great week, 9 days to go.

The last time I was 9 days out, I did not feel like this. I'm happy, excited and ready to get on stage, yes still nervous and working on my "stage presence", which is not easy for me. I am exhausted feeling pretty banged up, but mentally I am in a much better place this time around. I have very little cravings where as last time I kept thinking about my cheat foods and glass of wine. Of course I will have something good and maybe even a drink, but its not something I obsess over like I did in the past.

Its not exactly easy to eat 100% clean all day for 12 weeks, but in doing so it made me realize I don't "need" those things like I thought I did, and to be honest the pleasure is so momentary and I usually feel like crap after eating junk. Not so much guilty, I literally feel sick, unmotivated and then comes the crash. So why bother?? I am by no means perfect, I am not saying I wont indulge EVER, but the point of it starts to make little sense when for a moment I'm in heaven but then spend the next few hours feeling yucky.

I have always been a really healthy eater, avoiding processed foods, instead choosing clean organic foods majority of the time. BUT when I wanted to cheat I did, and it usually set up a series of cheats. My attitude was well I eat so "good" all the time, I can be "bad" too, I earned it. Then after one cheat it was like well I blew it so I'll keep going and get back to being "good" on Monday. Monday night would sometimes be blown too. Well Tues-Fri I will be "perfect". I never even realized this until a few weeks ago as I was trying to figure out how I had gained 30 pounds over the course of about 4-5 years. Of course there was always the 10 sometimes 15 pound drop thanks to the diet of the month, I would feel good but it wouldn't last and I would slowly creep back to my higher weight. Then my "ideal" weight kept getting higher, because I thought the previous goal was impossible to get back to. It was just this non stop battle with myself. I thought I could only lose weight being on a "diet" was so gung ho at the start, then felt deprived and would fall off, and on and on and on...

This is exactly the reason I started to train for the show, I needed something that wouldn't allow me to get off track. The idea of being in a bikini onstage was scary enough to keep me in check. I remember saying to my trainer one day that I was so afraid of the "after" part of the journey, would I just revert back? It was easy to stay on point having a big challenge, what if there wasn't a countdown to "show day" keeping me in line?? Well the show ended, I had some of my favorite things and realized it was just ok. I preferred eating clean, I felt better, trained harder and had more energy.

Training this time has been for different reasons, because I wanted to do the actual competition and being in much better shape I had a better starting point, and wanted to push myself even harder. My goal is still to do my personal best, and I could care less about what place I come in, but I have to say I LOVE this sport! Is it for everyone? definitely not, but if I can do this anyone can..

Today was a good day, 5 am tough cardio session, noon training session and then posing with my trainer and his boss after.. Lots of laughs, James showing me how to "work it". Former body builder dude helping me with my stage walk! Its so necessary at this point of training to be able to belly laugh!!

If it were really that easy!

So as I was browsing today in a supplement store a young woman approaches me and asks my opinion on "Fat Burners", I'm thinking how much time do you have?? She looked so overwhelmed searching the shelf stacked with various "miracle" pills, desparate to find the "best" one. Now I need to preface this post with some honesty, I DO use thermagenics/fat burners during my training, but more so to A.) provide some energy, B.)help surpress some cravings and C.) maybe help accelarate fat loss. If you noticed fat loss was last on the list because its really about my training and eating that attribute to a lean physique rather than popping a pill. The fitness models on these ads live and breathe a fit healthy life and yes a supplement can help, but a supplement does exactly that: it SUPPLEMENTS a healthy eating and training plan.

The first question I asked was "well are you looking for something pre-workout" and then followed up with "how is your eating" her response was "well eating right and exercise really haven't worked for me. WHAT?? I did my best in the short few minutes I had to give the most solid advice I could, even recommending more natrual approaches (green tea extract, l-carnatine etc) and taking these things PRE-WORKOUT!

We live in a quick fix society, in my opinion that does not work in regards to being fit. 20 min 3 times a week and crash dieting doesn't cut it, at least not for me or 99% of the people out there. If it were as easy as a pair of sneakers that give you a supermodel behind or a pill that will make you look like a top fitness competitor wouldn't we all be there??? I am not judging this girl, because my god I have been her, looking for that cutting edge product that would solve my yo-yo weight loss ways. But at the end of the day, I knew what I needed to do. Eat right, train hard and indulge in moderation.. Its not flashy but it works!

Crunch time

So I'm here again, 18 days to train hard and get ready for the "show". I'm excited but also a little nervous. I feel better about being on stage, but its still something I struggle with, this is a bigger show than last time so that adds to my anxiety a little. I cried during my workout yesterday. I refused to do some complicated exercise combo my trainer was trying to show me, and he got pissed and walked out of the basketball court. I sat on the bench and cried like a little girl, there was more going on than just the workout, some negative feedback about my new found love of training got to me this week. This is something I love, something that has made me healthier, happier and dedicated, but there are still people who question it or slam my commitment to competing. I attribute most of my reaction to being under 3 weeks till the competition, I've worked so hard, I'm tired and a more emotional than normal.
today was a better day, and I realized I don't have to explain myself to anyone. This is my choice and if you don't agree, well guess what I DON'T CARE.

