matter what - it is the basics of BFL that seem to play the biggest part in success or failure - GOALS. I do really well in the mornings, it is in the afternoons I tend to faulter on the food. I have decided that it is not even the idea of gaining weight that bothers me - it is that I am disappointed in myself. Cheating isn't about weight, it is about respect and belief in yourself along with forgiving yourself. My sister said something to me today. She has a slight peanut butter problem and indulged a little a couple of nights last week. She said that she wasn't cheating this week because she was better than that. She was not that person. She was in control of herself and she deserved to be fit and have the body she wanted. You know what? she's right!

I just scheduled my session with my trainers next Friday at 8am. the light at the end of the tunnel of ambiguity. I'm looking forward to it.

Until then, I'm going to enjoy my free night and morning on Thursday and Friday - we're having a girls night. I'm going to do my best for the rest of the time but I am not going to feel bad about anything. I ate clean with no cheats whatsoever for 16 weeks - that is a long time, that is 4 months. 1 month of so-so is not the end of the world and I need to quit being ridiculous.

Thanks again to everyone for visiting. It is really helping me through this slump and the post-comp blues. This is a transition time for me and I lose sight of the fact that it is a short-term adjustment period.

Famous

First of all, OMG stef (go4steffie) read MY blog. Stef - I have lurked on your blog and been inspired by you for a long time! I lurked around the blends for quite a while religiously until I realized just how much time I was spending on the computer and made myself quit reading so much. I stopped reading just after Bev was done with Dancing with the Stars, you had gone on ski trips...now I HAVE to know how everyone is again. I'm blaming you for hte hours I will be sitting in front of this computer! :-)

On another note...I'm famous! I'm in the BFL newsletter:



Check it out!!

I'm the one in the middle, of the 'Congratulations' article!

Tosh and I ran a practice 5K on Saturday in 28:22. Would really like to get it down to 26 for the 5K in our hometown in SD in August...

Went to a horse show, Pirates movie, and hung out by the pool as well. Busy weekend! Went to ride horse tonight and see the 2 baby horses - one is 2 months old and the other is one month old. they are adorable!

Getting there

Well, I think I am getting back to normal little by little. I was single, stranded and carless all weekend because Neil was helping his brother shingle his house.
Didn't do much the 4th. Went to the 'Devil wears Prada' with Neil and Tosha. None of us were real impressed with it. Then I got all of the trees out of the lilacs which was a major accomplishment. Tosh came back over and we watched the movie about the guy that tries to fix the special olympics. It was a great movie. We went down by lake nokomis and watched fireworks. Was really neat because you could see the displays of all the different cities around us.

I've been eating really clean just a few extra carbs (fruit, rice cakes, and sugar free pudding) that I shouldn't be but that is fine with me for now. I am back to doing HIIT cardio - first 20 min was Tuesday morning and I did another 20 min this morning. Plan on running a practice 5K around Lake calhoun on Saturday at 10 am with Tosh and Lanae.

The big detox...

Well, we are back from Las Vegas!! Neil and I had a really good time. We went to 2 cirque du soleil shows. One of them was Mystere, it was Unreal!!! I was thinking after the show that I would love to know what those people eat and what supplements they take to be able to do what they do every day twice a day!

We ate soooooo much. I can honestly say I ate Neil under the table. He didn't have a chance! Ice cream 3 times a day...buffets...pizza...Not that I'm proud but it was my last big blow out before I really got down to business again.

Yesterday Neil and I started a 3 day detox. I found the plan in an alternative health magazine and the people at the coop helped me find all the herbs and stuff. So far it is going really well. Neil just did yesterday with me and now he is going to help his brother shingle today and tomorrow so he is going to put the detox on hold. However, he did take along a cooler full of food! He asked me to help him with his meal plan, etc and he is going to be meeting with my trainers. SOOOOO exciting!

I weighed in at 141.2...impressive huh! I'm back to where I started! Oh well, I think some of it is/was water weight and the detox is helping with that a lot. I can tell already that my body doesn't look and feel so poofy. I'm starting to feel like me again...thank goodness!!!

Big Weekend

I'm flying to Chicago at 4:45. I'm going to visit Denise, Mike and Riley. They used to be my neighbors. I'm going to the NPC Jr Nationals on Friday night, Sat Morning and Sat Night. I'm very excited to see Nicole on stage as well as the girls I see in the magazines all of the time. There are going to be a lot of people and fitness booths, etc. I don't really know what to expect and I'm going by myself but it still should be a good time.

Food has been a bit on the interesting side since competition. I eat well in the mornings and then it gets progressively worse into the afternoon and evenings. I have cravings now that I'm eating processed food and sugar more. Also, my allergies are back ...haven't had them since I cleaned up my diet in November. I've been doing a lot of research on Dairy Allergies and I think that is the main cause of my problems. May need to go Dairy free permanently. Dairy causes inflammation in everyone. Sensitivity to allergens is increased causing typical allergy symptoms, eczema, and asthma. Who knew!?

Back to the real world

Well, it is Monday morning. My four days of bliss are over. It was so much fun. I honestly never imagined how fun it would be. Thank you to Neil and Tosha and all of my friends and family. It was amazing.

