THOUGHTS OF A FITNESS FREAK

Im not holiday crazy…..gym crazy yes, holidays …..no.  As you know, I trained my daughter yesterday and I am excited to report she says her “arms are burning”.  Wait til tomorrow chicky….heheee. I didn’t do anything today either.  I feel so lame posting pretty much nothing, but it’s Halloween and I am still a little sick and there was just no time today.  I’m certainly going tomorrow night for back/ bis lats night. I really am contemplatinmg going into this next show with a simple “morning of” water deplete (ok, got to have a little coffee though).  I was looking at my back in some new pictures I have from vegas and I don’t think doing a full deplete is going to benefit me being this lean. My legs are not big enough and my face is getting too lean. Im not a curvy person, never have been, never will be.  I don’t even have hips for pete sake. I envy you curvy women! I have to build curves where you can just lose a few lbs and they are right there.

Anyway, Did I tell you my mouse story?  Weird crap always happens to me.  I keep my dogs big bag of food in the pantry with an old traveling mug in it as a scoop.  So I grab the bowls and bag and put them on the counter, reach in and scoop some up , dump it in the bowl and suddenly there is a mouse sitting in the damn bowl!  Holy crap, can mice scream?!  We both yelled and I think his mouth formed an “O”! Then he took off under the fridge.   Freaked me the hell out.  Rodents and I do not go well.  Once a squirrel fell out of a tree and onto my car while I was driving.  Poor little bugger rolled right over my roof…dead as a doornail.  I didnt hit him, he hit me!  Perhaps he was depressed? 

I hope everyone had a safe holiday.  I’ll be around if you want to chat.  I posted a new pic of my shoot with Jerroll Figg in Vegas up above.  I had alot of fun.

Thanks for being nice!  I am a forum rep for Gaspari and sometimes forums are harsh.  Ever been in there?  Some comments people leave make your realize their are not serious Nazi -like people out there. They hate women, they hate different races and religions and gay people. To have to sit them and be themselves is a pretty harsh punishment I suppose. To try to begin to understand them….I won’t even go there…….

Anyway, the lighter note is I have my first "guinea pig" in the gym to train!  She is my 17 year old daughter who is starting to think she might like to be a figure competitor. I put her through the wringer, chest,tris and shoulders. Only 2 sets of 12 each to get her started. Some things I do are a little more advanced, so we stuck to some basics like bench press, triceps press, lateral raises, tris on cables, pec dec, shoulder press.  Just enough to work each muscle group. She kept refering to "tiny weights" when I would give her stuff.  Then of course, complain it was too much, but she was a trooper. She isn’t built like me, but is more curvy. I am hoping she has some of the same genetic make up for building lean mass.  It’s harder on women who have higher estrogen levels to build muscles. I only had her do 10 of cardio to start after the workout.  She isnt yet 18, so I won’t put her on any supplements.  She still will have alot of natural HGH to work with though.

It was a little freaky going in there so early.  I usually go after 7 when the rush is over.  All sorts of strangers all over the place.  Like coming home to suprise company in your living room. despite the fact that I want to be on a stage, I do not like being stared at in the gym. ok, I admit the shorts, but there is hardly anyone there on Sundays.  Today was like rush hour…..packed, grid locked,testosterone and sideways glances abound.  I didnt have shorts on  or a 1/2 top, xtra fully clothed as a matter of fact..but still…people look when they have never seen you before………alien territory,fresh meat.

I came home and had to eviscerate 3 pumpkins.  Then sort seeds and bake them. Why are holidays always full of work?  Where is the holiday that you lie around and do nothing? I want one of those kinds……….We have those at work if you are being a "butthead" and need to get away.  It’s called a "Freetolay" Day.  Get it ‘Fritolay’?  Corny, no pun intended….

Okay, still sick…head feels like a truck ran over it.  I guess I have to go to work tomorrow for a little while.  Those people are going to have mounds of stuff for me to do and no one can ever find anything. It’s like having 23 kids.  I will miss my mid day blogs………active brain, I can’t help it.

