Dare to Soar BodyBlog

One reason that I do the things that I do are my kids.  I want to lead by example with them.  My daughter Sabrina is most like me. I dont want her to reach the point that I have with my weight and health.  I want to teach her good nutrition and that exercise should be a part of your everyday life.  I want her to understand life is about choice and we each have the ability and power to decide how our life pans out.  We can sit back and let it happen or we can take action and drive it down the path of opportunities. 

If you met Sabrina, you would think she was a "little" me.  She is so positive and upbeat.  She a social butterfly and never stops talking. Ok so maybe that part isnt like me. I am actually quite shy in person until I get to know you.  Sabrina can walk into a room and have a new "friend" with in minutes.  We cant go anywhere without running into someone that knows her.  LOL

She is so smart too.  It just amazes me how fast she learns things.  She loves to play games.  When she was little, I wanted to throw out the candyland game or at least "lose" the pieces for a while.  We played it so much.  Now we have moved on to Sorry. LOL

She is always happy and singing. She loves books.  She is constantly "helping."  Now there are days that this is a blessing and there are days where you wish there was something else she would rather do.  Last night she wanted to help me cut green onions.  Although I could picture her chopping off a finger or two, I let her help and she actually did quite well. Of course I was holding my breath the entire time.  I am a little protective. LOL

Sabrina is stubborn too.  Ok lets call it determined. When she sets her mind on something, she wont stop until she gets it.  Sound like someone you know? 

There are so many more qualities I could list.  I really couldn’t ask for a better daughter.  I dont think she realizes how much joy that she brings to my life.  She wont until she is older and has kids of her own.  Thankfully I have a while before that happens and I can enjoy this time that I dont have to share her with anyone else. 

PS if you want to read about what a typical day is for me check out the transform2008.

Every week the contestants for the transformation contest take a workout video.  We can each choose what we put in them.  I can tell you that I feel a little silly when I take them but I have found them useful.  I like being able to check my form.  I am pretty strict when it comes to form.  I like knowing that if I am off that you guys will let me know. LOL  I also think it’s a great way to show your personal best and prove to those skeptics that you can lift what you say you can.  I also think they are a great way for beginners to see what we do to build a better body.  I think it also provides ideas for the non-traditional exercises to be showcased and show ways to incorporate physical activity into everyday life.

My point of this blog is to see what you think of the videos.  Do you like them?  Don’t like them?  Have ideas of what should be in them?  Find them useful?  Etc.  Come on give us some feedback. 

Here is a link to some of the contest videos if you are not familiar with them.

http://blog.bodybuilding.com/Transform2008/category/documentation/weekly-workout-videos/

Tonight is leg, calf and ab day for me.  Call me strange but I am looking forward to those torturous drop sets.  They are working very well and I am so glad I added them to my routine.  I am restless today and am so ready to hit the iron. 

I think part of it is due to the success that I am seeing in the contest.  Each of the contestants are doing so well.  I am so proud of them.  I still cant believe my pictures.  I think that the added cardio and taking the suggestion of my friend Dave in switching up the weights a little has really helped me kick it into high gear. 

I was a little curious as to my overall progress since I joined bb.com.  Since mid august I have dropped 25.7 pounds and 12 7/8" overall.  Now I am very happy with this but… yes there is a but…  the time frame shows me I was slacking.  Why?    Look at what has been achieved in the last three weeks.  A little under 1/2 of the weight loss and a third of the inches.  I didnt realize I was slacking so much.  I will have to make sure I am bringing it everyday.  I want this to be the year I get my body back.  That is what it will take.

This contest opened up so many opportunities for me.   Well, for all the contestants if we choose to use them.  I am not just talking about fabulous supplements or the competitive edge that a contest provides.  I am talking about the opportunity to learn this lifestyle and meet new friends. 

