My Crazy Obsession with the Gym

Haven’t been doing my best - training is great, not many double cardios but I’m 9weeks out from a USBF … they don’t like competitors to be as lean as NABBA, so not too worried. Still getting leaner though it’s hard to see post-PMS… have to wait another day or 2 for that to subside, HA. The problem has been FOOD - not eating crap, but I’ve been missing a lot of meals…. cooked a bunch yesterday so that will change. Just not hungry lately

Found Cabot 75% reduced fat cheese - MUCH better alternative to the real thing, and still tastes pretty good. Even comes in a block, not those individually wrapped plastic floppy things that the fat-free cheese is sold in.

Today was an unimpressive tricep and ab workout. I won’t even post it!! Energy was low (lack of food, duh) and my shoulder was nonstop aching… my buddy is going to school to be a physical therapist and says it’s definitely a rotator issue, but it’s not torn because I can still use it. Sh*t. Didn’t do legs this weekend - tried plyo for the first time in months on Thurs (didn’t fall over thank god) but my knee was shot all weekend. Couldn’t even bike, but was able to get some timein on the elliptical Sunday. Added 30min of running tonight too, that was fine… running never bothers it for some reason. I like running when frustrated, just too bad my ipod ear buds always fall out of my ears…

Probably putting too much effort into stocking up for my apartment - trying to get stuff to match and look cute, etc. Hey, I figure that I’m going to be spending a LOT of time there so I may as well like how it looks. The bathroom is 1/2 done, have all my kitchen appliances (major plus: bought the 80-inch george foreman grill…. <3 <3 <3) but still need more… the living room / dining room / foyer / bedroom is still too daunting. Went twice this weekend to buy for them and got so overwhelmed that I left, LOL. I still have like 6 weeks… no hurry…. yet

Lisa did the USBF last week… she is naturally skinny to begin with, not "show lean" though… but for show day, she was ripped. She took 5 out of 11 at her first - a great accomplishment - but was told she was too lean and hard. She said most of the girls there looked "very healthy" (wink) and were scarfing junk backstage. She said they really weren’t lean at all… is this how USBF is? I know they aren’t as lean as NABBA / NPC, etc…. but some of the pics I have seen of their competitors still look comparable to those 2 organizations. Who knows.. gues it’s like any other show: what ‘body type’ is favored is up to the org, judge, day, lunar cycle, etc. Being sarcastic, you get it. My plan is to just train hard, get as lean as possible, and not stress about it… as long as I’m happy with how I turn out, great.

My knee officially sucks - can’t kneel, lunge, wide squat, hack squat, or do any sort of high impact thing with it… or I pay dearly for days.

BUT… on the bright side… signed on for my first apartment! Less than 2mins away from my work (I commute about 45mins each way right now). PLUS, there’s a Gold’s less than 5mi from my place… and I absolutely adore the GM - she is super nice and does NPC shows. Used to manage the one where I live now. I can’t wait… Moving in June 13th - 2 months to buy furniture, kitchen stuff, stock up on supplements, … and it’s a week before my best friend’s wedding that I will bridesmaid in… and 10 days before the USBF show. Sheesh! It will be a busy month. At least now it will be EASIER to show prep without my mom’s amazing baking around all the f-wording time… AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY…. I get my very own full-sized refrigerator… byebye small college dorm fridge…. that thing will be STOCKED with eggs / vegs / turkey / chicken / etc. No more running out of cooked food and no more junk laying around the house!! It’s exciting and scary… worst part of moving (even though it’s not that far at all) is leaving my friends and fam in york and h-burg… will miss being away from the man the most… but we’ll make it work and he realizes that this is important to me so we’ll figure it out for the year

I have plateaued on the diet. Been following a 4wks out plan since Jan 1st…. think I need to switch it up fo ra week - I have a little over 10wks left, that’s enough wiggle room…

Lifting: good and consistent, chest and bi’s have been a little neglected but they have always been strong on their own. Will probably go back to heavy and powerlifting for a few weeks. Seeing improvements and looser clothing each week… but you know how it is… you expect to be stage ready ALREADY even 2.5mos out. Cardio is less, at least 20-25mins daily… doubles on weekends… that will have to change soon.

Just had to ramble for a bit.