fitnessprincess’s BodyBlog

Useful Megasites (articles, forum, store, etc.)
Testosterone Nation see URL: http://www.t-nation.com/
Bodybuilding.com see URL: http://www.bodybuilding.com

Discussion Boards
Oxygen see URL: http://www.oxygenmag.net/index.php
Bodybuilding.com see URL: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/
Lean Bodies Fitness see URL: http://www.leanbodiesfitness.com/
Beyond LowCarb see URL: http://www.beyondlowcarb.net/
Body Recomposition Forum see URL: http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/

Articles
Bodybuilding.com see URL: http://www.bodybuilding.com
T-Nation email newsletter “A Weekly Dose”
Hard Fitness newsletter and e-magazine see URL: http://www.hardfitness.com/
Hard Body News & Updates see URL: http://www.hardbody.com/news/

Magazines
Muscle Mag
FLEX
Muscle & Fitness
On Fitness (no supplement advertisements, just articles/info!)
Natural Bodybuilding & Fitness (serves INBF, WNBF, NANBF)
Fitness & Physique Magazine (OCB)
FAME Magazine (WNSO)
Muscle & Fitness hers
Oxygen
Women’s Health

Dieting Resources/Approaches
Tom Venuto’s Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle (BFFM) $39.95 for more info see URL: http://www.burnthefat.com
Precision Nutrition by John Bernardi v 2.0 $97 for more info see URL: http://www.precisionnutrition.com
The Eat Clean Diet by Tosca Reno for more info see URL: http://www.eatcleandiet.com
Jen Heath “Body Re-Composition Essentials” $39.95 see URL: http://www.jenheath.com/products.html
Lyle MacDonald has several excellent resources including “The Protein Book,” “The Rapid FatLoss Handbook,” and “The Stubborn Fat Solution.” see URL: http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/

DVDs on Figure and Posing
Mary Bell “The Art of Figure Competition” $43 see URL: http://www.centerstagefigures.com/forsale/
Mike Davies “Posing Presentation” $29.95  see URL:  http://www.mikedaviesfitness.com/store.html

Cathy Savage “Ready, Set, Show” $60 and “Strictly Posing” $40 see URL:http://www.cathysavagefitness.com/
USA Muscle “What are Judges Looking for…in Figure & Fitness” see URL: http://www.repetrope.com/women/products/detail.asp?ProductID=29000
Jenny Lynn’s “The Harder I work, the Luckier I get!!” see URL: http://www.jennylynnfitness.com
Jenny Lynn’s “Presenting Your Perfect Physique” (posing guide; 11 pages - overpriced) $39.99 see URL: http://www.jennylynnfitness.com/index2.html

Select Articles/eBooks on Different Aspects of Figure Competition
Rebecca Slatt “Journey to My 1st NPC Figure Competition” Avail. URL: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/becca2.htm
Linda Cusmano “Figure Basics” and “Competitive Advantage” Avail. URL: www.lindacusmano.com (note: you must register to access forum; go to downloads)
Alissa Carpio “NPC Fitness & Figure Posing Guide” Avail. URL: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/alissa21.htm
Tanji Johnson “The Art of Posing” Avail. URL: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/tanji9.htm
Kendra Elias “Fitness and Figure Posing Guide” Avail. URL: http://michaelandkendra.com/Kendra/PosingGuide.htm

Federations/Organizations Offering Figure Competitions
ABA/INBA/PNBA (Amateur Bodybuilding Association/International Natural Bodybuilding
Association/Professional Natural Bodybuilding Association) in the US National Amateur Bodybuilding Association & Ms. Figure (NABBA) Avail. URL: <http://www.nabba.com>
Fitness Universe - Fitness America (U.S.) Avail. URL: <http://fitnessuniverse.com>
INBF (International Natural Bodybuilding & Fitness Federation) Avail. URL: <http://www.inbf.net>
NABF (Natural Athletic Bodybuilding & Fitness) <http://www.geocities.com/nabfbodybuilding/homepage.html> Avail. URL: <http://www.geocities.com/nabfbodybuilding/homepage.html>
NANBA (North American National Bodybuilding Association) Avail. URL: <http://www.nanbf.org/>
NGA (National Gym Association) Avail. URL: <http://www.nationalgym.com>
NPC (National Physique Committee) Avail. URL: <http://www.nationalphysiquecommittee.com>
OCB (Organization of Competitive Bodybuilders) Avail. URL: <http://theocbwebsite.com>
WNBF (World Natural Bodybuilding Federation) Avail. URL: <http://www.wnbf.net> WNSO (World Natural Sports Organization also known as FAME) Avail. URL: <http://www.worldnaturalsports.com>