I ate anything I wanted yesterday and I was comfortable and didn't get sick at all! Last night once we got home from Don Pablos and Dairy Queen, I ate more homemade bars and ice cream and that pushed me over the edge a little...wish I would've skipped that because it tasted gross. but, oh well. I'm excited to go eat my oatmeal and eggs...I know that is weird but I am ready for my normal life to come back again.

Will be fun at work today sharing all of the photos, etc. They really had to put up with me for a long time.

My tan is coming off pretty evenly and pretty so far. I don't want to be white again!

Here's the final pic - Jan to June, 2006

Pics of my first competition

http://airbreather117.com/Tanya

Here is the weblink. I put comments on the sides of some of them that you can see if you flip through slideshow style. I'll write more later...off to eat mexican food!
:-)

Half done already!!

Hello everyone!!

I'm having such a blast. My class was huge!!! Nicole, trainer, couldn't believe how long we were on stage! Like 20 min.!!!! It was so much fun though. I know I'm not the best conditioned up there but I am proud of myself. My sister had the biggest smile for me and my husband hugged me and told me how beautiful I looked and I could see how proud he was in his face. It was so fun to come out the door when I was done and see him there...

I'll post pics tomorrow - promise!
Tanya

The Day of my First Competition!

It is 5:42 am. Neil just got done with my coat of dream tan. My tan is finally done! 6 coats of protan taking between 1.5-2 hours each and a coat of dreamtan...But it turned out great! I feel beautiful. My hubby is an artist and it felt neat to be his canvas, especially for the dream tan. I am excited. I have done everything I could to be my best. My nails are done - did that yesterday with my friend Katherine. My sister will be here soon and then I will be able to share the excitement with her. I'm excited for her to get her and the day will really get rollin.

I will try to check in between prejudging and night show...Until then - Please send positive energy and everyone reading this - share my day. You are a part of the excitement and success! THANK YOU!

Tanya

Fun!!!

I passed my polygraph last night! That's good. :-)

I am having so much fun. My trainer and hubby did my first coat of protan yesterday at 10am. My trainers got me good luck balloons! Tosh and Neil did another coat at 7pm and Neil did another at 10:30. I'm FINALLY getting a little darker. Neil is like, "this is going to take 1 year because we'll need so many coats!" Yes, I know...I'm very white!

My trainer and Neil and I decided I would not be doing another show this year. It is very hard for me to gain muscle and I want to be buff...not skinny! I would not be able to make much improvement over where I am now and get back down in BF% by Sept 30. I would probably just be a leaner version of the current me. I am going to start 'bulking' and try to put some muscle on, especially my upper body. The goal is to show next April/May again!! I am so excited about this plan and the next year of my life!! I never got below 14% Bodyfat this time. So, I know there is MUCH progress to be made.

I was hoping to make it to 12% but that is ok. I am happy with my progress. We went SLOWWWWWWWW and healthy. bodybuildinng will never be an easy sport for me. I lose bodyfat hard and gain muscle hard. But that is ok. I'm not a natural but I am determined. I know it may take me years to get to where I want to be...but I'm ok with that.

anyways - this competition is now Very fun, partly because I know the best me is still to come. Right now, I am proud of the last six months of my life but this isn't the end, just the beginning.

My sister and my husband are amazing. I love them so much. both of them have been soooooo supportive. My hubby painted me until 12:30 last night...and didn't kill me when I accidently let a drip of water run down my entire forearm and he had to fix it after we were already done. My sister will talk about fitness with me for hours on end...Neil wonders how we can have the same conversations again and again and again...

I am sooooooo fortunate. I have a soul mate for a husband and another for a sister...

more waxing...

eyebrows done...

Read this on a forum today and love it:

Remember, the road of someday leads to a town called nowhere...so do it today!

3 days!

Only 3 days to go! starting to prep myself - waxing, exfoliating, tanning, shaving...goodness!

Felt great today. Will admit I had a breakdown last night but I'm doing much better today. Excited for Saturday!

Tanya

bi polar

I feel like I am bipolar right now. I can be instantly furious...and I mean instantly! Poor Neil...Poor the people I work with. I try to control it but afternoons are not good.

I am still going strong. Getting so close.

In the mornings - I feel like I need more time to get ready for competition
Around noon- I'm excited and can't wait for it to come
Night- I just want it to be over with!

Lots of emotions and trying to understand myself and how I feel about all of this.

I got home this afternoon and my hubby has tidied up the house. This is awesome because I didn't tell him to do it and he knows how much of a difference it makes to me when the house isn't messy. thank you to the hubby!

I got my suits on Friday! Thank goodness. Man - they are tiny!

Health

Your health impacts you emotionally, intellectually and spiritually. You can escape from a lot of things that might hurt you. You can quit a hazardous job. You can move from one climate to another. You can stay away from someone who wants to harm you.

But you can’t get away from your body. For as long as you live, you’re stuck with it. If you make choices that cause you to be continually hurting or unhealthy, it will affect every aspect of your life – your heart, mind, and spirit. Source: “Today Matters” by John C. Maxwell.

Comps and Birthdays

The weekend was VERY busy!

