How am I doing this...Why am I doing this?

A Bird’s Eye View

The most important thing about this training and this dieting is very carefully monitoring EVERY single little detail. I get measured every 2 weeks with a 7-point skin fold calipers to see where I am losing the weight and to guarantee that I am losing fat and not muscle. I am actually getting measured every week for the next little bit here. I looked back over my measurements today to really analyze them. I finally lost fat in my hips and butt last week. GOOD DEAL – It is about damn time – please excuse my language. I had not lost any significant amount of fat from my thighs since January 13th. It had been coming off of my upper body mainly. Maybe it will keep coming off of my thighs…I can only hope. I have gained a little over 3 lbs of muscle since I started my program at the end of November. I’ve learned that my weight goes up and down by a pound or more depending on the day. I retain and let go of water like mad. My body doesn’t lose weight very quickly – I lost 2.5 lbs one week which was huge but I think some of that was water weight because I got my period shortly there after (shhhhhh, we’ll just pretend it was fat though! ☺) Tosha and Neil can attest to my extreme bloating - one day this summer I bought a pair of pants and then next day I couldn't get the button within like 2.5 inches of the button hole!

Training for a show is a long and arduous process that requires a tremendous amount of dedication, will power and self-control. It is a self-absorbing journey that requires a great deal of sacrifice and preparation. Once the journey is complete I can almost guarantee that I will have learned more about myself and my body than most people will learn in a lifetime. This will enable me to maintain the healthy eating habits that are the basis of a competition diet for the remainder of my life. (Just not as strict) :)

Yes it is restrictive at times, however the amount of calories I am taking in are all highly nutritious food sources, I am not taking in any "junk" or "wasted" calories. The supplements I am taking in such as the flax oil, Alpha Omegas, Ultra 40's and Mass Aminos are providing me with extremely high Biological Value nutrients. These supplements are designed to assist my body in losing body fat while MAINTAINING LEAN MASS, they are a supplement to my meals not meal replacements. The supplements also add approximately 200-300 extra calories to my diet on a daily basis. On my carb nights my caloric intake is approximately 1600-1700 calories per day. My goal is not to lose lean mass. If I started to lose more than 3-4 pounds of lean mass my trainers and I would adjust my nutrition and training accordingly. I’m willing to give up just a little lean mass right now because I want to lean out and check my symmetry and try to get a glimpse at the muscle structure underneath my fat. Then I will have a couple months to try and improve on the areas that really need it.

I am working with trainers that have years of experience in dieting for shows, supplementation, bodybuilding, and figure competitions. David alone has been training clients for over 12 years. They have trained clients for bodybuilding, figure, triathlons, marathons and numerous other competitive sports. They have made it clear to me that nutrition is the key to optimum results and performance. They have worked closely with Nutritionists and RD's regarding proper nutritional intake especially for the purpose of preparing for a competition. They know what works and what doesn't work. Eating is the foundation of preparing for a show, not avoidance of eating or poor nutritional intake.

So far this has been a completely positive and enjoyable experience. Regardless of all the science and reasons for everything and why it works, I think the MOST important indicator of health is how I feel. Right now I feel wonderful and better than I have in months. My period came on time and on cycle this month – this has not occurred for the last couple YEARS. I received compliments that I was 'glowing' on Saturday and I feel like I'm glowing! A lot of the redness has gone out of my complexion and my face is really clearing up. I have energy and I am lifting heavier weights every week. I think I could even lift heavier but I don’t have a spotter – hurry up and move her little sister! I need you!!

Now, during the last 4 weeks before the competition I will become more depleted. This is designed for me to look my best on stage, not for me to be healthy. Competitors are usually at their weakest come the day of the show, however, they look so strong and healthy. Leading up to the last 4 weeks I will probably be more healthy than I’ve ever been.

Post competition is one of the things you hear horror stories about. Many people stop seeing their trainers and have a horrible time adjusting to ‘normal’ eating again. David and Nicole have said that we will put together a plan for post competition before the competition even gets here. Just like we will gradually deplete my body for the stage appearance, we will gradually bring it back to normal, healthy levels. This will help to avoid some of the water retention and miserable side effects of eating whatever, whenever you want. (However, I do plan on eating chocolate immediately after the competition!!!) The first day I met with David and Nicole back in November they told me to start mentally preparing for post competition as well. I cannot live at the body fat I will be at on stage – I will most likely feel ‘fat’ when I go back to a normally, healthy body fat percentage. Mentally, I need to prepare for this.