Coaches
Cathy Savage Fitness (good for fitness/figure) see URL: http://cathysavagefitness.com/
Erik Ledin (Lean Bodies)  see URL:  http://www.leanbodiesconsulting.com/

Supplies
General Supplies (Tanning, Bikini Bite, shoes, etc.)
Maggie Blanchard see URL: http://www.maggiefit.com
Bodybuilding.com see URL: http://www.bodybuilding.com/
Figure Suits
Used - buyer beware
Diva Exchange see URL: http://divaexchangefitness.com/classifieds/
 

New Suits
Maggie Blanchard see URL: http://www.maggiefit.com
Sylvia Tremblay see URL: http://www.sylviatremblay.com
Berns Bedard see URL: http://www.passionfruitdesigns.com

Hooker Shoes
4″ Clear Brook style best
If competing NPC avoid platform shoes
Maggie Blanchard see UR:: http://www.maggiefit.com
Snazy75 see URL: http://www.snazy75.com
 

Tanning Supplies
JanTana see URL: http://www.jantana.com
ProTan see URL: http://www.protanusa.com

Information on Dealing with Post-Competition Issues
Nancy Georges’ YouTube video.  see URL:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10SVayqUi2o

Thinking about competing in a figure competition?  Have you done your research?  Do you know what training and dieting for a figure competition entails?  Have you counted the costs?  You should it is a considerable investment!

Personally I think it is vital to count the costs as best you can when you make a decision so you make the right one.  I think it is critical to do this if you are thinking about competing in figure or fitness.  It is an expensive sport and the costs I am talking about are more far reaching than financial.  You will have to commit a significant amount of your time and effort to your competition preparation and the time you will actually spend on stage is very brief - about 5-10 minutes total if you compete in a single category such as novice, classic, masters, etc.  I have never seen anyone share this information so I thought I would give you a rundown on what it cost me to compete April 19th.  If you have any questions, please write me and I will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Immediate Financial Costs
NPC membership $80 (annual)
Event Registration - variable depends on your competition and how many events you compete in - I did novice at an NPC competition and it cost me $50; thee may be additional fees depending on the organization in which you compete such as lie detector tests and urine testing.
Competition Suits - original one-piece and two-piece from Lidia Conti totaled over $500 (and not worth the money or the aggravation!) new one-piece and two-piece with extra crystals from Maggie Blanchard almost $800 (and well worth it!!)  This is one area in which you don’t want to cut corners!  It is vital that your suit is attractive and that it fits you snugly so make sure you work with a reputable suit maker!  I cannot emphasize this strongly enough!
Tanning Supplies - JanTana foundation, two bottles of JanTana scrub, two bottles of JanTana OnStage, and one bottle JanTana moisturizer approx. $150 (along the way I realized I could save money and buy stuff through Bodybuilding.com more cheaply so be sure to check there!)
Protan Bikini Bite $6 - glues your top and bottom temporarily into your figure suit so you look great (and nothing pops out) on stage
Hair coloring and hair cut - $150 I did this about 2 weeks before the show
Manicure - french tip $50 (did this Tuesday the week of competition - nails looked great on Sat. competition day) by the way imho no need for a pedicure unless you have the cash to spend and really want to do it.
Makeup - I bought mostly MAC products because part of the services CSF provides its competitors is a show look which provides an outline of what makeup you need to achieve the specific look they suggest; total cost >$300
Travel costs - I used commuter rail $15 round trip and stayed overnight Friday (evening before) in a local hotel $110

Longer Term Financial Costs
Coaching - I work with Cathy Savage Fitness (CSF) through the SOS program monthly cost $45 - excellent investment provide nutrition and training - these folks KNOW what they are doing and they want YOU to succeed and be happy
Posing workshop - CSF half-day workshop $70
Savage Camp - CSF two day event that explains the basics you need to know if you want to compete; Cathy and Jodi look you over and provide advice on everything from which federations and competitions your physique is best suited for to advice on suit color; participation also allows you to meet other women with the same interests and that is invaluable!
DVDs - I purchased two through CSF one that provides an overview of fitness/figure and what you need to think about/do if you want to compete (”Ready, Set, Show”; $60) and a second that focuses on posing (”Strictly Posing”; $40).  Both are excellent investments if you are a beginner; I also purchased a posing DVD “The Art of Figure Competition” produced by Mary Bell $43 - excellent investment and a NPC DVD discussing judging in figure/fitness total costs $200
Food - you are going to be eating whole foods (meat, fish, fresh vegetables, fresh fruit) if you decide to compete and they ain’t cheap!
Gym membership - $200 annual (this is relatively cheap as I work at a university)