I had training on Saturday. More posing and got my bodyfat tested. Bad news/Good news there. Bad news - I lost muscle so my BF% went up. Good news- I get more carbs!

WEnt to the DaVinci Code with my sis and hubby on Friday. That was fun - great movie.

Saturday, Tosh and I left for Des Moines at 4:15am. It was a great show! about 100 competitors. I came to the realization that my thighs and butt may really not be ready for this show. I am not down and depressed, just realistic. I am doing all I can to get them ready but that stage is not forgiving. Stepmill has been my friend - over 6 miles and 300 floors of stairs in the last two days...
I talked to Tosh and Neil, questioning whether or not I want to do this show or give myself more time to prep. I really don't want to be up there and know that I just wasn't ready. I decided that I'm an outgoing, confident woman and I will go up there, do my best and get the experience. You never know how you will look and how much of this is 'water weight' until that day.

Got to meet online friends Tonia and Jen at the show. That was great. They are both wonderful people and it felt so good to meet them and be around people that have the same passions. We had a fun time. Tonia competed and did wonderfully. The judging is subjective and she didn't place but she brought in one of her best physiques so I am proud and happy for her. Jen is competing for the first time this fall so it was really fun watching the show with her.

Got to see my friend Babette from PHat Camp. We also had a lot of fun. Wish we could hang out more!

We got home from the show at 2am on Sunday morning - TIRED.

I woke up at 8am, at breakfast, went back to bed until 12:30, went to the gym for stepmill and weights workout, got home for the birthday party for me, Lee, and Amy and mother's day celebration. This is Neil's side of the fam. Everyone at our house which hasn't happened for a long time. Fun! Everyone left by 7pm and I went downstairs to do 20 min of moderate cardio on the elliptical - backwards for the butt of course!

Leg weights with sis and more stepmill this morning. SOOOO much fun going to the gym with sister! We are just going to transform ourselves and our workouts. It is so fun to laugh with someone during a workout.

I get tomorrow OFF!!!!!

Only about 2.5 weeks left...WOW!

show

My sister and I are planning on going to both prejudging and the night show on Sat. We're going to leave asap on Sat night after the Figure and Fitness. We have to drive the 3.5 hours back home and I my friend lanae is running a 5K on Sunday morning that is an hour away. I really want to be there to cheer her on.

Then, we are having all of neils family over for a birthday/mother's day thing on Sunday afternoon. BUSY weekend!! I am going to be so beat. I'm tired now just trying to get through normal life!
Tanya

Off to workout!

I am off to meet my sister at the gym for the first time! Yay!

We are going to a show in Iowa this weekend...very excited. some of my online Friends with be there! Can't wait to see you Tonia and Jen??!!!

found out last night that 300 tickets have been sold for my show!!!! HOLY COW!

Welcome TOSHA!!!

We moved Tosha to Minnesota yesterday!!! I am so excited to have my
seeeester near me. We are both excited to have a spotter in the gym.
I think it will really improve our progress and increase our gains
from training. Now we can lift heavy and trust the person helping us to support the weight through that final rep! Watch out - here come a set of buff seeeesters!!!

Baked!

I started tanning in a tanning bed tonight. Ugh. Yes, I gave in. I decided to just stick with what we know works so I make sure not to turn orange for the show. I've worked so hard to get this far. I just want to do the best I can on every detail.

Neil and I were BUSY today. Working, laundry, cooking, mowing the lawn (which had gone to seed...oops!), we ran around alll day.

My sister moves here in 2 days!

Thank you!

Hello everyone!
I woke up still a little bummed. Then it took me over and hour to get to training so I was really late. Then I lost only .3 BF% so I am at 14.1%.

But...Nicole talked me through it, my husband is awesome and supportive, my seeester is awesome and supportive, I got a great workout in this afternoon and now I feel like myself again!!!

I about freaked out when I got home and there was a present (wrapped in Christmas paper) on the table. I opened it and....I got an AWESOME heart rate monitor from my seeester and my hubby! It has changed my life! I can download my workouts into the computer and it tracks them and I was really able to monitor my cardio better. It gives me some control and I think it is just what I needed to bring something new and exciting to my workouts to get me through this last 4 weeks.

Thank you all for your comments and your support. It really made a difference as I was trying to pull myself out of the funk I was in. I am such a lucky woman.

I get a carb up meal tonight!
Meat
veggies (I bought fresh organic brussel sprouts and I've only ever had frozen!)
brown rice (I bought fresh organic cinnamon to put on it!)
sweet potato
banana

You can't beat that!

I have decided I'm officially weird. I seriously was so excited about the heart rate monitor that you'd think I'd won a million dollars. I soooo excited for my evening meal you'd think I was having pizza!!

Happy Birthday to me!

Bumming

I'm just down tonight. It is like my Friday night since I don't work tomorrow. I want to go out to eat with my hubby. I just want the experience of it. I miss going out. I made him potatoes and carrots and chicken tonight. He said it was really good. We are doing a CSA where we get a box of organic produce from a farmer every friday. I wish I could eat everything. It is getting harder with summer her and the fruits and veggies around and people going out and...I'm babbling and feeling sorry for myself tonight.