BB.com is still working on my next video.  I will let you know when it airs and when you can view more of me being a goober……….

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This is the most I have ever stayed home, except when I had Lyme Disease.  I just don’t want to get bronchitis, so I am trying to get some rest.  I do have to go to the gym tonight.  I promised a woman I met there, that I would take her pics for a boyfriend who lives out of state. I was suprised when she asked me because I don’t really know her, but what the hell?  It took alot of balls for her to ask.  I will more than likely just do some chest and tris work.  I am fully aware it lowers the immune system, so nothing crazy. I’m just coasting right now anyway, not like I have time to make anything bigger at this point 3 weeks out.

I am getting lots of questions regarding my abs.  Most of it is genetic you know this.  We all hold fat in different areas.  I wanted to get my legs more ripped, but then my upper body will be too shredded because my legs arent as big as I want them, so I would then lose size.  I cant afford that at this point.  The skin on my chest is really thin right now and my back is probably only a couple mm’s as well. Next year I may just go BB lean, just to see if I can, but for now this is it.  I am always cold as it is and this doesnt help.

As for being top 6.  Let me say I am so happy it is no longer at the top of the main page!!  This gives other people a chance to say hello!  There are so many people here who have come so far and deserve some kudos for it. Bodyspace is where I got my start and I encourage anyone to start blogging and posting progress photos, even if you need to chop off your head in your photos to do it.  You don’t know how much you really change until you see your pics next to each other. Let me see if I can find last novemeber or october to post here and you will see what I mean. 

Keep rocking!

Im not pushing sales, just a heads up to a upcoming challenge for anyone looking to "go lean".  It’s a before and after program and it involves work, but will be well worth it. You can go to www.getcytolean.com for more info.  It will be an ongoing program, so if you are not selected, don’t be discouraged! You can even get it here through BB.com’s online  store if you prefer.  I can honestly say this is a great product.  I am already lean as you know, so I am currently using it as part of a maintenance routine for my upcoming show.

As for my Lean and Fit testers, I have picked 3 ladies who wrote first. SORRY!  We will be doing more in the future!  I am soooooooo psyched to be doing this! I see so many “male products” being offered to men on the boards and we get left out. As a supplement using from the very beginning, I just didn’t understand why more women weren’t using them and really want to help educate as to their importance. (Even to non competitive women) I think we are getting the short end up the stick from companies.  I just went to Walmart (runny nose and all) and say about 10 different fatburners all in the center isles promising their “magic weight loss” Weight loss is work!  There is no magic pill.  It’s part of a program including diet and workout routine.

Hope everyone is doing great. I will be fine, just need a few days and some vitamin C.  Thanks for caring.

Fern

and miserable of course.  Thank God, its not a normal training day. I’m just going to lay around all day and nap.  I took the day off sick from work, so I will be here if you want to chat. I think I am going to go throw in the movie 300 as it always seems to motivate me.  I am always rooting for the underdogs.

I wanted to rant a little about infomercials for a sec.  I saw a new one called the "Corevolution", this one seems great!  I will have to agree with what they are selling.  Its a great glute and lower back workout.  To stregthen the erectors helps dramactically in reducing back problems.

The standing still pilates thingy…….on the fence about this one.  They are just stretching and I don’t now that you are actually going to get a lean , toned body from that. How does no cardio in any form, help you lose weight?

The Px90 (I think I am missing a letter).  This workout is insane to say the least, but I totally agree with muscle confusion.  They mix up tons of cardio/weight exercises and I think its a good one if you can actually keep up with it.  Their testers are all pretty long and skinny/fat to begin with though.  They started with no one in the "larger" bodytype for their before and afters.

The new ab chair.  Ah, don’t see much happening here.  Its like a short beach chair that helps you do situps without grabbing behind your head. It has some sort of spring system to assist you.  Okay, we have already talked about spot toning before.  If you are holding alot of bodyfat, doing sit ups will not make you lean and show your abs.  Its an all over bodyfat issue.  thats diet………lose fat, then build muscle and it will show more.