Other Costs
Hunger - there will be days you are hungry and sick of eating fish or broccoli or tuna
Pain - if you are pushing yourself in the gym it is inevitable that you will have some muscle soreness
Exhaustion - if you are working out five to six days a week there will be days even weeks where you are tired mentally as well as physically

Time
Workouts - typically 3 1-h+ weight training sessions each week and in my case 40 - 50 min cardio 5x a week; functional fitness on 6th day each week; one day rest
Posing - practice walking in hooker heels began 4-mos out, wearing shoes daily in the office the last month before my comp (LOL! people at work thought I was CRAZY!)
Makeup - about three weeks out, a day of shopping for supplies and then practiced several times a week learning to apply makeup, eyeliner, fake eyelashes; took me 1-h each time to apply all my makeup
Tanning - three practice sessions lasting several hours each learning how to apply the JanTana I used

Tomorrow I will share a list of resources that have been helpful to me as I prepared for my first competition.  Have a great day!

This is for a new friend of mine on the O2 boards (Heather who goes by FitnessRunner) who has a similar story to mine and who will be competing in her first competition on Saturday.  Heather this is for you!

Suggested List of Supplies to Bring on Competition Day
NPC card - need for registration
photo ID - need for registration
your competition suits packed in resealable plastic bags (so they won’t get messed up!) - put your suit on at the competition not before you will have plenty of time I promise!
your hooker heels (competition shoes)
bikini bite - to seal your butt and boobs in place in your tiny figure suits - if you are using a new bottle open it and make sure the track ball is primed with bikini bite glue
tanning supplies (JanTana, applicator, disposable gloves) - you may need to touch up; at my comp a number of the ladies had to apply several coats because they had only done one coat and weren’t dark enough
disposable gloves - good to wear when handling your suit, applying tanning solution, doing makeup, etc.
your makeup supplies - you should already have this on but you will probably need to touch it up
mirror - to check yourself backstage; don’t expect to find mirrors!  Some folks brought huge full length mirrors to my comp - honestly don’t know how they did this
resistance band - so you can pump up before going out on stage; don’t expect to find weights or anything else back stage!  There was nothing at my competition
towel - you never know what you will need this for, indispensible
small sewing kit including safety pins and scissors - the plastic connector on one ladies suit broke so she had to sew the string on her suit in place
vaseline - this one is up to you; some ladies apply this to their teeth so they can smile on stage; it did nothing for me but get lipstick stuck on my teeth
flip flops - so you can rest your feet; honestly I put my shoes on and wore them all day and had no problems with them or my feet that day or afterward.  I did use Insolia inserts and I practiced a lot! the month before my comp wearing my shoes daily at work so that may have had something to do with it
camera - essential if you want to get photos; the photographer only took one individual shot of me so if I hadn’t taken photos I wouldn’t have any
cell phone and charger - so you can call your friends and relatives and so you can take photos backstage to send to friends
kleenex and baby wipes - good for all sorts of things
hair spray
stage oil - controversial some girls bought it but no one used it; admittedly my comp was a local level show so I suggest asking around before buying this stuff as you may not need/use it

Deep breath, ready smile, relax - you got it all!  Now go get ‘em Tiger!

I competed in the NPC Ocean State Natural in Providence RI as a novice figure competitor last Saturday.  I had the time of my life.  Over the next couple days I would like to reflect on my experiences and share some insights I have gained.

First, I was truly blessed in that I met some absolutely amazing women with whom I shared the stage last Saturday.  I am so thankful that when I went to my competition I went focused on enjoying the competition rather than on "competing" per se.  All three of my new friends were novices, too, though one was brave enough that she had decided to compete in the Masters class rather than doing novice (you can’t do both at least at our competition).  One was two years older than me and a tall, poised, confident mom who had set up a Harley Davidson franchise.  Another was a personal trainer who had competed in novice here before.  The third had a similar history to me though she was much younger - she used to be overweight, lost the weight, discovered weight training and is now moving out of state to begin a new life and career in personal training - wow!   Truly inspiring! women!