My success isn't defined by a medal, trophy or first place in any category in which I choose to compete. My success is meeting the goal I set for myself. That goal has always been to be the healthiest I could be, without being extreme and/or miserable in my pursuit to be fit. The competition was never the goal, it was the necessary ingredient for me to stay the course and it worked!

anyways.. heading back to the gym for my 2nd cardio session of the day. Love the way I feel after a good sweat:)

Ouch

Its hard to believe after training this long with my trainer that I can still be SO SORE after a leg workout. I attribute that to his creative brain, and coming up with new ways to shock my system. The reason why many stop seeing results is due to lack of variety, doing the same routine, same cardio, same split, same intensity, they plateau, get frustrated YADA YADA. I can honestly say we have never done the same workout twice. EVER. Yes we train the same body parts on certain days, but we always hit them in a variety of ways. Sometimes slow and heavy, sometimes faster, more supersets, less rest etc. Every 6-8 weeks completely changing my split and tweaking weak areas.

I started posing and practicing my T walk. This is the toughest part for me. The "SHOW" part. I am hoping to clean up my stage presence and be able to rock it a little better than last time, But I'm just more comfortable banging out a tough training day in the gym HA HA. I definitely feel more confident and comfortable and I'm actually looking forward to the show:)

The diet is extremely clean and strict, but its not too tough this time around. I am more used to it, but am still dreaming of Pbutter and Dark chocolate.
23 days!!

NFL KIck OFF

So today it literally one of my favorite days of the year. Pats opening day. Normally paired with my home made wings and a side of my margaritas, but instead water and protein. Today is a "rest" day, no carbs, my day consists of protein, veggies and lots of water..
Boring? Yes. But it is what it is and I'm excited about kicking ass for the next 27 days in preparation for Oct 9th.
I got a bunch of emails and feedback this week, asking for advice, sending well wishes and just letting me know that I "inspired them". Not to be corny but I was so touched! I've learned that training for something like this is rewarding and fulfilling, but a little lonely at times. So thanks to everyone and your encouraging words and feedback!

31 days

Today was just an amazing day. I'm coming off an exhausting weekend that feels like one big pool party BBQ not to mention we threw our son an amazing surprise 13th Bday that lasted 2 days (his first all nighter, a rite of passage for a new teen). Its tough to be social this close to a competition, but I managed to make it through 100% sticking to the plan. Its not a matter of hoping I don't slip, because I won't give in to temptation, but trying to not be a total bitch while hosting these eating/drinking festivals! Fortunately my friends are supportive and understanding, giving me moral support while sipping their glasses of chilled white wine and eating a smores.. LOL. My husband is still "smiling and waving" and avoiding me on low carb days..
Anyways back to my AMAZING day. It hit me today is 31 days until my 2nd Figure competition, and it just feels entirely different this time. I feel stronger, happier and more adjusted to this lifestyle. I have never trained harder for anything and it feels so good to be this dedicated. This isn't just working out and eating right, for me its a sport. You have to live and breathe this for months leading up to a show, and to be honest I love it. I love knowing what I'm doing in the gym or that I get an increase in carbs on my toughest training days. I love being able to do chin ups and things I see only guys do. I love pushing myself (or having my trainer push me) harder than I think I can go. Sometimes its actually hard for me to shut it off, I am better this time about actually "resting" on my rest days. I have been guilty of heading out for a run on a Sunday because I'm "bored"... And of course its amazing to see the physical changes in my body, to look better at 35 after 2 kids then in my 20's is quite an accomplishment. To not struggle with body image or never feeling good enough which has more to do with my emotional journey rather than the physical. I am ok with never being "perfect" because there is no such thing.
For the first time I am not comparing myself to anyone else. I am proud of me and what I've accomplished. I can appreciate someone doing the same thing and be inspired by their success. I am not saying this is easy because there are days when its really hard. I cried the other night, no reason just wanted to be normal, have a cookie and some wine and relax like everyone else. I choose to keep that to myself because this is a choice and I refuse to feel sorry for myself or act like I have to do this. I came back down and joined the group with my casein protein pudding (amazing amazing amazing, all protein no fat or sugar pre-bed treat, this is a saving grace to my training) and I was ok.
Today was leg day. Love training legs. Love getting more carbs after training legs. LOVE LOVE LOVE good carbs.
my workouts this week:
Monday-Total body kick in the ass functional day.
Tues- Cardio/core 50 min interval on stairmaster 100 steps per min 1 min, 70 steps per min 1 min for 50 min.
Wednesday- LEGS!
Thursday- 6am cardio, 11amCHEST/SHOULDERS/TRIS/ABS
Friday-6 am Cardio 11 am Back/Bi's
Saturday-hamstring/glutes/ABS cardio
Sunday-REST DAY

47 days to go

So my whole approach to training for this competition is very different from last time. I had a significant amount of body fat to lose last time, and my goal was to be "lean" enough to compete. I love being in better shape this time around, stepping it up and really pushing myself to kill each workout in the gym. I wont say that I went through the motions last time, because I worked so hard, but there were some days where I wimped out a little by choosing a less challenging cardio or not giving my all through an entire training session. It just feels different this time.

I told my trainer no excuses, no half ass anything. No more warm up on the elliptical for 5 minutes I will run at least a mile on a good incline before each session with my trainer, and ass kicking cardio sessions throughout the week, the only day I won't do cardio is leg day and Sunday.

Today was a solid quad workout. We are breaking up leg workouts into 2 days. quads one day, glutes and hamstrings on another day. I love this, it really gives me the ability to focus of each muscle group, and hit it hard. This is our last week of "heavier" training. Starting next week, which will mark 6 weeks out and we will really pick up the pace.

As for the "diet" well it doesn't feel like a diet. I know what to eat and when and I am never hungry because I am eating all the time, right up until I go to bed. Now I said never hungry, but I do get cravings.. I'm human and there are some days where I want nothing more then dark choc and peanut butter and LOTS of it. I have insane will power and refuse until Oct 9th to indulge in those cravings...... I am so glad 2 Sundays ago I indulged in all of my favorite things:)

Next week we start a whole new split I'm a little nervous and excited.