I don’t care if you are a beginner or if you have been doing this a while, there is always someone out there that can teach you something.  This contest has brought me in contact with some very knowledgeable people that are willing to help.  They don’t know me personally but they want to see me succeed.

My weekend didnt go as planned.  I had a very rough weekend- lots of inner turmoil and emotional eating.  Yes, emotional eating is something I thought I was done and over with.  An obstacle that I thought I had already conquered. It just shows that we have to stay diligent because our foes can creep up from behind. 
It’s easy to turn to comfort foods when things aren’t going right.  Mine is rocky road ice cream and nachos and on rare occasions homemade macaroni and cheese.  I don’t know why these foods make you feel better but they do.  Well at least until you realized that you fell of the wagon and may have made steps backwards instead of progress towards your goals.  Also you let all your friends down that have been cheering and encouraging you to reach for the stars and yourself.
I should have turned to my back up plans for when this kind of thing happens.  A long walk, a hot bath, blues music with candle light, call a friend, yoga and meditation- the options are unlimited but they don’t involve eating.  I haven’t had to face this issue in so long, I didn’t even realize that I was doing it until it was over and I was at the bottom of the ice cream container. 
Well, I am going to take this as a lesson learned. Life will throw many things at us but how we choose to let them affect us makes all the difference.  Today is a new day and I am on track.

The weekend is almost here.  I am off tomorrow and looking forward to not being in the office.  My weekend plans include eating clean and hitting the gym.  Yep not much different than the weekday plans.  LOL  I would like to get in a little yoga or bellydancing this weekend too.  They are kind of like a great stretching session and soul searching combined.  I also will be taking my next workout video.  Not certain what exercises I will do but I will come up with something. 

I posted the progess pics and results of week 2 in the transform2008 log.  I can see things are really starting to happen. 

Other than that not a lot going on.  Have a great weekend. 

Well I missed my am cardio today.  Had a few issues at home.  I wont let those issues stand in the way of reaching my goals. I will make up the cardio at some point today or on Sunday.

Changes are going to happen this year I have know that for a while.  Physically things are moving a long right as planned.  Other areas of my life are changing and I have to decide how I want them to change.  Lots of decisions to make.

Anyway back to building a better body.  Today I am suppose to post my progress pics and stats.   I still have to take the pictures.  I am hoping to get them done at lunch today.  If not I will post first thing in the am.  As far as stats go, the scale has moved down again.  I pretty excited about that.  I know I am going to get below 200 before this is all over.  I am so want that.

I posted my week two video yesterday.  If you havent seen it, heres the link.  http://blog.bodybuilding.com/Transform2008/2008/01/08/i-feel-good/

Oh, I also posted a few days ago about my new incentive that BryanGee talked me into…a new swimsuit.  Check it out here.  http://blog.bodybuilding.com/Transform2008/2008/01/06/climbed-way-out-on-the-limb/

Maintaining both logs is a challenge.  If you dont find me here, look for me at transform2008 bodyspace.  I am with him quite a bit lately.  LOL

Train hard.  Eat Clean. Believe in yourself.

Good morning all.  What a great day!  Already did my am cardio.  My body is really loving it.  I get such a major charge out of it.  I am sure the cytolean helps with that.  LOL  I just feel fabulous.  Its a wonderful feeling.  One that I hope stick with me for while. 

I cannot tell you how full of hope I am.  I feel changes happening.  Not little ones. Big changes.  I am no longer disgusted at my body when I look in the mirror.  I see so many possiblities.  I can feel the woman… the body that is under this excess fat, fighting its way out.  My whole attitude about myself is changing.  Sure I am full of confidence about my abilities but I never had that about my body.  Now I am getting it.  What a fabulous feeling.  To know that this year, I will look like what I dreamed…what I imagine myself looking like.  It is so going to happen. 

I am looking forward to challenging this body to become the best it can.  I want to test its strength.  Its endurance.  Its power.  I want to know I can do what ever I want.  It will happen.