Makeup - I used MAC NW45 foundation.  It was way too dark and didn’t match the JanTana On Stage.  I think I would have done better to have used the JanTana foundation I purchased.  I did 3 coats of the JanTana and I think that was about right in terms of how I looked on stage.
Make up - I am glad that I used stage makeup.  I think my makeup worked well on stage though I have to say I felt overdone off stage.  I used a very light color as a highlighter under my brows and it really lit up my eyes and face.

Suit - wise investment.  Lidia Conti’s suit would have looked cheap and horrid compared to the suits of the other ladies.  My suit a creation by Maggie Blanchard looked gorgeous, fit me perfectly and most importantly made me feel like a winner! and that’s what this should be about.  It wasn’t cheap but I am so glad I went with Maggie!

Pedicure - don’t waste the money unless you really want to have a pedicure; the judges can’t see your toes on stage and neither can anyone else.  Manicure on the other hand is essential - french tip looks great and you will feel great too!

Costume jewelry - essential as I found out everyone had the same basic stuff a ring, tennis bracelet and earrings.  Go to your local hooker store and get the jewelry there - it’s cheap and practical and they will have exactly what you need  My ring and bracelet stretch to fit and the whole look cost me $20.

Post competition eating - this has been my downfall and I will admit it upfront.  I was warned about this but I have to say head knowledge isn’t heart or in this case stomach knowledge.  When I left the competition venue last Saturday, I had every intention of eating clean and sticking to my program but I had to wait at the train station and I ended up devouring a ridiculous amount of junk food from the vending machines - honestly just about anything and everything and I am being quite honest when I say that.  When I got home after showering (I hadn’t bathed since Thursday night - pu!),  I had pizza and ice cream.   I haven’t eaten consistently well this past week but I am not going to cry about that.  I have been dieting hard since just before Xmas and I am LOL! very human.  I did workout last week.  I think the important thing is to get back on track and that’s what I did this morning.

Thanks
Before I share my adventures I have to thank a number of folks for making my dream come true.  First, I give all the praise and any glory to my savior Jesus Christ Jeremiah 29:14
It has been a long journey - I am grateful to Weight Watchers and my original WW leader Terry Sheehan, to my personal trainers John Faltus, Chad Pusateri, and Ryan Wright.
Thanks mom!  I know you don’t understand what I am doing but I thank you for supporting and helping me - putting up with my unique dietary needs and helping me with tanning and taking innumerable progress photos.
Thanks to Cathy Savage Fitness to Cathy, Jodi (I love you lady!!! thank you from the bottom of my heart!), and Ms. P(I cannot believe I did my own makeup!!)!! to Maggie Blanchard for a figure suit that made me truly feel like a princess!  You have a special gift Maggie!  To some special figure ladies who continue to inspire and encourage me Buffmother, Noel (AuTiger) and Dvsness, and to some very special ladies, DThiele on Bodybuilding, on the O2 boards FitnessRunner and Paula and to Thunder, Anca and AuTiger on LeanBodiesFitness discussion board and to all of the wonderful folks in the Bodybuilding.com community, the O2 boards, and on the LeanBodiesFitness boards.
Early Morning
Woke up at 6 am and called Jodi - directions have same breakfast as yesterday and follow w chix and spinach at 8:30 am and then go to show.  It was kind of funny but the Crufts Dog Show was on Animal Planet.  My mom and I love to watch the Westminster and the US National Dog Shows.  Unfortunately mom doesn’t have cable so that there wasn’t any point in calling her to tell her.  I got to see the selection of two of the dogs that competed for the overall - a pomeranian and some kind of a hound.  It took me about an hour to do my makeup.  I also touched up my tan.  I was so happy that I wore a loose fitting long sleeve black shirt and pant set.  I slept in it and didn’t mess up the bed with the tanning stuff (I did mess up my bed at home and mom reminded of that when we spoke on the phone) so be sure to bring sheets or wear something that totally covers you if you are not at home!!  Then I headed over to the RI Convention Center, the location of which I scouted out yesterday   I walked in and it was Savage City!  LOL!  Ms P was there doing someone’s makeup and there were several other Savage girls there.  I immediately felt at home, found a corner and set up shop.  I met three amazing! ladies with whom I spent the bulk of the show.    I met Kelly a statuesque 49 year old who set up a Harley Davidson dealership and is also competing as a novice.  Christine who won 3rd prize in novice category here last year.   Christine ended up taking 5th place this year in novice (worth noting that you can compete over and over in novice until you win first place so not everyone in novice is competing for the very first time!)   Christine is another amazing lady - she is a PT and trains three times a day.  Just goes to show you how hard these women work for their bodies.  I also met XXX another novice competitor who has a similar story to my own - she used to be 200 lb, lost weight and has just quit her job because she’s going to Florida in May and going to be a personal trainer!  Wow!