It is my Birthday tomorrow and I usually make the biggest deal about Birthdays but that is just kind of seeming anticlimatic for me this time around as well. I'm kind of frustrated that soooo much of celebrations and social occasions all revolve around food.

The woman called that is making my suits today. She hasn't started. I was supposed to get them on April 15th. I'm going to take new measurements tomorrow at training since the last ones were done at 16 weeks. I look completely different now at 4 weeks. She said she would get it to me next week. i hope it doesn't need alterations. She sounded stressed and tense on the phone today which made me a bit nervous. I'm going to call her tomorrow and see if i can't get her feeling more excited and happy at least about making my suit! I want it to be made with positive energy behind it!

I felt again like my legs were leaning out this morning...we'll see how the numbers come in in the morning...

Just chillin'

I DVR'd the MS Fitness World today and watched that tonight. fun!

I had a fabulous time at Tosh's graduation. She looked stunning and it was a lot of fun. A little hard now that her diet isn't quite so strict. She just finished up classes today and I've tried to convince her to just enjoy and live up her last week of college life - sounds like she's going to! Good deal.

Had checkup at the chiro today. Held my adjustment now for 2 months. Life is good. He said I was on my way to exceptional health and I feel like it.

I think that I am leaning out more. Hard to tell though. We'll see on Friday when I get my bodyfat tested again.

My friend lanae finished her first BFL challenge yesterday. she has done an awesome job and I'm so proud of her! She came to the gym yesterday and spotted me on some of my shoulder workout. Hubby was awesome enough to come and spot me on Sunday for some of my chest/back workout. I can't wait till tosh is here next week and I'll have a spotter and a gym partner always. It is SOOOOO much better!

sorry I'm such a lame blogger...I just get on and read about everyone else's life...I'll try to be better!

Better

I am better today. Thank goodness.

I got a haircut yesterday. It looks a little bit better now.

Add and take away

I decided to delete all condiments from my life for a few days. I feel bloated and gross and I have convinced myself it is because of the 'I can't believe it's not butter spray', cheese sprinkles, and gum. Is it really from that? Small chance - too much aspartame in the gum...salt in the sprinkles...but probably not. but I can control this and make myself think it will do some good so that is all that matters. I'm not giving up my two packets of splenda and cinnamon on my oatmeal in the morning. Honestly, that is like a TREAT to me - I get almost as excited about it as I used to get about ice cream! :-)

I added green tea to my day - I don't really like tea - It tastes like grass. But it wasn't too bad and it isn't meat or green vegetables so right now that makes it exciting.

It is my sister's graduation this weekend so we will be off to South Dakota again. Busy , busy. I have been neglecting posing practice...pretty much altogether. That has got to stop. I have 5.5 weeks left so I can make up for the last couple weeks. no excuses now!!!

Cool Stuff!

1. I love my husband

2. I hit 14.4% bodyfat

3. I went to the Honda dealership to get the spoiler removed from my trunk and I traded it for an Element instead!

4. The element is a cool orange color and Neil likes Orange.

5. Neil didn't get mad at me for buying a different car!

6. I've been really tired all week so I get the WHOLE weekend off from working out

7. We are heading to SD to see my sister complete her first triathlon

8. I am 6 WEEKS out from competition as of today!

9. My friend, Robin, is here from New York and I haven't seen her in a year. She is watching the puppies this weekend and they are SOOOO excited to see her and her fiance.

10. My husband loves me!!! :-)

Rebound Effect

I wanted to post this here more for me than for anything else. Post competition for me is almost more scary than pre competition. an interesting FYI- Keith Kline - the big wig expert in teh article, is from Houston. That is where my trainer, Nicole, trained originally and she worked with Kieth on all contest dieting, etc. Was neat to run accross his name in an article!

Rebound Effect


You’re a fitness enthusiast about to enter your first competition. You’ve talked to other competitors, read about contest preparation, studied the diets of the champions, and pored over lists of tips and tricks. Music has been chosen and your choreography is in the works. Water intake is up, protein is the staple of your diet and you’ve clocked so many miles at the gym you’re thinking about buying your own treadmill. Hip to the inside scoop on posing, tanning, and walking on stage, your confidence is high. Your mind is firmly focused on taking home the trophy.

But are you prepared for what happens after the contest?

There is a dirty little secret associated with fitness and bodybuilding competition that before now hasn’t been discussed — the virtually universal post-contest rebound effect. Familiar with the term “yo-yo” dieting? It’s not just your mother’s nightmare; even bodybuilding and fitness champions will gain weight after they stop the highly restrictive diets that are required to achieve the extremely low body fat levels they need to be competitive. It is a consequence that is almost never talked about, and therefore, rarely anticipated. Strict competition diets and training programs work, even for non-competitors. But the extreme results can’t — and shouldn’t — last forever. Anyone who is considering entering a competition should be prepared to deal with the physical and, more importantly, the emotional impact of returning to a more normal eating program.