52 days and counting

SO its back on again for me.. 52 days (under 8 weeks) till the Cape Cod show. I've enjoyed having the last few weeks off.. Although my training and eating were very solid I got to enjoy some adult drinks and foods that were off limits during my 100 days of prep for my first show. Just like last time I will avoid alcohol, sugar, dairy, fruit etc till the competition. I am sure there will be tough tempting days as summer is winding down and we created a south beach like atmosphere in our back yard. I only gained 5 pounds since the show, so my feeling is that this time will be a little easier. It seems like a lot of sacrifice, which I guess it is, but I LOVE it. I have never loved training for something so much. And just like last time I don't want to get up there and have one regret "if I had trained harder, if I had eaten cleaner" etc. That is what keeps me focused and also my trainer telling me "We have 8 pounds of SOFT to lose" normally not a phrase any chic wants to hear, but its the truth. This isn't rocking a cute dress at a party, its clear heals and a figure suit which does little to hide imperfections.
My goals are the same, to train my hardest, eat clean and see what happens. Whatever place I come in still doesn't matter to me in the least bit. I just want to finish, then of course have a victory meal and skinny rita!
I know a lot of people still don't get this, and unless you trained for this specifically you never would. Even Jay who lives with me and had seen me at my best/worst through this process is sometimes a little confused as to what I'm doing. He is supportive and knows when to just smile and wave and to not ask if I'm "ok". As much as I love this, there are days where its just hard to be 100% on, but I will do it:)
For the last few weeks we trained heavier and slower. Now it will start to crank back up again, functional days, more supersets and less rest time. Increasing steadily with cardio, and doing my cardio mostly at 5:30am on an empty stomach (tough for me). Diet gets a lot tighter, still cycling carbs but everything is weighed and measured and no cheat meals. Sunday was my last cheat day and it was a GOOD ONE.. Nachos for lunch, snacking on dark choc espresso beans though out the day, and choco chip cookies and kettle popcorn... I just had to get it all in before starting 8 weeks of tough work:)

to be continued...

WOW!!!! I cannot put into words what an amazing journey this has been. Saturday was an experience I will not soon forget. I struggled for years with body image issues, and I felt like I just kicked that right in the face. Not because I looked the "best" because I didn't, not because I came in 5th and not last, but because I could stand there and be proud of who I was and how far I had come. Also because I gave 110% to my training and diet, and worked harder than I ever thought possible.

TO be honest the "Show" part wasn't my favorite aspect of the process, yes the being on stage and showing off my hard work was very cool and not as scary as I thought it would be. The prep of the day was exhausting, and very high maintenance. I do have a girly side, but I'm typically more comfy in a jeans and flip flops.. So the tan, makeup, clear heals glamour part of the show was a little much for me. Still, I will do it again, I LOVED having a goal. Now I have a new goal, to further enhance my fitness level and see how well I can do starting in much better shape.

I had a great day yesterday celebrating with friends and enjoying a fabulous, homemade, low sugar stevia sweetened Sandi-rita!! And its official I am a lightweight now.. I can honestly say booze has lost its appeal to me. I will enjoy a drink here and there but it will not be the norm for me anymore. Honestly not because its "bad" i really just don't want it.

This for me is a lifestyle not a diet, I just prefer to eat clean, and I can see how much its paid off. The great thing is that I can still indulge here and there, its funny my "cheats" have even become healthier. I want an organic dark chocolate peanut butter cup, or some baked sweet potato french fries.. I have learned it is just too easy to eat healthy, and we make it so hard with these wacky diets that are hard to follow. Or we convince our selves we are too busy to eat right, sorry that one is the worst excuse, taking 5-10 minutes out to prep my meals for the day is not hard at all, and I feel so much better.

So I will continue to blog, I think it will be cool to see how training for my second show will go. I will still be eating "clean" but will tone it down in the gym for the next 2 weeks to give my body time to heal. I'll walk, run, do some yoga and total body functional stuff, its very hard for me to "rest" I am all geared up and want to hit the gym hard, but I have been warned to not over train...
Thanks to everyone for all your support, to my family and Husband for cheering me on and putting up with me through the good and bad, to Marie and Carrie for being there to support me (Carrie for making me look beautiful, you are so talented!!) Yenny for posing classes and your diet plan, you are a true Pro and have inspired me so much, and to my trainer, I would not have come this far with out him, in a word GENIUS!!

ON TO THE NEXT ONE!!

Final week!

So its finally here: one week out from the Show. Feeling a lot of different things right now, I'm excited, nervous, horrified, relieved its almost over, and exhausted.. I have lost 25 pounds total since I started this adventure. I had no idea if I could actually finish, it hasn't been easy but I can honestly say I'm not sure I could have worked any harder or have been any more committed. I do look forward to training for an Oct show, now that I am in significantly better shape.

This week coming will be the hardest yet in regards to diet. I will basically be living on ground chicken or turkey breast and veggies for all 5 meals till Thursday, for Thurs and Fri I am supposed to add some carbs back, Carb loading to fill up the muscles, this makes me nervous, I have never done this so I don't know how my body will respond.. A friend of mine Yenny is a figure pro and she designed my diet, so with all her success and experience I know I am in great hands! I will be drinking only distilled water and cutting my intake down as I get closer to Sat, also using supplements to help rid excess water weight. Of course I am taking all of this very serious, but my goal for my first show wasn't to win or even place for that matter, I just wanted to give 110% to training and finish and more importantly NOT bite the dust on stage in my bedazzled sea green figure suit and clear heels.