Registration
Had to wait a while as they weren’t set up or organized when I first got there.  Waited in the line a long time considering the number of competitors.  You show your NPC card and they give you your number which you pin to your left hip.  You actually don’t have to pierce the fabric of your suit bottom on the two piece by the way.  The width of the suit bottom is less than that of the pin on the tag.  Can’t say about the one-piece because I was competing in novice.  Then your height is measured - they weigh the guys.  Now that was funny.  Guys are so different than we are about being weighed.  Some guys took off their top.  Most left all their clothes on and most left their shoes on.  If women were being weighed in we would have stripped nekked!  LOL!

Competitors Meeting
Attendance is essential.  The organizer explained the process and outlined exactly what we would be doing when.  The co-chair Maggie Blanchard illustrated the turns for women and even showed us the poses for the men’s bodybuilding and was her physique awesome!!  I was so inspired!! I really understand now the difference between the physique of an amateur and a pro (Maggie is a NPC pro).  You can also ask questions - I did!  LOL!  I was a bit stunned because I didn’t realize we would be doing model poses.  Practice those ladies.  All I know is Cathy Savage and Mary Bell both emphasize quarter turns but you have to do model poses and you do these individually on stage!!!

Schedule
So here’s how things go:  Morning is judging and afternoon is the show and awards.  For judging each figure girl goes out when her group is called individually to center stage and does model pose, rear pose, and model pose other side and then moves to the side of the stage where she waits until everyone has been introduced.  Then everyone is directed through quarter turns.  The judges will call out different numbers and move you around and ask the group to do quarter turns again - maybe several times.  The girl in the center is #1.
When the program starts all the men are introduced and then all the women are introduced individually.  Each person is called out and does their model, rear, and model poses and goes off stage.  If you don’t win then this is your final appearance in the show (sadly).  You wait backstage and if your number is called you get to go out front and receive your award.  At the NPC Ocean State winners got a plaque.

Outcome
I had the time of my life!  I am so very proud of my self and so glad that I did this.  No, I didn’t place.  I didn’t expect to and I am not disappointed.  My lower body is atrocious and I really wasn’t stage worthy.  Photos to come I guess in about 3-4 days.  As soon as I have some I will post ‘em.

I have learned so much in the last year and come so far - learning to lift heavy in the gym, eat right (again thanks so much Jodi!), posing (thanks Cathy, Jodi and Ms. P), wearing high heels (who knew? me? LOL!), putting on makeup including false lashes, tanning, and body confidence.  I never dreamed in a million years I would ever be able to put on a bikini let alone a tiny two-piece figure suit and strut out there on a stage before other people - this requires a lot of self confidence, poise, dedication and just plain hard work - and it really has been a blast.

Lessons Learned and New Fitness objectives
If there is one thing I will take away today it is that this is just the beginning.  LOL!  When we were waiting to go out I shared with the other Novice B competitors that I was celebrating being half my former self!  After we came back from judging, the expeditor came over, told me she was a PT and asked if she could bring two of her clients backstage to meet ME!  I couldn’t believe it.  They are on their own weight loss journey and were inspired by my success.  We talked about loose skin and how long it takes to lose weight.  I just felt so blessed that I could help someone else.
Physiques varied widely.  So, if you are a newbie like me and don’t yet have a perfect figure no reason not to jump right in and get wet!  I am so glad that I did this show, a relatively small one and that I did it now.  I want to work out hard this summer put on some muscle and hone those legs and then compete again in the fall.  This summer I plan to really work on my posing and learn the T-walk as the next show I want to do is in another federation.

