V1’s BodyBlog

Offseason has begun!!!  I have to add fullness to my upper body!  My last show placing was not the best, and I can see why; I really need more fullness in my upper–still!  I think I have to push hard against some genetics and posture in my shoulder area, but it’s just going to take time–  that is what offseason is for!

I definitely have more balance than last year, so now it’s time to tweak some more, and this offseason is going to be taken very seriously!! I had a GREAT year– I really did!  I met some new friends and got more comfortable on that stage!  I am learning and learning—-it seriously never ends….everything from tanning to how the heck to do the hair and how to pose my legs…all being tweaked (and sometimes overanalyzed….but hey, that’s me….   )

Lots going on now…from adding some flying to my work skeddy and a move to Parker, Co seems to be in the works!!!

I WENT TO THE OLYMPIA!!!  I loved that Jay Cutler won– !!!  I also loved Branch’s routine– !  I am so happy that Adela and Tanji fought it out!! I love Adela and miss Tanji’s routine was SHARP–the best, I think!  Nicole WilkinsLee is a great representation for figure–I am happy to see her at the top!!  I loved the expo…seriously I love wandering booths…and then there is the problem I have of sampling EVERY freaking protein bar sample…..way too much of that….ha!  I will go again in 2010–and I will pay for a better seat with a straight on view (I was not too happy on the side, but I cheaped out–NOT a good idea, peeps–don’t make that mistake!)….there is NOTHING LIKE the O–go if you can!!!

So…..very busy at the moment, and should slow a bit by Thanksgiving…!  I will have Thanksgiving dinner, but until then, this girl is prepping–it’s all business from here on out… I WANT this. 

Well here it is! Comp week!!! SAWEEEEET!!! I opened my JanTana lotion the other day and it was an automatic increase in heartrate! ha!!! That smell of comp—–it’s amazing!

I am feeling good! I need to get some posing practice in, and practice my makeup and stuff! I have been very very short on time, and chomping at the bit to get these things done! I like things DONE and READY with NO RUSH! I had a blessing in that someone picked up some of my flying, and I have a bit more time to get things together, and sleep in my own bed before competition. I can’t tell you how much better I feel over that!

I will probably always nitpick about my physique, but overall it has never looked better than now (I should hope I always improve, right???) I feel good and ready, and I just want to get there and take it all in! Oh–and I really want to be tan. I am pasty white–and trying to stay buffed and polished, so yeah….I’m pretty white. Maybe it even qualifies as blue at this point, I don’t know.

I am excited about the booths and stuff–I like this kind of thing (especially the Fizeek Brazil clothing– the BEST workout clothes!) I always find really cool stuff, and hope to be able to check on more booths this year. I also love checking out the competitors–! Comp prep is first, though, and if trainer puts me on ‘no wandering aimlessly to the booths’ smackdown, I will be a compliant geek and stay put!

Thanks to my friends and family for their patience while I maintain my relatively poor record of returning phone calls (do you really WANT me calling you on my redeye flight out of Seattle???) and out of date texts (people don’t respond well to midnight texting, either)… (Oh, and turns out texting isn’t free from El Salvador)! I am thankful for all of the help I have gotten in picking up supplements, letting me ship my bb.com orders to your house, stirring my chicken while I pack for work, listening to me list off every body part that looks different, supporting me and even enduring another show where you have no clue when I’m going to appear on the stage!

I’m truly excited, and looking forward to seeing some of you that I have not seen in forever! I’ll be back later in the week! Just thought I’d update while I have a second to spare!

I’m having a great week– I feel great with lots of energy, low stress, and am just I tying up errands. I feel good about the work I’ve put in. I’m enjoying the ride and ready to compete: integrity, grace, and fire!

I am still here and running around like madness!  I am spending a lot of time in Houston, and still some in Denver–it’s just hard to pick up and move entirely in the middle of comp prep, life, and work!  I am not exactly rushing to spend every minute in Houston in the middle of the summer, either. 

Comp prep is going well, but I am a little bit stressed over time!  I have been ON THE MONEY with diet and workouts with the exception of one particular week of stress– I think at 9 weeks out, where I wound up with more peanutbutter and creamer than allowed on a couple of the days.  I was running myself into the ground with too much on my plate; no excuse, but when I am that tired, that is what happens.  Other than those 2 days, no cheats–no deviations–and you know what…I haven’t really craved or anything.  I think for me, no allowed cheats works.  Otherwise, I think about my cheat meal all week, and I wonder if that’s not like advertising to myself everyday?  Whatever it is, I have not had a soda or a bit of sugar since starting prep–big step for me–but not as hard as I thought!

With my travel schedule, and not being in Denver, I am working with Kim Oddo for comp prep.  I needed his style of scheduled phone calls and emails (we set them up for the entire prep ahead of time), so it’s been working out GREAT!  I am happy with my progress, and am able to work around a knee problem without aggravating it    

I already know I beat my best from last year, so that is a major accomplishment, and probably the most important one!  I can’t wait to see the finished product–I can’t wait to get to the show — I really enjoyed Jr Nationals last year! I love all the booths and people running around!

My main deal here is to see if I have built the upper body enough, and taken down the lower body enough to be well balanced.  I see improvement, and if I can hang on to my upper body while I cut down, it will be a really good look for me!  WooHOO comp is just around the corner!!

I’m still here! Slammed busy, no doubt!  

I have been pushing the weights hard–my shirts are all too small!  I built a wider back this winter, and I know I’m a freak about the shoulders, but they do look much fuller than last year! My rotator cuff problem is all but gone…stretching and stretching is what I will attribute that to! woohoo!  I am NOTICEABLY stronger in my upper body this year, which is really exciting to me, as this is a weak area for me, in general.

 The knee– still out for the most part, but not hampering my workouts; I do what I can.  I did get it looked at, even an MRI, and it seems a small, stupid thing called the plica is causing the problem. I would have sworn that my knee was all busted up inside, but it’s not…just plica.  I’m moving it to the back burner and working legs without aggravating it.

 The plan is to go to Jr Nationals again this year.  I really enjoyed that show last year: all of the booths, tons of competitors….I want to do this again!  That makes me 17 weeks out.  I am not cutting or anything….just building, which for me, is maintaining about 10 pounds over my onseason normal training weight.   

 This offseason was a much better offseason than last year.  Mainly, I was able to eat better, and I stayed away from sugar.  My cheats do not involve sugar anymore, either.  It’s a snowball for me with sugar, and I read all kinds of nastiness on how it messes with your progress.  The more I learn, the better choices I make…not due to willpower, but to knowledge.

 I am flying a lot lately!!  I was packing up to move, then an issue arose where I am not sure I need to move, now…..back n forth, back n forth… lots going on… I am sticking to my workouts and diet, which isn’t too hard … lots of food, lots of choices from my trainer, Carla Sanchez, after I asked for a non-travel eating plan….oh that was so nice!  I’m used to being very limited on the road, but she showed me what ‘normal’ competitors eat (haha), and it’s been like vacation!  Speaking of….time to make some mexican wraps….seeya!

 TRAIN LIKE YOU MEAN IT!!! 

Thank you, Bodybuilding.com, for picking me for your ad!  I am really thankful and proud to ‘represent’!  Very sincerely, THANK YOU!!!!