I have learned so much about diet/exercise and what my body is capable of if willing to push my limits and truly challenge myself. I can honestly say I would not have come half a far with out Joe, my personal trainer. He just knows his stuff and literally transformed not only my physique but my way of thinking when it comes to training. When I first reached out to him about training I told him I only needed him for leg day, because "I had my plan all mapped out". He said ok, but asked if he could see my intended routine.. In the nicest possible way he ripped my workout to shreds and we completely started over. He designed my program based on my needs, strengths and many weaknesses. So my idea of meeting with him once a week turned into 3-4 times per week for all my strength training, functional training days and boxing. He taught me that my needs were different in regards to training, something that works for someone else isn't necessarily what will work for my body and fitness goals. My goal was to compete in a show, so my training had to match that. It would have been tough to get there with my original plan, He pushed me to do things that I would NEVER have attempted to try on my own. He takes his work so serious and just understands there is not a once size fits all approach to training. Looking back I can see all the mistakes I was making before.. Thanks Joe!! Your the best:) (Granted I get a little credit, I work hard doing my best NOT to bitch and moan (most days;), and my diet was just as strict as my training.)

So I'm excited and nervous, and looking forward to feeling normal again, although it will be a new normal. I worked my ass off and have seen amazing results, I look forward to being able to indulge on occasion, but will continue to train hard and eat clean.. I will blog after the show, this week will be crazy with all the prep work.. But I just wanted to thank everyone for your support, especially my family who may have not always understood what or why I was doing this, but still helped me through the process!! Saturday is sure to be an interesting day... Wish me luck!!

17 days to go.. Crunch time.

This week it really started to hit me that in less then 3 weeks I will be walking on stage showing off all my hard work. Im scared to DEATH, but trying to get over my fears and just do it. I had my first posing class on Sunday with my friend Yenny who is a fitness Pro, so happy to be learning from her!! Its more then just walking out on stage, and to be honest I don't feel very good at it. It feels a little cheesy, and something I might laugh at.. But I need to get over it and work it the best I can.
I am down 22 pounds since I started training for the show. I am blown away at how much I have changed, not just physically but mentally as well. I am planning another show for the fall but I look forward to feeling "normal" again, not that I will go back to my old ways, honestly I just want some fruit!! Eating so clean has made simple things feel like an indulgence, 1/2 a cup of sweet potatoes on my "high" carb day tastes like candy, and a rice cake with almond butter and sugar free jelly is just AMAZING!!
This week my cardio drastically increased, 2 hrs on cardio days ( hour at 5 am and hour later in evening) and an hour on my training days. Its not easy as my carbs are significantly lower, but having only 17 days to go keeps me motivated!
I don't always feel so upbeat, not going to lie, there are days when I want to cry and sometimes I do. I can be a bitch, ask my trainer or my family. I try my best not to complain, no one if forcing me to do this, I chose to to do this. Overall its been amazing, excited for the show!!

4 weeks

Im starting to panic a little, I have a lot to do and very little time. Not so much with training and diet, but with posing and getting my suit ready for the show. I have officially lost 18 pounds and am down to 135. Haven't seen that number in a long time! No matter what happens the day of the show, I am proud of my efforts and accomplishments so far. This is not a one time thing for me, and my attitude towards eating and training have changed drastically..

This process is not only physically demanding but mentally as well. I have heard time and time again how this can be a very lonely sport, and I have experienced that on and off. Unless someone has gone through it, they truly can't relate. This has been the most challenging experience I have yet to have, but also the most rewarding. I've learned so much about myself and what I am capable of doing. For me this this isn't about winning and it never was. This is an individual sport, not that I don't ever thing about the other competitors and how they are training, but at the end of the day its up to me (and thank GOD my trainer) to make sure I am working as hard as I can to get to where I should be.

This process has been trial and error for me. Its my first show, I started training a little later than I would have liked but that only pushed me harder. I wouldn't have gotten half as far with out my trainer, he says I'm the one doing the work, but I would NEVER do half the shit he makes me do on my own.

So tomorrow marks 4 weeks out from the show. I am nervous and excited....

6 weeks to go

So I have 6 weeks till the show.. Not gonna lie, felt like a total basket case this weekend.. I had a lot of doubts whether or not I'm where I should be, I guess that's normal as I have never done anything like this before. I had a great chat with a friend who is currently training for a figure show about 4 weeks after mine.. It was a much needed therapy session, having someone who could 100% relate, give great advice and just validate some of my craziness was so nice..... I had some major concerns about the 6 week out diet. She gave me some great advice which I began to apply this week. I am trying "carb cycling" which is more carbs on high intensity training days, and low to moderate carb on less intense or non training days. The idea is to not allow your body to plateau, helping to boost your metabolism.. Here's hoping it works for me!!

Its scary because at this point its all trial and error.. At this point no fruit till the show, and it takes my diet to a new level of strictness. Fortunately I am so focused and had time to adjust so hopefully I will be ok.. She did tell me to prepare for some hell days as I get closer... Its not easy some days to do this, I have kids a house and a husband to take care of, thankfully they have all been incredibly supportive. My kids do not see this as a diet, Olivia says "Mommy we are all eating clean!" She is a huge fan of oatmeal and strawberries, and she apologizes if she eats a cookie in front of me, says she wishes I could have one too!

A little over 6 weeks to go!