Shoes
I really didn’t have any trouble with my shoes.  In the end I went with the pair I have that has the ankle buckle.  I felt this gave me more ankle stability.  With the Insolia gel inserts it wasn’t any problem to keep my shoes on throughout the show - I never took them off once I put them on in the morning.  I really think the insolia’s were a wise investment and I highly recommend them to anyone planning to compete in figure.

Bikini Bite
This is temporary butt glue to hold you in your suit.  Great investment!  You apply it to your skin and then press the suit over it in place.  It doesn’t last forever so you should apply it just before going out on stage.  I couldn’t get the sliding ball on my new bottle to move so it’s a good idea to check it out in advance.

Vaseline
I was told to put this on your teeth before you go on stage to help you with smiling.  All I ended up doing is having lipstick on my teeth and swallowed most of the vaseline.  I say forget the vaseline just take a swig of water before going out on stage!

Your Manicure and Tanning
I was very worried about getting JanTana on my french tip manicure but this didn’t end up being a problem.  The JanTana didn’t harm my nails.

Post Competition Eating
I wish I could say I came home and ate healthy foods but that isn’t what happened.  I ate all kinds of evil things right out of the vending machine at the MBTA station and then more junk when I came home.  I did come home and read Jodi’s article on post competition eating and the importance of separating self from physique but I am not going to feel bad about eating and eating junk for a day or so.  I have been dieting hard for so long and I need a break so I am going to see how I feel tomorrow but I will probably eat "off program" again.

What Did I Most Want to Do When I Came Home?
Have a bubble bath!  ooh! this went soo wrong!  Soo wrong.  I was so tired.  I filled the tub up with steamy water and fragrant bubble bath, stepped in, and the brain barely registered something was wrong.  I looked at my feet standing there in the water and saw this brown stain snaking out.  After about a minute I realized:  this wasn’t going to work.  If I sat down, the bubble bath would become a JanTana tanning soak.  Ugh!  I stood there and screamed "Dam*, dam*, dam* and emptied the tub.  My bubble bath became a very long hot steamy shower.  I was so tired I could barely stay awake through the shower.  Bubble bath will be delayed until tomorrow.  Ugh! LOL!  Oh! good news most of the JanTana came off.  Some of it does stay on your skin but it really doesn’t look bad.  Looks like a faded tan.

So much to write about today but I am just too tired.

Two days out now!!!  Agh!  Directives:  Drink 0.75-gallon water total.  No water with meals.  No exercise (won’t have any trouble following this one - the full body workouts the last three days coupled with all the cardio have done me in!  LOL!  No added salt.  Not a problem for me.
Breakfast 8:30 am
4 oz blueberries
32-g ProLab chocolate mint whey protein in 0.5-c water
1/4-c cream of brown rice in 1-c water
2-oz espresso (thank you Jodi!!!!)

Meal 2 11 am
124-g chicken breast microwaved
at noon 4-oz water

Today kind of stinks.  Time is going too slowly for me.  I am thirsty and right now all I am thinking about is my next meal.

Meal 3 1:30 pm
80-g chicken breast microwaved
90-g spinach w balsamic vinegar (this stuff is good!)
124-g sweet potato
at 3 pm 4-oz water

Meal 4 4 pm
78-g chicken
78-g spinach
4-oz water after meal
commute to Framingham to tan!

Meal 5 7:30 pm
170-g sweet potato
80-g chicken
1.75-c green beans canned unsalted
finished my water

total 1446 cal 157P 18F 162C (5 meals and got my water)

showered for the last time until after my competition on Saturday - woo! is this going to be interesting and did not apply deodorant.  Apparently that can turn you interesting colors.
Then tanning with mom - worked from about 8 pm until 10:30 pm applying a coat about every 45-min. we did three coats.  I was told to wait 90-min between coats but I couldn’t do it.  Maybe if I were starting in the afternoon but no way given when I started this evening.  Coverage looked streaky and I wasn’t super happy but too tired to worry too much.  Dropped in bed - no trouble falling asleep.    More to follow…

Three days out!!!  Agh!!  I am so nervous and excited and agh!!!  Tomorrow my diet will change.  I am nervous about it but so far so good!

I woke up and went to the gym for my final workout before Saturday.  I made it!  Honestly wasn’t sure I would which is why I decided to workout in the morning, something I hate doing.  I am very tired and a bit sore.  My muscles are all really hard - kind of like the feeling - but really smooth I don’t have any of the vasculature I ordinarily have.

