FitJulie’s Journey to FigurePro

Well after a few months of not being disciplined I feel like I am finally back to the real me!  I had a great photo shoot in the spring at the Arnold, but when I got home, things just seemed to go in the WRONG direction!  I only have myself to blame of course, but for some reason, I just could not find my motivation.  One day it was there…  The next it wasn’t…  I felt so lost.  I couldn’t understand what was going on inside me.

I was letting my emotions control my every move.  And also my every bite.  Fatal mistake.  Before I knew it, I felt out of control with food.  AGAIN!  I really thought I was past that, but things can come back to haunt you if you’re not careful.  That is why it is SO important to remember why you are doing this every single day!  Why do you want to be fit?  Why do you want to be healthy?  Are you willing to take the long hard road that requires discipline, hard work, and lots of sweat?  Or do you keep looking for the quick route?  That quick diet or supplement that will get you shredded in weeks?  If so, you’re going to be looking for a long, long time.

I really think I was looking for someone to tell me it was going to be easy.  Or that I could compete and still eat junk.  Or that I could have 6 pack abs and still eat sugar every day.  Not going to happen ever!    That cloud that was over my eyes is finally gone.  And I have Nancy Georges and Ava Cowan to thank for that.  They are my inspiration, as well as all the other members on bodyspace.

Don’t ever give up on your goals.  If you can’t seem to figure out how to get there, keep trying!  The answer will come to you eventually.  I can’t wait to surprise so many people in 2010.  It’s going to be a year of great things!

I log on to bodyspace every day because it Motivates me to keep going.  We all have days, weeks, or months when the motivation is not as strong as usual.  That is where Bodyspace has helped me.  There are so many thoughtful, motivating people here, all ready to help each other.

I got my SAN sponsorship because they saw me on bodyspace - a dream come true I never would have imagined!!!  

I have had 2 down months where my training and diet were a big struggle.  I had so much trouble sticking to my diet and felt like a huge failure.  I was tired, depressed, and ready for a break.  I felt like I had been dieting for 5 years.  Not eating healthy, but dieting.

I will never give up on my dreams! I will find a way to be both lean and healthy!  I am going to the Metabolic Institute of Cincinnati next month.  Hopefully sooner!  They will help me find out food allergies and make sure my blood and hormone levels are balanced.  I will be working with a dietician on eating a healthy diet that eliminates cravings.  I am so excited!  People always think that as a personal trainer I eat perfect and always have a ton of energy.  Not true.  I struggle just as much as everyone else.  But my goal is to find out what works!

Over the next month, I will be cutting out: starches, grains, dairy, artificial sweeteners, and alcohol.  I have been addicted to these things for too long!  Our society has come to view these things as normal, but even "healthy" foods these days are processed, stripped of nutrients, genetically engineered, filled with preservatives, etc. 

I will be posting more often to hold myself accountable and to let you know how my body is changing!

Fitjulie 

I am writing this today to share so maybe I can help someone out there who feels alone and also to help heal myself.  I have suffered from Binge Eating Disorder for a a few years.  I still struggle with it but it is getting much better.

I was always afraid to tell people about it before because I was ashamed and embarrassed.  What made me eat that much and why couldn’t I control myself?  I am disciplined in most other areas in my life.  Why couldn’t I eat food in moderation like other people?

I know some of it is discipline yes, but I believe much of it for me is physiological.  If I eat just a little sugar, I crave more and more.  I can eat large amounts of sweets that would make most people sick.  But it doesn’t affect me that way.  I almost makes me high and foggy headed.  And sometimes depressed.  And definitely ashamed.

When I abstain from sugar and artificial sweeteners, the cravings and binges are gone.  No more than a bad memory.  I feel like a new person!  My goal is to stay off them forever.  Sugar and flour and splenda may be ok for some people, but for me they are lethal.  Every day I must surrender this to God.  He is the only way!
Please keep me in your prayers that I can stay clean for good!

Thanks!

fitjulie

I feel so blessed because of all the amazing things that have happened in the last month!

I got sponsored by SAN Corp!  I couldn’t believe it!  I am thrilled to have been chosen and hope to do a great job representing them through 2009! I will get to work the SAN booth at the Olympia in Vegas 2009 and the Arnold 2010.

I have an amazing photographer and makeup artist team helping me get started in modeling!  If you live near Cincinnati you MUST check out Jenny Frisch at www.eyebrowexpert.com.  I had never ever had my brows done professionally before because I was scared.  She is truly an artist.  I will never touch my own eyebrows again Lol

I also have an amazing trainer, JPhillips17, and I started training 1 x week with a few bodybuilders at my gym to help me perfect form and learn some new stuff.

I have been eating clean now for a few weeks without cheats andit’s really paying off.  Plus I feel good!  I am so proud of myself!  For anyone who knows me, nutrition has always been my downfall.  I finally feel like I’m getting it right.

I have over 30 clients taking part in our transformation challenge at work and I can’t wait to see all their after pics!  I am so proud of them.  They are really working hard!

I just want to thank everyone on BodySpace for all your support!  BodySpace has helped me in achieveing my dreams!  SAN saw me on here and that’s how I got my sponsorship, so keep working hard everyone and keep posting!!!  See you at the Arnold in 3 weeks!  I will not be working the SAN booth but you will see me walking around in a SAN shirt so be sure to say hi!

Tomorrow will be my 1st day working with Jason Phillips!  I am super excited and look forward to having accountability and guidance.  Even personal trainers need personal trainers!  I have had one for the last 4 years on and off because I like reporting to someone else and not having to worry about what to do next.  Plus I don’t have a lot of experience when it comes to dieting for photo shoots and figure contests.  I always want to go extreme and then I get burnt out in 2 weeks and end up cheating.