The hardest thing about competing so far (besides growing my hair out) is staying focused on myself and not worrying about what other people think. Had I decided to do a marathon I would be getting support from every direction – in reality marathons can be much harder on your body. However, because this is what I have chosen to do is such a "selfish" sport and very few people understand it, I am learning to be selfish in order to be successful and focused. I will be prepared to compete come show time. I am going to be lean and mean on stage. This is my dream and I know that I can do this. I have never been considered athletic or coordinated. I was the statistician in high school and was never chosen to be on people’s teams…well, now I am going to be buff, healthy, and strong. I know I can do a good job at this. Will I win this year, probably not. I plan on ‘bulking’ and putting on more muscle after the competitions this year. I think my upper body will need more muscle mass in order to really be competitive. That will be another exciting journey for the future!

Bottom line right now is: I’m never hungry, I feel satisfied, and I have energy – I must be doing something right!

Great Day!

So I had a great day today. I got up and went to the Heart Walk with my Body for life Friends. Then I went to a posing seminar to learn how to stand up on stage all beautiful.
Then I came home and took a bath and a nap. Then I went to the gym and had a great 25 min of recumbent bike cardio followed by 15 min of ab work.

I love how my skin is looking. My face is really clearing up and the redness is leaving. I think it is all of the fish oil! One of my friends today that hasn't seen me for 3 weeks said I was glowing!!! It was very fun. Then I came home and my hubby said my face looked really good today also. It was just a day of compliments.

Now on to 'too much information' section.' I got my period today which is pretty much right on time which is good - I had been really irregular over Christmas. The great thing is that it was a surprise because it wasn't preceeded with cramps, headaches, and moodiness. I just feel good. My body seems to be in a groove and just happy right now. I upped my sodium a little bit - I think I was low because I just try to eat low sodium in general. My veggies and fruits don't have any sodium at all though so I started adding some Molly McButter so I get at least 2300mg a day. (I like the cheesy taste, too!)

It was fun to be around all other girls getting ready for figure comps today. Lots of trainers and stuff around. They are all in the same boat and living the same type of life I am right now so it was kind of nice.

Well, that is about all I have to say. :-)
Tanya

Pics

Here are the pics from Jan 9 - Feb 23rd

Head is still straight!

Hi! I have had a pretty good day. the trainers were impressed with the development in my biceps, fun! I lost 1.69% bodyfat so I am at 17.6%. I am happy with that. I always thought 17% would look leaner than it does though. I asked them what my post comp life would be like, could I eat 'normal', etc. They said they would help me though it. Nicole maintains 12% BF off season and she said it is almost easier - you can cheat more because your body has so much muscle and just uses the calories you eat. She said I should be able to maintain between 12-14% pretty easily, eat clean during the week and have a cheat day on the weekends. This was very exciting for me.

Then hubby and I went back to the chiro to see if our adjustments have held for sure. They have! My hubby's head isn't quite on straight yet (ha, ha) but it is better that it was. We'll be doing more adjustments later to improve it even more. My adjment was almost perfect! I am so excited. I feel like I have a whole new life ahead of me. There is so much less pain in my back and neck. I was able to do lateral raises with now popping in my right shoulder - it usually always pops. Doesn't hurt but makes a sound every once in a while.

I'm really hoping a couple of my friends try this chiro out. I just feel like I found him for a reason and I think he could help others, too. He was telling me about one of his clients that had panic attacks and once she was adjusted she quit having them. Not surprising I guess, if your nerve signals are getting squished no telling what that causes throughout your body.

Neil's foot is still straight. He still feels like he's walking in someone else's shoe!