The goal of pre-contest dieting is to lose as much fat as possible, and to achieve this, most competitors undergo a highly restricted eating and exercise plan that starts 12 to 16 weeks before the competition. As the macronutrient balance shifts toward high-protein, moderate carbs and low fat, the competitor’s body begins to shed both fat and water. As the intensity of the pre-contest diet increases, the competitor’s mind compiles a list of foods that she can’t wait to eat when the show is over. Most athletes want to celebrate, or simply reward months of sacrifice with a feast right after the competition. Some will take their indulgence a step further and immediately resume an off-season diet. This type of competitor may also stop taking the fat burners that helped her get through her twice-daily cardio workouts, cut back on the cardio or stop altogether, and decrease the intensity of her weight training sessions. Such an abrupt change in eating patterns and workout schedules will shock the body and cause a rebound effect. While enduring a calorie-restricted diet, a competitor’s body tends to go into a starvation-survival mode, which subsequently causes her metabolism to slow down. When she starts to eat a few more calories, her body will quickly store them as fat, stocking up for the next “famine.” Within a couple of days, her hard, lean appearance will “smooth out” primarily due to water being pulled into the muscles when glycogen (from carbs) floods the body. After even one week of less controlled eating and drastic reductions in her training intensity, she will regain body fat. This is the very same “yo-yo” effect that plagues many conventional dieters.

Although the physical effects of diet rebounding could be harmful if taken to the extreme, perhaps the more significant impact is the psychological one. To a fitness or bodybuilding competitor, this kind of rebound can be emotionally devastating. She may only rebound to half as much body fat as she started with, but to someone who has been in the single digits, that small increase may feel like an enormous failure. One day, the competitor is onstage presenting her perfectly sculpted and lean physique, subjecting herself to the judgment of a panel of strangers, and within a couple of weeks, she feels fat, bloated, and self-conscious. The form-fitting clothing that she bought to show off her hard work is snug, her six-pack is gone and she feels embarrassed by her sudden weight gain. The judges at her competition weren’t nearly as critical of her as she is of herself at this point. “It’s amazing the kind of pressure we put on ourselves,” says personal nutritionist Keith Klein, CN, former champion bodybuilder, and founder of the Institute of Eating Management of Houston, Texas. “When you start your diet at 20% body fat and get to 15%, you’re on top of the world; from 15% to 12%, you feel like wearing only your underwear all day; then when you get to 6%, you can’t believe that you’ve reached the best condition of your life. But once you begin to rebound, you feel as fat at 10% as you did at 20%.

The problem isn’t that she’s lost her willpower or control over her body; it’s that the competitor’s standards for herself are unrealistic. Rebounding is the reality. It is normal. In fact, it is a mistake to believe that one can achieve and sustain a sharp, competition look year-round. It may help to know that most of photos that fill the pages of health and fitness magazines are taken at competition time, and are not indicative of how even champion competitors look in the off-season. “Competition shape is unnatural,” says Lee Labrada, former world champion professional bodybuilder and a past winner of the IFBB Mr. Universe, and founder and President of Labrada Bodybuilding Nutrition. “Your body has a thermostat — and it seeks to maintain its body fat level around a constant amount.”

Patty Urrutia, age 30, didn’t know how to transition from pre-competition to post-competition eating after her first Miss Fitness contest in 1994. “I had worked so hard to achieve my physique, and I didn’t want to lose it,” she said. “I wanted to continue with the high-protein diet, but I also wanted to eat some of the foods that I missed. I ended up doubling the amount of calories that I needed and gained a lot of weight.” Patty competed in another Miss Fitness and two Galaxy contests after that, going through the rebound cycle each time. After her last contest in 1998, she realized that she would rather return to a more normal eating routine than to make the sacrifices necessary to keep her body fat at 7%. She now maintains a healthy, feminine physique at around 16% body fat, and allows herself to indulge in what she calls “fun foods” in moderation. “I don’t want food to be a focal point, just a part of my healthy lifestyle.”

For some, the only way to reverse a rebound and a corresponding sense of failure is to begin another competition diet. Whereas winning, placing or simply entering a contest used to be the goal, now they become the means to an unattainable goal — physical perfection.

Laryn McCandless, age 22, will have competed nine times in three years by the end of 2001— including a bodybuilding competition, four Galaxy competitions, two NPC fitness contests and an upcoming NPC Figure competition, a Women’s Tri-Fitness and the Fitness America pageant. Although she’s experienced the rebound each time, the emotional impact is still significant. “It’s hard to watch yourself gain weight, and then look at your competition pictures,” she says. “I feel guilty and unhappy.” Laryn has decided to win the rebound battle by avoiding it completely. In effect, she plans to convert her pre-contest diet into a strict lifestyle that allows for few days off.

Unfortunately, for women, there are health risks associated with having too little body fat. Some of these risks include hypothermia, vitamin toxicity, cessation of the menstrual cycle, and osteoporosis. Hal Louis, founder of Better Reflections: Fitness through Strategic Training, Inc., believes that a female athlete should carry enough body fat to maintain her menstrual cycle. “You must take your health into consideration,” he says. “You can still look great at 14-16% body fat.”
So how can a competitor avoid this emotional rollercoaster? “The solution lies mainly in adopting a more realistic, accepting view of your body,” says Klein. “You need to realize that 10% or 12% or 15% body fat is totally acceptable — especially since you felt good about yourself when you first got there on the way down to your competition shape.”