This morning started off great. I weighed in at 137, down a total of 16 pounds! It was the boost I needed to make it through today's insane workout by Joe: a cardio day consisting of boxing and crazy stuff on the basket ball court.. suicides, jumps over hurdles, plate pushing, ladders, etc... It was awesome and a needed switch from the stairmaster, row machine and running. After getting yelled at the day before for sucking ass, I tried my best to push through without stopping..
I am fighting for every pound, trying hard not too focus too much on the scale but I have yet to do my body fat so its a good gauge for me right now, so are my jeans which I am down at least 2 sizes!

This Saturday will start the six week countdown. I need to start learning my "stage walk" and posing.. this will be the hardest part for me.. I am so afraid of walking out on that stage, I have nightmares, so I best be prepared!!

7 weeks to go..

This was a great week.. I am officially in the 130's, 138 to be exact, down a total of 15 pounds proof that dedication and of course a great trainer pays off. I feel great, although need some new clothes!! Not a bad thing. I have 51 days till the show and I am so motivated to keep kicking my ass. Yes its a lot of work, but also incredibly rewarding. This entry is short, sorry but the B's, C's and Sox are on tonight;) New Pics coming soon!!!

Monday Funday!

I love to hate these Monday morning kick in the ass workouts.. Its great after resting all day Sunday, but its so challenging and at times I feel like I could puke. This is something I would never make myself do on my own, so its great to be pushed farther and harder than you think you can go.

The weekend was rough, being a "man I feel like a woman" time I was craving everything in site.. I did not cheat at all, but did cry in the kitchen on Saturday, Jay was there to offer support and lock all the cabinets. Speaking of Jay, he has started what he refers to as "his transformation". He is eating very clean with my help, and running and doing P90X. He lost 5 pounds this week and is motivated to keep going. I will say its very helpful to have someone on a similar plan. One more day of watching him eat pizza and chips I may have hurt him;)

I've said it so many times, but if I wasn't eating as clean I would not be seeing the results. It does take time to prep, but its so worth it....

Its a girl thing

So lets just say there are times when training can be challenging. Ladies you know what I'm saying.. BUT I am am not using any excuses to avoid my scheduled workout, although something salty followed by something sweet and my DVR'd housewives of NYC sounds good right now.. But instead I am heading to the gym for Chest/Shoulders/Tri's (circuit style with burpies, supersets and tri-sets) and 30 min on the Stepmill...

I just want to thank everyone for all their support, I have received a ton of positive feedback and inquiries of what I'm eating etc... I have said it before, this is not a diet for me but a lifestyle, my goal is to follow this plan throughout the year, especially since I have decided I want to train for another show. I am so focused and driven by the results and more importantly the idea of parading around on stage in an itsy bitsy teeny weeny sea green bikini:) I know it will be more challenging to stay the course during the times when I am not counting down the weeks to a figure show, but don't want to see all my hard work go to waste.. 58 days till the show!

I started this because I was tired of feeling fluffy, I wanted to look "good" but I just never imagined how great I would feel..

Week 7 so far

So still down 12 pounds with no rebounding. Monday started off with a total body kick in the ass workout with Joe.. He was all business and as promised I did not bitch or complain at least not out loud.

• burpies (12 reps) (Holding 15 pd DB's jump out to plank-pushup-jump in-squat jump-DB shoulder press)
• wall squat for 30 seconds
• squat press with 40 pound barbell 15 reps
• walk up 5 sets of stairs holding 40 pound barbell over head the whole time
• back down the stairs, sprint back up the 5 sets of stairs
• squat press 15 reps
• wall squat 30 seconds
• med ball walking lunge with twist across the whole gym
• TRX lat pulls
• bench dips
• smith machine lat pulls..
• leg press 10 reps, 20, reps, 30 reps, 40 reps (upping weight each time)
• RINSE-REPEAT
  

needless to say it kicked my butt, but it was great.. Tues was cardio/core, and today was my love/hate favorite:LEG DAY!! I entered the gym feeling less than energetic but was wide awake after that workout. Joe always manages to come up with stuff that kicks the snot out of my lower half, which if you've seen the tiny bikini is necessary!
So mid week and feeling great... Tomorrow is back/core and some boxing. LOVE boxing, burns a ton of calories and shreds the core.. Friday will be chest/shoulders/tris and I will follow the workout to a T on my own, last week I omitted the burpies and did ball pushup/DB over press supersets instead. I got dirty looks from my trainer the whole time. Saturday I will be doing double cardio sessions, one in the morning and one later in the afternoon/early evening. I will update my blog over the weekend with my weight... 2 pounds away from being in the 130's again!!! I am officially addicted to this!

8 weeks out Pic

Top :Before 153 pounds
Below: after 6 weeks, 141 pounds



So as promised I am posting a pic.. this is after 6 weeks of training, 8 weeks until the show. I have a ways to go to get the abs popping but they are getting there!!

When I got the suit less then 2 weeks ago I had mini love handles hanging over the side, now, no more...... Hard work does pay off!
Can't wait to see what happens in the next 60 days!!

(and my goodness does a spray tan do a body good!)

Week 7

Tomorrow starts week 7, I am training with Joe in the morning which he promised would be brutal... Yikes, after a day of rest I feel ready, and I promised to not bitch or moan once, we'll see how that goes.. I am down another pound, so 12 pounds so far, more importantly I am much leaner than I've been in a very long time! For all that I am doing I should be, but still have a ways to go.

I got my posing suit this week, its sea green, cute, but very simple.. I didn't want anything too flashy, I may add something to it still not sure... Its TINY, very TINY and adding some much needed motivation to stay the course.