So that is about it. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. I'm going to a birthday party tonight, walking in the American Heart Association Heart Walk tomorrow at the Mall of America, going to a Posing seminar for the NPC (this is the federation that is doing the July 15th show that I'm not sure if I'm doing or not). So I'll be busy!
Tanya

Getting my head on straight

I think I'll just take pics in my regular suit tomorrow because I really want to be able to compare to the last pics, exactly! I have training in the morning so I'll get my BF tested as well. Always exciting but I always get nervous to see the results.

So my latest thought is wanting to know what life will be like post-competition. I am doing just fine with the food and diet now but I find myself think things like: 1- How hard will it be to stay aroun 15% BF permanently? 2-Would I get to have a cheat day, or more like a cheat meal a weak or a cheat day a month? 3- How clean do you really have to be to maintain a 15%? Will I be able to eat regular old BFL style - that sounds like a world of options to me right now!! I am going to talk to my trainers about this tomorrow. It would just help if I could picture what life might possibly be like.

My hubby and I had a life-changing experience last night. My neck and back are always out of place so I'm pretty much in pain all the time. I go to the chiro but it always goes back out of place so in the end I've been just living with it. On Monday we went to a Nucca chiropractor. It is a VERY gentle adjustment to only the very first bone of your spine where your head sits. The adjustment felt like he was just touching the side of my neck - no twisting, cracking, nothing. My head is literally in a new place. I feel like a new woman. Nucca adjustments have been know to last for years once you get your alignment to hold for 28 days. Stipulation is you are not supposed to excercise strenuously for 28 days until your spine and muscles are completely healed - obviously that is not going to happen. so, I'm not expecting my adjment to hold as well as it might have.

My hubby went too. He's had a foot that has always turned out to the side since birth - it is straight now. He also weighed 20lbs more on one side than the other - he's even now...kid you not. It was just freaky but totally wonderful! If anyone lives in this area - I would highly recommend going. I'm worried about what my spine would have looked like in 10-20 years - I saw my xrays and the flaws that I had. Now I know I can fix them - this is good. Here is the information:

http://www.mightyoak.org/aboutus.html

Getting Straightened out

I got my used suit in the mail today. I was so excited to see it! It does not look as bad on as I thought it would so that was very motivational. I'm not sure if I will keep it/us it though. It is just a triangle top and I think I would look better with an underwire top...sorry TMI for some! :-)

Leaning out is going well but it is weird. My perception is off and I know there are good changes but I can't see them anymore. I will take picts on Friday again. I think/hope I am lower than 18% at this point. I always thought a body fat % in the teens would look more buff than it does...


Hubby and I went to a new chiropractor last night. I got a deal at that healthy living expo i went to a while ago for a consultation for the first alignment, xrays, etc. My neck is always out of place and I am pretty much in pain every day. It has been this way as long as I can remember though. Chiro helps but it always goes back out of place. I figured a cheap adjustment out of this deal couldn't hurt. Well, this chiro practices a very rare form of chiro called Nucca. He will only adjust the very top of my spine where the problem starts but it is a very specific adjustment. the rest of your spine aligns and heals itself. It is very specialized. The positive thing is that most people hold their alignment for months if not years...I'm very intrigued. I go back on Wednesday. It would be amazing to live iwthout pain and knots in my shoulders and back. I worry about the muscle development when I am so tight and knotted up all the time. Neil was 20 lbs heavier on one side than the other. Hoping to get him all healthy and straightened out as well!

I'm hoping to finist a take-home test tonight so I am all done with my first class for this semester. The other one starts in 2 weeks. ugh...

BUSY!

Sorry I have been MIA. I have had just a crazy week. have to pretty much take the computer away from myself because I get soooo addicted and don't get anything else done. I HAD to write a paper this week and I had to give a half hour presentation in my class on Thursday night with 2 other people in my class. My Thursday night class is done now. I think I did pretty well. I have to complete the take-test and then it will be completely done. I should know my grade by the beginning of March. I start another call on Monday nights in a couple of weeks.

On Friday morning we went to have our taxes checked over. My hubby is self-employed so it is quite a process. We do all of our taxes ourselves and just have someone looke them over so it was a lot of work.

On Friday afternoon we went and filled out an application to try to get hubby some Disability insurance. NOt sure if he'll get approved but figured it was worth a try. He's a computer guy-artist so if he hurt his hand we'd have no income...thought we should get some DI.