An athlete must go into a competition knowing that she is trying to achieve a temporary condition of leanness, and accept that her body fat will return to a more natural level. With this in mind, she can prepare for a smooth transition, extending the discipline she’s gained from dieting and training for competition into a healthy program that she can maintain for life.

Sidebar:
Advice from Experts: How to Control a Rebound
Lee Labrada, President of Labrada Bodybuilding Nutrition:

When done correctly, a methodical reduction in the amount of carbohydrates can help you achieve your ideal shape. To maintain your physique after a competition, you have to follow the natural laws of metabolism: base your diet on small, frequent feedings, consume adequate protein to maintain muscle mass (the foundation of metabolism) and manipulate carbohydrate and fat calories to meet your energy needs.

Keith Klein, founder of the Institute of Eating Management:

Even if your intentions are to stay lean after a contest, when you start eating more normally, your brain is going to turn up your appetite. The body doesn’t know the difference between true starvation and the purposeful withholding of food. Have an exit strategy with a formula that will work for you. For example, when the competition is over, celebrate and eat whatever you want that night and for brunch the next day. But on Monday, resume your clean eating, except for a “cheat day” once per week.

Hal Louis, founder of Better Reflections:

If it took you 12 weeks to get into contest shape, allow at least 8 weeks to return to an eating program that you can maintain for life, slowly adding back small portions of “normal” food. Continue with your cardio and weight training, and strive to stay within 10-15 lbs. of your competition weight. Remember that you have achieved what millions fail to do every day!

Pics!!

I Need a TAN!!!!! time to call Golden Girls!


This is Nicole trying to show me how to 'flare' my lats...we decided I really don't have much lat to flare...working on it! It is soooo hard to build muscle. Just look at her shoulders!!!

Crazy Weekend!

It all started on Friday morning. I'm heading to the gym to do my cardio and there is a garage sale...I almost drove by but thought it wouldn't hurt to stop real quick.

I left 2.5 hours later with 3 garbage bags and one huge box full! I'm not kidding!! I bough 22 pairs of shoes, 7 pairs of jeans, about 15 skirts, uncountable shirts, numerous pairs of work pants, a few cute summer dresses, 3 purses, 4 cake pans/cookie sheets, a muffin tin, a bowl set, 3 necklaces, a pair of hat and mittens, a set of curtains for the kitchen...$100 later I barely fit in the car!

I came home and took all of the clothes out of my drawers and replaced them with all of my new clothes. I literally have a whole new wardrobe. Everything always works out for the best - I truly believe this. I had NO clothes to wear...NONE. I had one pair of jeans and 2 pair of work pants. I had no money to buy new clothes and I was starting to worry. The clothes in my closet were between size 10 and size 15. I now wear between a 2 and a 6 depending on the brand. You can only pin so much!! So, I'm a feeling very lucky and thankful. I will post pics of all my new clothes below!

Yesterday, I had a posing practice session with my trainer and my friend, Cindy. I will post pics from that below as well. We had a good time, laughed at how crooked my structure is . Left shoulder is higher than right and my head is crooked...hopefully now that my neck is aligned that will get better over time. i have now held my adjustment for about six weeks by the way!!

it was really fun to see Nicole's (trainer) example poses. She is 8 weeks out from NPC Jr Nationals and she is sooooo beautiful. It is fun to see what I will look like a few years down the road! :-)

Today, I got up and ran the stairs by the lake 5 times, did backwards lunges, ran up and down a hill. I did this 'circuit' three times in 25min. Better than running on the treadmill. Then I came home and ate breakfast. Then I went to the gym for my leg weights workout. Then I went grocery shopping. Then, our friends Lyndsey, her mom, and Matt brought their dogs up and we all went for a walk around the lake - 3.2 miles, Then I went out to the farm and rode horse, and I got home at 7pm...WHAT A DAY!

Schnookie, the horse I ride, did so great! I haven't been out to the farm since January. She acted like I had been riding every day for months. What a sweetheart of a horse.

So, that was my weekend! Hope you all had as great of one as I did!

clothes

Things are firming up! Why...I think it is because I am taking naps on Friday, Sat, and Sunday. I asked my trainer if this could really be the case and she said sleep is one of the most important aspects of losing bodyfat! Really finally losing the big layers of giggle on my butt and thighs though.

Finally got to 15% bodyfat. A month late but better late than never! :-)

Did 40min of light cardio yesterday. 25 min of HIIT today, chest/tri weights tonight at home because my gym is closed. grrr.

Went shopping Friday night with one of my friends and she said I looked like a super model! All of the dresses I tried on were between 0 and 4P....how fun is that!? STill have just as hard of a time finding clothes though because I have NO chest. oh well....

Got a dress to wear to the two weddings I'm going to and possibly to my sisters graduation. ALso got really cute shoes. Don't know if I'll keep the dress because I found some on ebay that may work. If I win those auctions and the dresses look good - may take the one I bought back...but it is so cute.

Check in!

15.2% body fat. so I lost about 1% over the last two weeks. Can really tell in my thighs and my calves are coming along.