I have to say I am enjoying this so much, I'm even considering doing another show in Oct, I think I will do ok for my first show, but I started in not so great shape and am busting my ass to get to where I need to be, I would like to train for a show when I am in great shape and push myself to achieve a better level of fitness.. Sounds crazy, but I like having a goal... We'll see!!!! Pics coming soon.........

Week 6

This week I started off really tired, even after my rest day on Sunday. I'm assuming its due to the lowering of carbs.. Mondays workout with Joe was crazy! total body/functional/core day.. He told me I should be proud, I was just happy I didn't puke or crap my pants. Tues was a solid 50 minutes of cardio, and Wed was LEGS or as Joe called it "LUNGE DAY" 2 sets of every different type of lunge, my legs are FRIED this morning! So far this week I lost one pound, total of 11 pounds since I began. I still need to get my body fat done, I am going to make an appt to get that done this week.
Although I'm a little more tired than normal, overall I feel great. In the beginning I kept dwelling on things "I can't have", but now I am seeing all the benefits to all the hard work I am putting in. This process is really making me re-evaluate my whole approach to diet and exercise. For me this is not a diet, but definitely a lifestyle that I will stick too even when this competition is over. Will I have wine again? Most likely, but it will not be a normal part of my day like it was... I actually went out last night with some girlfriends and had green tea, water and my last protein shake of the day (normally it was chardonnay and nachos), I had just as much fun and didn't feel left out or deprived. WHO KNEW???
I know exactly how over the last few years I have packed on 15 pounds, so now I know exactly what to do and NOT to do to keep it off. I don't have a goal weight or size, I just want to be whatever I am supposed to be with training hard and eating right.
With the show being a little over 8 weeks away I am starting to get a little anxious, I have moments of feeling scared sh*tless at the thought of walking on stage in my posing suit and clear heels.. Normally avoiding criticism is my main objective when in a bathing suit of any kind. If anything the 8 week countdown is much needed incentive to keep me focused and training hard:)
workouts this week:
Monday-total body functional/core
Tues- Cardio 50 minutes
Wed-LEGS (LUNGE DAY)
Thursday-Back/core/cardio
Friday-Chest/SHoulders/Tris Cardio
Sat-double cardio day (stepmill/bike 50 minutes, 28 minutes hiit later in the day)
Sunday=REST

its working...

its the end of week 5 and I lost 3.5 pounds this week.. My total weight loss to date is 10 pounds.. I know that 80% of my goal comes from what I eat, and its paying off sticking to the plan. I'm excited and highly motivated to start week 6 of training, but looking forward to resting my sore body tomorrow...

Week 5 so far

This week was very high on the intensity scale thanks to 3 workouts with Joe.. He kicked my ass and I am feeling every muscle in my body right down to my hands thanks to today's boxing/functional training core day! Being a whole new split I just wanted to work with him a little bit extra to get used to it, and it helps to have someone pushing me and wont allow me to quit. Its slightly addicting to work out with a kick ass trainer who knows his sh*t, I just have to now be able to push myself as hard when I working out alone. Fortunately I love to kick my own ass, but regardless I am human and will sometimes crap out a rep or two early, or slack on my last few minutes of cardio. My goal for this week was to lose 1 pound, I am trying hard not to obsess about the number on a scale, but working this hard I just want to see that number go down! I am much leaner, and put on a pair of jeans yesterday that I literally couldn't get my leg into a month ago, I almost returned them and got the next size up but the next morning joined the gym instead! I will weigh in on Saturday or Sunday morning..

Diet update.. I was chatting with a friend and was telling her how the diet just seems easier. I have zero cravings for crappy food or alcohol. Maybe the fact that I ordered my posing suit and have 9 weeks to go are great motivating factors. In the beginning I fought through all week to have my "cheat" meal... The last one i had made me feel sick all day, SOOO not worth it. I feel so much better eating clean.

Week 5 begins!!

Today I started a completely new split routine for the upcoming weeks, I decided to workout with my trainer today to get a handle on the new routine.. Today was chest/shoulders/tris and core. All I can say is at one point I literally screamed, it was all out craziness. I am not going to lie and I say I killed it the whole time, because at some points I said "I can't do it" but I made it through drenched as if I had just ran a 10k.

Working with a trainer is teaching me some much needed essentials, such as where my weaknesses are, how far I can really push myself and most importantly that I am not "all that" in regards to fitness. He tells me what I need to hear not what I want.. Like "oh my GOD you ROCK, your so awesome, you go girl!" instead its hearing the things I need like: my form is off, pushing me through 3-4 more reps when I feel like I'm going to drop the weight on my head, making me choose a more challenging cardio rather than just some half ass elliptical for 30 minutes, and overall just making every minute of every workout matter. (He's a huge fan of the row machine and stepmill, he would rather see 20 minutes of high intensity on those machines than the alternative)

This week I will really tighten up the diet too, having only low glycemic fruits/complex carbs with my protein pre-workout, and only fibrous carbs(veggies)/protein meals post workout. I cut out coffee and just having green tea in the morning too.. Fortunately the pre-workout drink I have gives me a much needed boost!! Not really a fan of fat burners or energy drinks but I need a little energy to help me perform:)

Fried!

this week kicked the crap out of me. I dragged myself to the gym this morning with help from a pre-workout drink (Jack3D) I cannot believe I was just saying how "easy" week 3 felt, what a difference a week makes. I know it will continue to get harder, but ironically as tired as I am, I have never felt so good! I stepped it up this week in intensity all around. As Joe says, "I need to make every meal, shake, rep, set, workout count" Now on to week 5, (10 weeks to go!)

kick it up/10 week countdown

So its time to kick it up. I have consistently lost 1-2 pounds per week. This was the first week I haven't lost. So time to add some double sessions in a couple days per week. Sat will be the 10 week countdown and I have no idea if I am where I should be as I have never done this before. My diet couldn't be any cleaner, so I don't think that is the issue. Joe thinks its time to not only kick up the intensity, but also switch up my split routine. That was something I was planning on doing after week 4 anyways.. I am trying not to focus too much on the scale, as I feel leaner every day (but I am a woman, I love when the scale shows a smaller number!!)