My seeeester came on Friday evening. We went and worked out this morning with my friend Lanae. Lanae just finished her first week of BFL and she is doing so great. It so motivating and inspiring.

Then the three of us went to get Lanae running shoes. She couldn't beleive how different good running shoes feel. She is hoping to do her first 5K on May 21st. I am so excited for her and I really hope she sticks with this. We walked her through all of the weight routines she could do for upper and lower body at the gym. She's never lifted before so seeeester and I helped her with form, etc.

Then we went to the stripper store to get shoes for my figure comp! I got 4 inch heels and I actually can walk kind of ok in them. I'm getting pretty excited. The girl at the stripper store said she was making a suits for another girl for the first time. I may email her to check and see how much she would charge to make a 2piece if I don't like the one I ordered. It's her first time making suits but you never know...

Finally we went to eat at a restuarant called 'The Good Earth'. The food is all organic and AMAZING. I had a shrimp salad with avocado and mango on it. Maybe a little bit too many calories but it was good for me and I have been completely clean.

I had a great day but we were exhausted by the end of the day. Tonight we are watching movies and being lazy. Neil is working on getting his office ready for painting.

I'm doing well with my diet. Having some cravings but overall doing well. I take like 27 pills a day and they are all HUGE. I can't even believe it! I think I am losing some more fat though!

Tanya

Going OK

I figured out the exact calories of my low card days and they are 1136...before supplements. I emailed my trainers to make sure this was correct and it is. All of my supplements come tomorrow. I will be taking 9 tablets of fish fat (oil) a day. Plus umpteen pills of liver tablets (ultra 40). I'm guessing I will not have any problem getting up to an acceptable amount of calories after adding all of these in! I will keep everyone posted on this.

Surprisingly, I am feeling really good. I'm not hungry - probably due to all of the protein. It makes you feel full. Also, I've only had one 'low' day. We'll see how tomorrow goes.

I had a great Valentines Day. I love my hubby and my puppies. I procrastinated writing a paper. My seeester is becoming healthy and happy. All is good!

new diet

So here is my new diet. I won't have my supplements till Wednesday so for right now it is just the food portion. This is the most non-BFL I've ever gone with my diet. I want to stress that if I was not under careful eye of trainers and getting ready for a competition I would still be at 1800 calories a day. That was healthy and I was losing fat right on schedule. I'm not trying to be hokey and say 'don't try this at home but...don't try this without a trainer and a program!"

Meal #1
3 egg whites, 1 yolk
2 oz lean turkey
1/2 apple
2 Ultra 40  (liver)
2 Mass aminos 
3 Fish Oil Caps/Flax oil

Meal #2
Protein shake (ice +H2O)
1/2 apple
2 Ultra 40
2 Mass Aminos

Meal #3
4 oz buffalo, turkey, or chicken
2 cups veggies
2 Tbs olive oil/vinegar dressing
2 Mass Aminos
2 Ultra 40
3 Fish oil caps

Meal #4
Protein shake
6 strawberries
2 Ultra 40
2 Mass Aminos

Meal #5
5 oz. lean beef -96% (except I can't find 96% so it has been 90 and 93%)
2 c. green veggies
2 Ultra 40
2 Mass Aminos
3 Fish oil caps

Monday and Thursday nights add a 6th Meal of:
6 oz sweet potato, 1/2 c brown rice, 1 c. veggies, 1 tbs. butter, 1/2
banana

Taxes...ugh

Trying to do taxes today - yuck!
Other than that, worked out at Northwest - the gym my hubby is working out at today. We did our ab workout together and I did 25min of interval training on the elliptical.

Went to Neil's cousin's wedding last night. I didn't know the people and couldn't eat the food - not a very exciting wedding!

Last big free meal.

I met with my trainers today for a chest/back workout and both of them commented that I was gaining muscle and some definition. yeah!! So in the last two weeks I lost 1.64lbs of fat and gained 1.14 lbs of muscle putting me at 19.29% body fat. I was pretty excited about that.