Cardio! Cardio! Cardio!  I feel like I am constantly doing cardio.  Its not a bad thing.  I have a lot of programs that I rotate so I dont get bored.  The treadmill is always happy to see me.  The music is good.  Today was a little aerosmith topped off with the spin doctors.  I know the results from my efforts will be fabulous. 

Weight training is still going strong.  Reducing it to three days a week scared me a little.  I was afraid I would stop seeing results and lose some strength.  So far I havent and to tell you the truth, its been kicking my butt.  I have had several days of DOMS.  So I guess we can say change is good. 

Diet.  I dont think of it in the sense of "dieting". To me a diet is simply what you put in your mouth for nutrition.  I dont believe in fad diets.  To me fad diets are the reason so many people are on a rollercoaster.  They cut out everything they like and hope to be a success.  They think oh I can do this for a month. Well sure you can.  But after that month did you learn anything that will sustain the weight loss. No you go back to your old habits and gain the weight plus more back. 

My food intake right now is going well. I am getting what my body needs and am completely satsified.  I have really tuned into what my body wants.  I dont eat mindlessly.  My meals are planned.  I dont have the highs and low periods thorughout the day.  I dont cravy anything.  I feel really good about the choices that I made this far.

I really have set the bar high for 2008 and I know I will do what it takes to go above and beyond it.  I posted a little blog in the transform2008 about rewards.  Here a link if you want to check it out.

http://blog.bodybuilding.com/Transform2008/2008/01/04/4949272/

What are you going to do with it?  I was at the gym by 4:10 this morning getting all hot and sweaty.  It felt wonderful.  Did a lower body hill workout on the treadmill.  My legs were complaining but I just turned up the volume on my headset so I couldnt hear them.   burned 421 calories and went 2.32 miles. 

When I got to work I found a message from my Mickey - ninjabill.  Morning wake up call for motivation.  Isnt he the best?  Just wont let me slack even if he is sick.  Hit it hard consistently and changes will be made.  He believes I am going to do this.  I know he is right.     It is wonderful to have someone on your side that believes in you.  Thanks Ninja.  I couldnt ask for a better friend. 

Oh and the responses from my first week progress, were fabulous.  What a great way to stay motivated!  I appreciate each and everyone of you that took the time to send a comment.  They really do mean alot and keep me pushing hard.  My personality wont let me let you down.  Plus the c.w. in me was soaking it up.  Thanks for feeding the hungry little c.w. monster I am becoming.  LOL

Oh speaking of c.w. moments, last night during iron wrestling,  I was hitting the bench hard.  My workout partner notices that the guy workout next to us went to our old gym.  Now this guy is working out with just slightly more than I am benching (I was on my second set), my partner leans over and says, "She benched 205 last week."  The guys like, "Holy ****, Your f****** kinding me.  That makes our numbers look like p**** weights." My partner just smiles. He likes to talk smack. I am trying not to laugh at the response since I am in a middle of set.  I later told my partner that he was not to discuss my weights when I am in the middle of the set.  It was hard to maintain control when your trying not to laugh.  Plus its not nice to gloat.  Everyone needs to do what they can handle in the gym and not worry about what every one else is doing.  The cw in me, lets just say she was taking it all in. 

Tonight I will be back in the gym doing some HIIT cardio.  Oh the fun awaits.  This morning was an ACDC/Steve Nicks/Eminem day.  Tonight will be more hip hopish, maybe a little cassidy or Akon.  Who knows.  I will put on what feels right.  Got to have the music to make cardio more exciting.

Well I hope you all have a great day.  I have to take some time to touch basis with some of my friends.  That last few weeks have been so busy, I havent got to see how they are doing or cheer for their successes.  We all need that.  If your on my list, I will be stopping by this week to check on you.  Please have tea ready.  I am officially a non-soda drinker.  I made it a whole week with none of the juice.  I so got this.

Think postitive.  Stay strong.