In addition to tweaking my workout my diet will have some significant changes as well. I will be cutting out fruit, and lowering my carbs (no carbs with my evening meal, aside from veggies) and NO MORE CHEAT MEALS. Ugh that just sounds so awful, most weeks my saving grace is that one indulgence!! ( I will have my last cheat meal this Sunday.. it will be a good one!) I have been booze free or 25 days, I feel I should win some prize for that accomplishment alone:)

I am at the ten week countdown as of tomorrow, this is where it will get pretty tough, but I know it will be worth it in the end..

(Week 5)Next week will be:
(6 am cardio 2-3 times per week now)
Mon-Chest/Shoulders/Tri's Cardio
Tue-Cardio/core
Wed-Legs
Thurs-total body functional training workout
Fri-back/cardio
Sat-track cardio day
SUNDAY OFF

Wish me luck people!

intensity meter

I met with my trainer Joe for leg day this morning. The first thing he commented on was the previous days "intensity" and how it was not so great.. Actually he said "Your intensity for yesterdays workout was sh*t" Although he wasn't actually training me, he happened to be in the gym the same time I was there.... I got a much needed pep talk, making me realize I need to "bring it" to each and every workout.

To my defense it was a decent workout followed by 50 minutes of high intensity cardio, but I do know there are some days my energy isn't so great, and I just try to push through. I am a no excuse type of person when it comes to fitness, and I will not complain that I am a little wiped from working out 2 hours a day, 6 days a week, eating extremely clean blah blah blah... No one is forcing me to do this, its a choice, so if I'm going to do it, I need to do it 100% or not at all.
I left the gym after getting my ass whooped and was happy he made that comment.. It will only push me to work even harder.

He is meeting me to "Box" for 30 minutes before my cardio/core day in the morning..... FUN FUN!

Start of week 4

I was really exhausted today and my legs are still sore from Fridays workout. I still managed a solid chest/bi's/core workout and did my cardio at home today (Cathe's Hiit 40/20 workout) But seriously today was one of those days I would have loved to chillax with some wine, snacks and reruns of 90210. (Actually got a text from my sister-in-law to see if I had "Fallen off the wagon", we have a bet going about me being wine free till June) Well Ms Lisa I am staying strong, so have a glass for me;)
Good to know even on a less motivated day I can still stick with it..

Note to self, fried foods are banned!

So I don't normally eat fried foods, even when I am not dieting.. being a cheat meal at brunch I had a few fried things and it killed me.. I won't go into details but lets just say I paid for it all after noon.... I will stick with my loaded nachos for cheat meals from now on.. I am exhausted from a long week and hoping I will make it up to see the Sox kick some Yankee ASS! A nice cup of ginger tea is calling my name.

End of week 3 (11 weeks and counting)

Today I am really really really sore.. But I still managed to get a solid 50+ minutes of cardio today..

This week was the easiest of the 3, I think I am just getting used to the plan and starting to see and feel results which is extremely motivating (I swore if this plan didn't get me into insane shape by the end I would eat, drink and be very MERRY) I am not saying this is easy by any stretch, but easier than I expected. I have moments where I would love to cheat, but I get over it, move on and wake up happy that I didn't.
Tomorrow is Easter and I will be happily indulging in a nice brunch with family:) I worked my ass off for this cheat meal and will enjoy every last bite!
Monday starts week four of training..... Wish me luck!

I want to thank everyone for all the encouraging words and overall support. Part of my plan of action was to tell everyone who would listen to help keep me accountable!

Killer Legs

So today was the first day I met with Joe, a trainer I am working with for Leg day. I cannot afford to hire a "figure" coach, this is already an incredibly expensive sport, but needed a little guidance when it came to training my lower half. This guys is no JOKE. He not only pushed me through an amazing workout but also went over my total workout plan and showed me where to make adjustments, what to exclude and also add to my regimen. He lives this and 100% knows his stuff.

my workout today:
warmup Arc trainer 15 minutes
1.) step up to high knee to reverse lunge to 2 plyo jumps each leg repeated 15 times each side (bucket please!)
2.)3 sets of plie leg press with a drop set at the end
3 &4.)3 supersets of Forward facing on hack squat & stiff leg dead lift
5.)smith machine high knee to reverse lunge
6.) walking lunge with twist and backwards walking lunges....
(OUCH)
stretch

Overall he thought my plan was decent but gave great suggestions to make it better including adding some "Functional" training days....

Highlight of the day:
We were chatting about push ups and I said I could do 20 in a row now, he asked if I was doing them the right way meaning getting completely down to the ground (he actually said getting your "junk" completely down and I said "Well fortunately some of my "junk" is closer to the ground in a push up position) So I showed him and he was impressed (my push ups not my junk).. I haven't been able to do more than 10 push ups on my toes in a long time so this is a huge personal accomplishment for me! I tried a Pull up... Not there yet!! That is my next goal:)

Tomorrow was supposed to be my crazy track, sprint bleacher workout but I may have to resort to a less intense 45-60 min of cardio as my legs are already sore as Sh*t!!
At 34 I have realized I have to work twice as hard to get the same results I did 10 years ago....