15-min elliptical glutesI 1.39-mi 139 cal (yes, I know this is meaningless!)
Hell Week Workout #3 1.75-h
35-min stationary bike L7 hills 8.28-mi 189 cal

I weighed myself this morning 127.5 lb then at the gym 126.2 lb and at WW my weight was 126.4 lb so I am 1 lb away from the elusive and magical 125 lb (represents having lost half my weight)  Needless to say things were rather cool today at WW.   I anticipated that and I am just happy that I was prepared.  The last thing I needed was to be upset in essence because of my weight loss success.  Highly ironic but not helpful.  What I did get was "Oh good!  Does this mean that after this weekend you’ll put on some weight?"  The funny thing is I am really conflicted about that.  I feel really good now and I kind of like this weight.  Now I don’t know if I can maintain it or if it is healthy to do so.  That’s another set of issues.  It just irks me that the people who should be supporting me in my efforts aren’t but what’s new?  It isn’t like my family was supportive of me when I was originally doing WW so why should it stop me or upset me now that WW is not supportive?

Breakfast (late)
4-oz smoked salmon
14-oz coffee w skim
1-l water
255 cal 25P 14F 9C

Snack
G’day smoked salmon
Valley Fresh chicken in water
1-l water
14-oz coffee w skim
225 cal 34P 8F 4C

Lunch
albacore tuna 5-oz (finished up 1 L water from snack - 2.83-L water so far today)
177 cal 38P 3F 0C

Nap much needed!! Very glad that I inverted my usual routine - very wise move on my part.  When I woke up I took another set of posing photos in my beautiful two-piece suit.  Thanks so much Maggie!!  I cannot tell you how much I love the suit you made me - I really feel like a princess!  I just wish I were going to wear the gorgeous one-piece as well but I think I better first just make it through a show as a novice and then well.   Cathy and Jodi want me to keep my shoulders down when posing and to readjust the suit.  Apparently I wasn’t wearing it right.  You don’t want butt-crack in the back ladies!  LOL!  The lower front should rise up to your waist.  Anyway we’ll see what they have to say about my new set of photos.

Snack
143-g perdue chicken
2.7-oz chunk light tuna
32-oz herb tea
272 cal 50P 5F 4C

Dinner
158-g perdue chicken
3-oz smoked salmon
32-oz herb tea
16-oz water
331 cal 54P 9F 4C

total 1260 cal 201P 39F 21C (5 meals and 5.2 L = 1.5 gallon water) overall a good day!

My weight was 128.5 lb I guess I am disappointed because I thought my weight would really drop but maybe I have to wait a day or two before I see anything?

In terms of the diet - not having any carbs so far so good.  I have been pretty satisfied hunger-wise.
Tired this morning but not bad.  Just hope I have the energy for my workout today.  At 2 pm I have an appointment to get my nails done!  Yes!  LOL!  I changed my mind yet again.  I decided to splurge and have them done - why not!  After that I think I will go to the gym early this afternoon.  Hopefully that will get me out of the gym with enough time to investigate earrings and a tennis bracelet and pick up some minor supplies

Breakfast 8 am
40-oz herb tea (slosh! slosh! LOL!)
14-oz coffee w skim
4-oz smoked salmon
267 cal 25P 14F 11C

Snack 10:30 am
5-oz albacore tuna
16-oz herb tea
180 cal 38P 3F 2C

Lunch  12:30 pm
176-g Valley Fresh chicken in water
20-oz herb tea (I am at the half-way point in terms of my water quota - yeah!!!!)
186 cal 40P 3F 1C

I went to the hooker store in town and got a fake tennis bracelet ($15).  Also, broke down and got a manicure.  I am really happy I did. My nails look great and she made them short so I can type and everything.  I had them done french tip.  Now my big concern is how to keep them clean in terms of tanning.

15-min stationary bike hills L6 3.57-mi 82 cal (yes, I knw this isn’t meaningful)
Hell Week #2 1.5-h
35-min stationary bike L7 hills 9.01-mi 217 cal

Snack
150-g perdue chicken
3-oz smoked salmon
16-oz diet snapple
24-oz arizona diet green tea
312 cal 52P 9F 4C

more posing practice!  I should say though that I am wearing my hooker heels during the day at work, too.