Maybe I'll post more later. I'm off to take a nap!

Gym Family???

Maybe splitting my workout schedule was a blessing in disguise. first of all, my workouts are much better. I lift heavier at night and my cardio is more intense in the mornings. Secondly, I'm meeting people!! I met a woman named Lisa on Monday and I complimented her on her muscle tone. She's been lifting for 10 years and she used to do bodybuilding. Her last show was 4 years ago. I talked with her last night too. Was soooo fun to chat with her.

I also met vince last night. Nice guy. It is a pain to work out in the evening because there are soo many people at the gym. But it is the same people in the free weights section every night. A lot of people online talk about their 'gym family'...maybe I will get one now!!

My body changed drastically the last two days. My thighs look different and so do my upper abs...I'm getting excited!!

I filled out my entry form for the June 10th comp and it is going in the mail tomorrow. It is official!

Week 9!

I am 9 weeks out now. I think...maybe changes are happening around my rear...we'll see. If it looks worse before it gets better, then that is what is happening! :-)

The show on Saturday was fun. There were only 2 short figure girls and 5 in the tall class. i learned that your smile and confidence are the most important thing!

There was a girl from my hometown in SD there...I about fell over. Her sister-in-law was competing.

I made neil banana protein muffins again tonight. they look and smell soooo good. I'm glad that he eats something healthy! He's been doing pretty good during the week and he still really enjoys his free day!

We lost sadie last night (one of my mini long haired wiener dogs). I let duffy in and sadie was no where to be found. I obviously flipped out. some woman walking her dog started helping neil and I run around looking and then the neighbor started helping. Then, I heard her. She was crying but I couldn't figure out where she was. She had somehow locked herself in the garage! So glad that was it - I don't know what I would do if I lost one of the pups! Here is a picture of them napping and an old pic of me with them last fall.

Darn gym

So I get up this morning to go do my 25 min of high intensity cardio at the gym. Get there at 7. they don't open till 7:30 on Saturdays. Grrrr. So I came home and ran outside. It was chilly but I made it. I am supposed to do 30 sec hard run and then 1 min moderate. I don't have a reliable, convenient stop watch of any sort so I would run to the red car sprinting...then jog to that big tree...run hard to the bridge, etc. I would really like a fancy heart rate monitor with a stop watch built in. then you can track your progress with the the computer programs and stuff. someday I'm gonna get one. I think it would be fun to see.

Before that, I will need new shoes. There are some at the running room I really want but they are $80 so I'm trying to hold out a bit longer. The arch in my left foot hurt this morning though...

Neil is busy doing some modeling stuff that he actually enjoys for a change so that is really nice.

I went and looked a possibly place for my sister to live when she moves here. One of our friends' friends owns a house and he is going to rent out the 2 rooms upstairs. It is an old house but it is cute with lots of charm. We'll have to see what she thinks. May be nice for the first month or two while she's finding a job, etc.

My workouts have been better. I think the split really helps. Takes up a lot of the day though. I am off to get ready to go to the prejudging for that show today at 10 am. Then home to go to the gym and do my ab/shoulder workout. then back to the night show at 6:30. Running around today!

Split workouts

Hi everyone!
I'm doing great! My workouts are split up now so I have cardio in teh morning and weights in the afternoon. My days are long and I am soooo tired at night. I don't especially like going to the gym at night because there are sooooo many people and I am much more of a morning person. Oh well.

I have a day off from working out today! Only 1 day every 7 seems more like one a month but they are so special and odd!

We are going to Faribault twice this weekend. Once tonight because Neil's dad is getting his AA pin. Then, back on Sunday for Grandma's birthday.

Saturday is the Gopher NPC show. I am going to prejudging at 10am and the night show at 6:30. Will be fun to see a show! This is a different federation than the show I am doing in June but they are all pretty much the same. I wonder what it will feel like to watch a show and know that I will be up there in 9 weeks! I will have a very different perspective watching this show compared to watching them last fall.

End of challenge photos

Here they are! Jan 9th-April 1, 2006:

Girl's Night

Girls Night was a a lot of fun. We mostly just talked and there were a lot more people than I thought there would be. Most of the conversation centered around body for life and competition. i guess that is to be expected. I REALLY enjoyed myself. However, I hope all of my guests enjoyed themselves as I'm sure the conversation was a bit overwhelming at times and it probably got old. I hope everyone doesn't feel like I think life is all about being 'skinny'. I don't think they do. It is simply a fact that I am obsessed right now and everyone was in my tuna, broccoli, and protein powder filled house...when that is your host I suppose that is where conversation will lead! :-)

I am taking my sis to my trainers at 7am this morning! I'm so excited for her to get her own plan. Kinda dumb that I am up now and it is 5am...but that is what my body is used to.

At 9am we are going to get our after picture taken with the MN BFLers group! fun!

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Don't worry...my head is fine now!!

No Pizza!

16% Bodyfat. I was hoping to be at 15% by March 15th...but Nicole says we are doing well and we'll just keep with the program as long as I'm still seeing some progress. I get an extra serving of oatmeal on lifting days for this next week! Yeah! I also need to split my workouts up. Cardio in the AM adn weights in the PM.