Weekly weigh in

(Todays workout: Back- bent over reverse grip barbell rows, Seated cable rows (wider grip), lat pull downs, and back extension. Core- Pike sit ups with med ball, decline sit ups with med ball, bicycle and oblique crunches on ball) 25 minutes of HiiT cardio,
step mill 110 steps per min (45 seconds),
50 steps per min (45 seconds) repeated 10X's,
finished with sprints on treadmill 8 MPH 45 seconds,
5.5MPH 45 seconds (repeated 5X's).
walked for 5 minute cool down then stretch)

Today is a good day:) I woke up and decided to weigh myself. I normally wait till the end of the week, regardless I am down 2 more pounds. I have lost a total of 6 pds and went down a size in my jeans. This plan is so much different that most diet plans where the goal is to just drop weight. This is a science, a carefully balanced plan with the goal being to reduce body fat and preserve lean muscle mass. It can be tricky and to be honest there are some days I don't know what the hell I am doing. I look at all the fitness magazines read the articles, research online and try to take all that info and apply what will work best for me.

So after my 2 pd loss I was so excited for my workout today! I got to the gym and saw a women practicing her "fitness" routine in the group exercise room. I have seen her a bunch of times and can tell she is training for something she is in AMAZING shape. I watched this lady who is in her mid to late 40's bounce around the room do one handed push-ups, toe touch jumps and rolls.. I was so impressed A) because I seriously doubt I could do that and B) she was at least 10 years older than me!! It also got me to wondering if I could ever do a "Fitness" Competition one day.. Who knows, at this point I just want to get through this.

Current Workout

Monday- Chest/biceps/core/ HiiT Cardio 20-30 minutes
Tuesday- Shoulders/triceps/ HiiT Cardio20- 30 minutes
Wednesday- 45-60 minutes of cardio
Thursday- Back/Core/Cardio HiiT
Friday- Legs
Saturday- Track workout or HiiT cardio 45-60 minutes

Sunday Rest and 1 yummy cheat meal.

what is HiiT Cardio? High intensity interval Training cardio. Think 30-45 seconds high intensity drills with 45 seconds lower intensity (rest) This is a great way to burn tons of calories but preserve muscle mass.
I do have some days where I do just straight cardio, but prefer HiiT for most of my cardio workouts.

Cathe has an amazing HiiT cardio DVD,
http://cathe.com/hiit-training/

Current Diet

Meal 1- 7am: 4 egg whites, 1/2 cup oatmeal, tablespoon flax oil, 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

Meal 2- 10am: Whey protein shake after workout + BCAA's supplement

meal 3- 1pm: 6 oz Chicken breat, steamed veg, 1/2 cup brown rice or quinoa

meal 4-4pm: whey protein shake, scoop fiber, 3/4 cup frozen berries tablespoon Flax

meal 5-7pm: baked or broiled fish or plain chick breast, steamed veggies and yams

meal 6 9:30/10pm scoop Casein protein with water

3rd week in going strong

So I am not really a "blogger" personally I thought it was a little self indulgent and annoying. BUT where I am doing something I have never done before, I thought it would be cool to not only share with people my experience but also have something to look back on when I hopefully achieve my goal!

For those of you who don't know I am training for my first ever "Figure" competition in June. I had many people ask me "What is a Figure Competition?? Here is the best way to describe it: "Part of a bodybuilding show.. It allows women to show off their hard work they've put in at the gym without having to be overly muscular." The second question a lot of people asked was "WHY???" To be honest I needed a new goal, a goal that would force me to train harder than I have ever pushed myself. I am very motivated when it comes to exercise and I eat extremely clean and organic, I have been an avid exerciser since I was a teenager, I have always said secretly to myself that I would do this "someday", I am not getting any younger 34 seemed like a good age!

Training for this takes working out and dieting to a whole new level. I workout out 6 days a week focusing on different muscle groups each day, I eat 6 clean meals a day, and drink a gallon of water a day along with numerous supplements/vitamins. This is seriously a full time gig that unfortunately I don't get paid for!

My day revolves around my next meal or workout. I am on my 3rd week of no alcohol and I am surprisingly ok with it.. BUT I LOVE wine, no I really really love wine, so to say this was a sacrifice is an understatement. Jay (my husband) actually said the other day "WOW you have been booze-free for over 2 weeks, I didn't think it was possible" I made him promise to not let me cheat, not to offer me wine or say something like "Can't you just have one glass?" or I would stab him in the eye. He has been extremely supportive, I don't think he gets why I want to do this, he lives to eat and the only time he runs is "around a buffet" (His words) and when he went the gym twice he did the "Arm Bike" for cardio (I have seriously only seen the elderly use that machine) BUT at the end of the day he puts up with or maybe just chooses to ignore my diet related bitchiness..

The major reason I am doing (aside from the muffin top) is this: after I gave birth to Travis I worked my ass off and got in really great shape. I was 22 and it was much easier back then. I mentioned to someone in the gym that I wanted to do a fitness competition and was seriously considering it. He said "You don't have the physique for that, don't bother" He wasn't mean, just matter of fact, and I felt so stupid for thinking I could achieve that goal. That stuck with me for a long time, but I am much more confident in my 30's and figure there is no time like the present.
Maybe I will get up there and come in dead last, or trip in my "clear" heels and fall flat on my face... The true success will be making it to that day!!

If I am brave enough I will take some pics after 4 weeks of training!!