We measured for my one piece suit so I will be placing the order for that soon. We talked about the purple suit I bought. It is cute - can't wait to get it, but it might not be the right kind of top for me. I have big hips and narrow shoulders. We want to make sure that my top gives the illusion of wider shoulders and I guess triangle tops don't do that sometimes. We'll just have to see when it gets here.

last but not least - I had one of my last real free meals today. My hubby and I went out for chinese and then I had a Georgia mud fudge blizzard at Dairy queen. Now, it is time for real competition training!

I will be adding one day of long moderate training and playing with my carbs a little - 2 lower days and one higher day. Nothing too drastic. I'm getting excited!

Whining

So I worked out at the new gym tonight (Northwest Athletic Club - downtown). I think I'm going to stick with the Y. It was just so inconvenient for me to get to the other gym. It is in the basement of the Target Center -SOOOO weird! I think my hubby will be switching though. He is pumped to work out with his friend and I think he wants to work out at the fancy gym. It is a really nice gym. He's going to be working out in the evening so he won't be home when I get home from work and won't get home till 7 or later. I'm excited he'll be working out. but, I'm feeling like I'm losing something too. I'll be getting up at 5am and going to the gym alone now. I'll also only have 1-2 hours a night to spend with him before I go to bed.

I'm whining - at least he'll be healthy!

Suit!

I bought a two-piece suit online today! It is a crushed velvet purple suit with just a few crystals. I will be adding more to it...if it fits right and I like it once it gets here! It was a used suit - only $40!! Now maybe I will splurge and get exactly what I want for the one piece. We ran around all evening looking at gyms. Neil wants to switch to Northwest Athletic Club so he can workout with his buddy. I would love to switch as well - the free weight area is sooooooo nice. I would never have to wait for weights or dodge small children. However, the convenience factor is not there. It would add significant time to my day...what to do.

Just checkin in

I actually had something different to eat yesterday. We went to Adam and Amy's for supper and I had venison stir fry with about 1 tsp of stir fry sauce. It is the little things that make the world go round! I was going to have a sliver of carrot cake but Neil talked me out of it. Thank you Neil! The stir fry was really good though.

Amy is hard at work on her nursing degree and reading large books of stuff that would be complete torture to read. Yuck! She is doing awesome though - passing her hundreds of tests and everything. I, on the other hand, am not very motivated with school right now. I am getting through it and I think i will get a good grade in my current class. it just isn't high on my list of important things in my life right now. I have kind of a one track mind. I tend to get obsessed with something and my world revolved around that one thing for a prolonged period of time. since school is not close to the realm of fitness, weight lifting, or stepping on stage in small amounts of clothing and large amounts of fake tanning stuff -I'm just not all that interested!

Speaking of stepping on stage - I have like 10% more body fat to lose before stepping on stage. I have 17 weeks...I hope I make it!

Melissa Hall!

Hi- I met Melissa Hall yesterday at the Healthy Life Expo. She was such a sweetheart! It was really fun to meet her. She is Ms. Bikini Universe and she is on the cover of Oxygen fitness magazine this month. We talked for like 20 min and she will be at the competition I'm going to be in- cool!

I weighed 138 this morning! The bloating is starting to go down and I'm feeling pretty good.

My neck and back are always full of knots and out of place. So, I got suckered into two things at teh healthy life expo: a magnetic necklace for magnet therapy and a $25 full computerized assessment and xrays at a chiropractor's office... we'll see if they were worth it.

Tanya

Suits

I'm feeling a little bit better today. It's that time of the month so the hormones are talking and I'm cranky and negative. I do not like to be this way so I am trying not to be. I felt like I got run over by a bus yesterday. Much better today.

I've gotten quotes for suits from 2 people. One person didn't really elaborate - just gave me quotes in one sentence replies. The other person is more expensive but seemed interested in me and my goals and was quick to reply. Just made me feel good. I may have to spend the extra $ and just go with the one that feels good. I am spending so much money on this hobby. I asked Neil last night if it bothered him and I explained to him that I was feeling very guilty. He said he only thinks about it when I talk about the money part and he is not bothered by it in the least. I am way to spoiled. I feel so lucky to have his support 120%. It's really quite amazing.

So these are the suits I'm thinking. Something like the dark blue one-piece suit on the left.