The seat that rotates right and left like a bar chair (sorry I forget the names of these things) No way you are getting abs from just moving right to left.  I used a similar machine in the gym and gave it up.  I think it just torques my spine.  One move is not going to lean out your whole body and make you a god.

The Chuck Norris/Christy Brinkly (total gym?).  This one seems pretty good.  There seems to be alot of exercises you can do on it using your own bodyweight.  I think it would be good for toning full body.   Hopefully, the rollers stay smooth and it doesnt fall apart and end up under the bed.

Bowflex.  I had a Weider band machine a long time ago.  the only thing that concerns me is after you pull the resistance bar, it has to go back.  Will it jerk you?  The bands kind of hand a snap back thing going on.  Guess I would have to try a boxflex to get a more accurate assessment.

My sears/weider home gym.  It has 2 stations and I never touch it.  It was never really fluid to me, even when I oiled it.  The leg press caused me back pain as you can never get it small enough for me to be seated properly.  My leg range was about 4 inches max.  It’s so crappy compared to my gyms equipment. I dont find home machine adjustable enought to suit needs of people of different sizes….its a $500 pile of crap now.

The "bargain gym memberships…I pay about $40 a month for my membership. Some people complain it is too expensive, so they go to the $10 gyms. You get what you pay for is all I have to say. My gym has classes you can join and they actually talk to you and know my name. You are allowed to make some measure of noise without a light going off.  I am not talking loud grunting, but people tend to make noise when they exert themselves.  Its human ya know. Thats why we are there, to exert ourselves……….duh.

Okay, I talked enough.  I think I am going to go watch some infomercials instead.

It’s something you cannot control. That bugs me the most I suppose.  I did go to the gym today and tried to get a decent workout in.  My hams are just below the surface, but my quads are too small.  It’s all going to come down to posing. The NPC is so strict, but I have a few tricks to make them appear wider if I can remember them while on stage.  I really tried to mass rep on leg extensions today.  I was only doing 50 lbs, so it wasn’t so bad.  I was wondering if anyone else seemed to have the problem up lactic acid buildup in the quads only. It’s the only part of my body that seems to exhaust easily.  I can curl til the cows come home, do crunches til I puke and whatever else gets in the way.  It is just the damn quads!  They seem to tire easily, so thats why I assume it’s lactic acid. I guess I will get some Red Dragon and see if it helps.  It’s a buffer.  I did my usual stuff today, probably didn’t hit it as hard as I had been, but being lean is not easy.  Low carbs is a killer and then I ate like crap today because I can’t taste anything. I’m damn skinny…..it sucks sometimes. Yeah, looks good in your underwear or a bikini, but try wearing jeans that are falling off your butt.

I can’t wait to bulk up a little bit!  Like last time, it will be a clean bulk.  I won’t compete again until April, plenty of time. I know I am super hard on myself, but was thinking about me last April.  I was the same amount of bodyfat, but I think my quads were only 19 inches at that time.  Thats 2 inches of growth!  They are just about 21 now.  I remember losing about an inch all over when I went lean, so that’s pretty good right?

Thanks for all the tester replies.  I am waiting for the final word from the man upstairs as to when we can go ahead and start.

Have a great night.