I bought my sister a training session in the morning so they can figure out a diet and look over her training for her triathlon training. I will feel so good to have her under their watchful eye!!!

I'm off to clean for the party now!!
Tanya

Check-in Day

So yes, the cravings for pizza and pancakes are still there. I go in for training this morning and I REALLY hope the BF% has gone down these last 2 weeks! I will know soon. somehow I've got in my mind that they are going to say 'let's shock your body and you can have pizza on Saturday.' Now, why am I even thinking this??? There is no way that is going to happen...is there?!

On Tuesday night I hit the top of my head on the kitchen cabinet really hard. I got the dry heaves and almost threw up I hit is sooooo hard. So my neck has kinda been hurting but not bad. You should have seen the lump on my head! I had a checkin at the chiro last night and surprisingly, Neil and I are both still holding! AWESOME. I'm going in next week again though, because my neck is sore from the harsh impact. Just want to make sure it stays in place.

Yesterday around 3pm I got so tired I could hardly function. I think my body was fighting a cold. I intend to stay healthy. I've been going to bed as early at 8:30! So last night I was lazy and watched 4 TYVO'd episodes of Wildfire. All caught up with that show now.

today, Neil and I need to clean and tidy the house because I am having girl's Night tonight!!!


My competing plans:
I will be in the Mr./Ms. Natural MN show on June 10th- NANBF show
I've considered but pretty much decided not to do the Mr./Ms. Minnesota NPC show on July 15th. It is a possibility but I'm going to be gone a lot and very busy in June...hopefully on the BFL cruise I'm trying to win!!!
I will be competing in the Eagles Wings show in Redwing MN on Sept 30, also an NANBF show.

I hope to do an NANBF show in Nebraska in 2007 that is being sponsored for the first time by some BFL buddies!!

We'll see how I like competing. I've thought of doing one or two shows a year and then getting involved in triathlons. I think that would be really fun. My sister does her first triathlon on april 30th. I would also like to try at least one fitness competition at some point. I need to really work on flexibility and strength for that. Small steps!!

Bad Food

Post comp menu ideas:
Pizza (do I want godfathers, pizza hut, or papa murphy's or four cheese Red Baron with Sprees and a cherry coke- used to be one of my favorite meals)
Applebees: spinach/artichoke dip, Blondie dessert, Chocolate cake/ice cream dessert
Ruby Tuesdays: loaded fries (only had these once in my life - don't know why I want them now...)
Dairy Queen: Georgia Mud Fudge Blizzard
Don Pablos: Chicken Enchiladas with Sour Cream and a Chocolate Volcano
Scandia bake shop down the street: Chocolate Cake (AMAZING) and a chocolate brownie with walnuts in it
Pancakes

Sooooo....yeah....that's about it I think.

I wonder if I will have something Free on night of comp and then free day the next day, too? Or do I have a little cheat and then ease back into it with a cheat the next weekend...I think my relationship with food will be very odd for a while. I'm doing just fine right now. Hungry even when I'm eating because it is that time of the month but other than that I'm ok. I really will not have cheated bad for over six months...since December. I had one meal of chinese and ice cream in Feb but that was my last cheat. I wonder what my body will even do with processed carbs and sugar?

I think I am going to put everything in my trainers hands and make them tell me EXACTLY what I can and cannot have after the comp. It's only 11 weeks away now!!! WOW!

I'm so excited for the end of this cruise challenge. It is on Monday already. I would really like to win. I will be thrilled if I do. I have mentally and emotionally really changed and made huge strides this challenge. It would be very special for my sister and I to go on the cruise together. There are many deserving people in this challenge and I will be happy for whichever one of us does win. That's the exciting part of this contest - you 'know' a lot of the people in it and you know they deserve the prize!

My weekend went really well! Family didn't have too much to say but that is a good thing because they didn't have any bad comments for me either! My Grandma said to a couple of people, 'Have you felt her muscles...holy cow!!!' That was fun. I think my dad is secretly proud of me as well! I put all of their fears that I am aneorexic to rest: 1) because I don't look aneorexic and 2) I eat a lot, they couldn't believe I was eating veggies with my breakfast. Honestly, I really kind of like veggies. Good thing because I eat a lot of them.

Hard part of the weekend was seeing all of the aweful disgusting food people eat 24/7. I know it is not their free day, just another normal day. I was just disgusted some of the time and sad for them the other part of the time.

I thought about my free day after comp and what exactly I would have to eat for about 2 of the 5 hour drive back home! :-)
I ended up going by myself because my hubby is a freelancer and got a bunch of work on Friday morning right before we were set to leave. Bummer! Oh well.

I made pork loin tonight for supper and it turned out well. I am glad I'm switching up my meats so much now. I also made neil Apple Muffins but instead of muffins, I tripled the batch and put them in a cake pan. I don't think he's too impressed this time...I hope he eats them!

I really want to win the BFL cruise challenge I am in on bodyforlifers.com but man is the competition tough over there! This is the first time I will be turning in an individual BFL packet as well. Also, the Minnesota Body for lifers group challenge AND my sister and I may enter together under the family category because we do have a good photo together from the day we started. Fun!!