I won’t be posting my workouts or nutrition out of respect for my trainer but I will be posting my progress weekly!  Jason is helping me get ready for some photo shoots and then we will pick a figure show to do as I am progressing.

I cheated over the weekend for Thanksgiving but I am ready to get back on track.  I made it 18 days!!!  I am listening to my hypnosis again tonight.  Thanks to everyone on bodyspace for all your support!

Today’s Workout: Sets x Rep x Weight
Deadlifts  5 x 15 x 95lbs

Air Squats 5 x 30 x Bodyweight

Lunge to Balance 5 x 20 x 20

Alternating Lunge to Squat Thrust 3 sets of 10

Lying Leg Raises w/ 45lb plate overhead 4 sets of 15

Assisted Pull-ups 3 x 5 w/ hanging (for grip) and hanging leg raises to failure

Lunge around the track once (140 lunges 6:30 time)
30 min elliptical

Thurs Workout:

Alt Lunge to Squat Thrust 3 x 5

Upright BB Row 3 x 12 x 45lbs

Plank Rows 3 x 5 x 25lbs

DB Swings 3 x 15 x 25lbs

Push-ups 3 x 10
Box Jumps 3 x 15

Worked on Hand-stand push-ups (10 with band assist) 5 on Smith

Worked on Hanging Upside down

Lose Weight with Hypnosis: My Story

By Julie Comer

Sounds gimmicky, doesn’t it?  Can it really help you lose weight?  I decided to find out.  See, all my life I have been addicted to sugar.   I grew up on sugary cereals, macaroni and cheese, Little Debbie snacks, and diet soda.  I managed to drop 40lbs of fat four years ago due to my love for exercise, but I could never break my dependency on sugar.  Whenever I reduced or eliminated my sugar intake, I still relied on artificial sweeteners which I know just kept me addicted that “sweet” taste.

I was at my wits end.  I have been living a more fit and healthy lifestyle for 4 years now, but sugar has stayed both my enemy and my best friend.  That awful habit of eating sweets and binge eating on comfort foods has kept an extra 10-20 pounds on me for years.  I felt like a fraud as a personal trainer who just couldn’t kick her habit.  How was I supposed to help other people get off sweets if I couldn’t do it myself? 

I made an appointment with Jim Wilson, a licensed Psychologist who uses hypnotherapy to help his patients.  I figured it just might be worth a shot since I knew a few people who quit smoking with hypnosis.  It wasn’t cheap, but if it worked, it would be worth 100 times the cost to me.  It was also going to be cheaper than seeing a psychiatrist, which was another option I had considered.  I was apprehensive but hopeful.  I prayed before the session for God to use this man to help me overcome my demons.  In the session, Jim interviewed me first to find out everything I wanted to change and why.  He was very professional and I could tell that he really wanted to help me.

Jim explained exactly what hypnosis is and how it works.  Most people think when you are hypnotized you are unconscious or you don’t remember anything.  Not true.  You are simply in a relaxed state and have a heightened sensitivity to suggestions.  I felt relaxed but felt awake enough to wonder if the “hypnosis” would really work. 

After an hour, we were finished.  I felt good and hopeful, but still wondered if this would be enough to end my addiction.  Jim also emailed me an audio copy of our session in case I ever need it.  The day after our session, I had no cravings for sugar or sweeteners whatsoever.  The thought of eating sugar almost made me sick.  I drank only water all day and it was enough to satisfy me.  IT WORKED!  On day two I had a few cravings but they were nothing compared to cravings in the past.  A few times I thought of grabbing a diet soda, but realized it was only out of habit and had water instead.

So far I have gone 9 days without and sugar or artificial sweeteners.  I had to stop drinking coffee since I don’t like it black, but I don’t even miss it.  I have had a few moments when I feel hungry and think some chocolate would be good, but I remember how hooked I was and know that it’s just not worth it for a few minutes of pleasure which would be followed by guilt.  I am losing about a pound per week and my clothes are fitting better every day.  I am also sleeping better and I am generally in a much happier mood.  I have thought about having a piece of pie on Thanksgiving but I just don’t think I need it that bad.  I don’t think I will ever go back to sugar.  I can’t believe how much better I feel and how much happier I am! 

Julie Comer is a NASM Certified Personal Trainer at Anytime Fitness in Aurora, Indiana.  (juliec@anytimefitness.com)

10 Sets of 10

Deadlifts

10 x 115

OH BB Press

10 x 40

Cardio: 35 min elliptical

AM Cardio: 20 min

NEW PRs!!!

Deadlifts

95 x 10, 115 x 10, 135 x 8, 135 x 8

OH BB Press

45 x 10, 55 x 10, 60 x 8, 60 x 8

Chin-ups

4 sets of 3

DB Swings

4 sets of 25lbs x 15 reps
PM Cardio: 30 min

WORKOUT 10-16-08 (full body)

Mixed Grip Deadlifts (8 sets)
45 x 15,65 x 15,95 x 15,105 x 12,125 x 8 x 2 sets,105 x 12,95 x 15
BB OH Press (8 sets)

45 x 15, 50 x 15, 50 x 10, 50 x 10, 50 x 10, 40 x 15, 40 x 15, 45 x 10

40 min cardio

WORKOUT 10-15-08 LEGS

RUBBER BAND HACK SQUATS SUCK!  4 SETS OF 20

SMITH MACHINE SQUATS 25LB PLATES 4 SETS OF 12

SLDL 65 LBS 4 SETS OF 20

WALKING LUNGES 4 SETS OF 20

60 MIN CARDIO