A question posed to me a few minutes ago.  Yes, I suppose I do, but whats BIG? I’m 5′3″, so big to me may be different than big to some women. I suppose it goes back to a guy I dated a couple years ago.  He was pretty big, 20 inch arms, pecs, etc.  He was nuts, but I did like the way he looked.  I didnt workout then actually, but he taught me alot just by being around him. He was obsessive, even though he didn’t compete and he did carry his food everywhere he went. I suppose I secretly want someone who is going to understand my crazy obsession with the gym and that would probably mean someone who is competitive or who has been competitive.  I am not seeking anyone at this time.  If it happens, it happens. I have already been down that road and married someone I didn’t have much in common with. As you can see, it doesn’t last. The last person I dated was a guy who didnt workout at all, but was a pretty big guy. He thought the gym was a singles bar for me.  The one before him was a tall skinny guy, very nice to me in the beginning, but became kind of cruel and made fun of me for working out. Live and learn I suppose.  I really don’t want to have to argue with someone who wants to eat at a place where I know I can’t get what I want there.  I don’t want to hear it.  I will eat so called “normal” food on occassion, but I do not bust my hump to get lean before a competition for nothing.  I was talking to a guy I used to date in the gym yesterday.  He doesnt understand why I do certain things regarding my symmetry. I try to explain that you stand under bright lights and are compared with other women regarding your symmetry, your suit, your skintone, etc.  aand still he doesnt get it.  Like talking to a brick wall actually.  It’s like people like the way you look, but when you talk about what you have to do to look that way, they think you are nuts, but they still want you to look the way you do. Does that make sense? “You look great, have some cheese fries”.  It’s like they try to sabotage you at the same time.  I saw the article on the idea that obesity is contagious.  I think it is true.  I hear alot from women who lose friends when they lose weight. Now is this because their lifestyle changes or because the other women suddenly feel bigger or worse about themselves? I think thats pretty crappy to do to a friend. I personally don’t care about that kind of stuff. But I have friends who are overweight, I  care if they are pushing themselves into heart attacks and diabetes. How many old obese people do we see? Not many. Okay, I went off on yet another tangent………

A co worker of mine was getting very big.  She started a cleanse and clean eating diet and lost almost 40 lbs so far!!!! I would like to think I have woken people up a little in my workplace.  I do not talk about my diet or push anything on any of them, but answer questions if they ask. I’m not some crazy gym-femi-nazi even though it may seem that way sometimes here.  I basically go about my own business and don’t bother anyone.  Even with Gaspari products I love them, but if you don’t use them, I will not push them on you.  I have to go do legs now.  I am sick, but will do something light/moderate weights.  No cardio on  legs day of course. 

Fern

It’s official.  I am looking for testers for the Lean and Fit stack provided by Gaspari Nutrition.  We want women who are willing to work hard to do this. Product testing lasts about a month.  I will want you to join a few forums and log your experiences there as well as in your own blogs.  You may post pictures if you wish on your progress. I am hoping (as this doesn’t really benefit me) to get more women to take the proper supplements that they may need.  There is no reason not to. They did not make me big and manly, as you can see from my lastest photos.  They help you build lean muscle mass and lose bodyfat quicker and more efficiently.  If you do not believe me,  take a peek at my before and after progress photos.  Granted, I did not start out on Gaspari, but simple creatine powder, glutamine and whey protein powder. Creatine gave me endurance to lift more weight, feel stronger, so then I BECAME stronger. I could have gotten the same results over time, but why, when I got results in less time?  I fed my body what it needed  when it needed it. As far as the brand of supplements you use, its like comparing a low grade gas with a high grade gas.  Your car will run still run, but not as well as with the good stuff……….

So the fit and lean stack is …..Itrapro protein powder, Superpump250 and Cytolean (the newest scientifically proven fat burner available with a feeling of well being)

Email me at fern@gasparinutrition.com please.  I need 3 women of 3 age groups. Hopefully this will be running month to month, so if I do not choose you this month, there’s always next!

Alright, I am not so photogenic.  I freely admit it.  When I smile, I think I look okay, but certainly, no covergirl.  I got tons of photos, but damn, it’s daylight, so close up, dehydrated skin because of the Vegas weather and crows feet galore, plus I only got a few hours sleep.  I suppose I was thinking the pics might come in edited and photoshopped and I would look ‘magazine worthy”. You know those women in magazines who look like they have NO pores?

I’m sick today, coming down with something right now.  Scratchy painful throat, ewww. 3 weeks out nonetheless! Just when you think you are doing good, someone throws a stick in your bicycle spokes, right? What a pisser……..

I did back and bis today and more lats, always lats. I’m doing fine on upper body training right now.  Maintaining is pretty easy once you get where you want to be. 

I dont know what else to talk about right now.  My head is getting fuzzy and I am going to go lay down and watch TV.