Liza Laura’s BodyBlog

Thankfully the weight is just falling off now that I am eating clean.  I actually sent in for my NPC card and emailed bev’s gym for an application for Team U since things are going so well (baby steps! …

I always know that I am in serious diet mode though when a few funny things start happening -

1) I start to dream about food - especially in those last early morning dreams right before you wake up.  My hubbie says he actualy saw me chewing this morning in my sleep.  I was very upset when he woke me because I was dreaming about eating Spaghetti bolognese - meatballs with lots of parmesean cheese and meat sauce - and boy was it good!!  (What can I say I am Italian)!  I also dream about cookies a lot.   I am still allowing myself natty peanut butter in small amounts so I haven’t had any dreams about that -YET. 

2) I have trouble sleeping.  Not so much falling asleep but staying asleep -with the weird dreams, growling stomach and night sweats I feel bad for my hubbie.  I am quite the thrasher and I think I freeze him to death with the AC in our bedroom because I  can’t stand being hot at night!  I know this is from the lack of carbs and therefore low seratonin levels but it still sucks!  Probably one of my favorite things after eating is sleeping! 

3)  My plumbing starts to get backed up.  I know, not a pretty picture but my body definitely has its ways of getting back at me for forcing it to shed its fat.  I swear it really likes to be at a certain weight (around 165 - hey I am a big girl) and really starts to fight back when I mess with its status quo.  The first contest I did I actually developed exercise induced asthma and ocular migranes.  Man the things my body will do to try and keep the FLUFF! LOL

In any case so far so good I continue to drop the weight at a pace that has kept me motivated, everyone is starting to notice at the gym and my skinny clothes are starting to fit again.  Happy happy joy!   Keep training strong and BELIEVE me it is so much of a mental game so stay positive.  I like to actually visualize my butt getting smaller and tighter as I slave away at the cardio but that is a whole nother blog!

First of all I have nothing against yoga.  I think many of the moves are actually strength moves and if there was a way to progress - i.e. add weight as you gained strength I think it could be really good.  BUT it is not going to get my physique in the shape I want it to be.  Simple as that.  So when I moved back out to the East End of Long Island aka "The Hamptons"  I was panicked.  Central PA where I grew up is a mecca for bodybuilding (esp guys and more recently figure girls).  I really enjoyed having the commaraderie of people who were training with the same goals.  But out here everyone is afraid of lifting heavy (esp the women) so they do yoga and pilates and look like skeletons.   So after three months of looking I found what I think is the ONLY BODYBUILDER trainer on the east end of Long Island - CHRIS COSICH!!  And when I say bodybuilder I mean the real deal - placed 2nd in the most recent Eastern USAs.  He has been instrumental in helping me maintain lots of muscle even while I got fluffy!  And now he is going to help me get lean for the Team Universe (already lost 11lbs) and just maybe I will give womens bodybuilding a try at the Eastern USAs!!  I can’t help but want to give the routine a try!  I figure I can get "soft" lean for Team U and then spend the two months after that just getting shredded!   In any case I wanted to give a big THANK YOU to Chris who has stuck with me even when my eating was crappy.  Not only is he a great motivator but he encourages everyone to do old school bodybuilding moves like deadlifts and squats AND encourages people to grunt and sweat and make some noise!!  Of course it horrifies many of the more "delicate" members of the club but I am so proud to be one of the noisy ones and to have a trainer who encourages it!  THANKS CHRIS!!