Dinner
130-g perdue chicken
16-oz herb tea
3-oz smoked salmon
291 cal 48P 8F 3C

1235 cal 202P 36F 21C
5 meals and didn’t make my water quota 4.32L

I did my weekly measurements:  128.0 lb this morning!  woo!hoo!  For better or worse everything else is down, too, including my bust which I can’t afford to have get much smaller!  Good news is the hips and even the thighs are down.  I am really excited to see what changes hell week brings to my physique.  In reviewing my measurement data on Bbing.com while the weight has dropped the %BF really has not.  It has remained pretty constant.  Arms, calves - pretty constant.  Chest, hips, waist and thighs have all come down around 6-7%.  I don’t see any difference in terms of time on any of these changes that is to say I don’t see that the hips and thighs started to come down at a later point in time from the chest or waist.

For the last few days I have been asking myself why I am doing this.  The answer is complex.  For me this has been a personal exploration of self.  When I think of figure and of women like Jenny Lynn, Monica Brant, and Valerie Waughman, the characteristics that come to mind are physical strength, fitness, beauty, and grace.  As a former fatty, affirmed couch potato, and tom-girl, competing in figure means not just going to the gym and working out to develop physical strength and fitness but also changing my eating habits and learning good nutrition.  It also means stepping outside my personal comfort zone to learn about the art of being a woman - learning how to walk in high heels, wear makeup, fake lashes, finger nails, tanning, hair, posing, and wearing a bikini.  For me all of this is new and must be learned from scratch.   To create a stage-ready physique requires mastery of all of the aforementioned aspects and this can only be accomplished if you possess discipline, self-control, and dedication, personal characteristics that I admire and desire to call my own.  The competition itself is a celebration of my femininity.

need to get 6 meals today!!!!

Breakfast 8 am
108-g smoked salmon
14-oz coffee w skim
40-oz herb tea
273 cal 28P 12F 12C

Snack 11 am
5-oz albacore tuna
20-oz water
175 cal 38P 3F 1C

Lunch 2 pm (during student presentations in class)
G’day smoked salmon
Valley Fresh chicken in water
14-oz coffee w skim milk
20-oz herb tea (I have consumed 2.6 L water so far about half of what I need to consume)
231 cal 34P 8F 5C

Snack 4 pm
4-oz chunk light tuna
20-oz water
121 cal 28P 1F 0C

rowing 2000-m 9:59 L7
Hell Week #1 1.5-h yow!!
35-min elliptical Glutes I 3.45-mi

Dinner
284-g chicken
3-oz smoked salmon
20-oz Arizona diet blueberry tea
32-oz diet peach snapple iced tea
494 cal 82P 13F 11C

total 1295 cal 211P 36F 29C (4.73-L water, 5 meals)

more posing practice.  I bought Insolia high heel inserts ($9 for a pair) at Walgreen’s and put them in my high heels.  They are gel filled inserts shift the distribution of your weight when standing in high heels so it is more evenly distributed between the forefoot and heel.

Breakfast at Joan & Ed’s
eggbeater omelet w broccoli and mushrooms and oatmeal 0.5-cup ST
black coffee
oatmeal
254 cal 27P 3F 31C

Snack
Snackmasters turkey jerky 2-oz
herb salad w balsamic vinegar
193 cal 28P 2F 17C

back to Boston!

Lunch
4-oz chunk light tuna
herb salad w cider vinegar and bragg’s
154-g sweet potato ST
16-oz herb tea
20-oz coffee w skim
318 cal 33P 1F 45C

WATP 4-mi fast walk - 45-min
32-oz green tea

Dinner
103-g smoke roasted salmon
herb salad w braggs cider vinegar and braggs aminos
6-oz portabello mushrooms (I love these!)
168-g sweet potato ST
32-oz herb tea (green and puehr ginger)
404 cal 34P 12F 49C

30-min posing practice in my suit and shoes!  I haven’t been writing this down but I have been practicing my posing wearing my shoes.  I have now upped the ante though by practicing in my suit. Feels different and I need to get used to wearing it (it’s like next to wearing nothing and a big change for me as I am a very conservative gal clothes-wise!).  I also don’t think I have mentioned this but I bought two full length mirrors from the department store and have them set up in my bedroom of my apartment so I can pose in front of one and see my back reflection in the other.  I also pulled up my bedroom rug so I am practicing walking in my shoes on the hardwood floor.

total 1169 cal 122P 17F 143C

got my hell week program!  Apparently my diet and workouts are about to change yet again!  This looks to be quite interesting!