marialeonardo’s BodyBlog

Well if I had a mantra for the past month and a half since my show it would be EAT HEALTHY TOMORROW. The problem with that pattern of course is that tomorrow always extends to the next tomorrow, and since I’m stopping tomorrow I have to eat everything I want to today. I have found myself heavier than I’ve been in about 2 years and feeling so guilty, ashamed and crappy. I am going to spend tonight designing a new pan, one that starts out easy so that I can achieve some success in the next few weeks and start to feel better. I just keep trying to jump right back into vigorous training and super strict diet and I’m failing.

 It’s not a matter of being able to do it as I have done it before and I can do it again, it’s a matter of setting goals, getting serious and making a change. I know I can do it, I’ve done it before. It’s not easy  but I know I’m not happy with being lazy and gaining weight so it’s time to make a change. I’ll check back in here about once a week to post my progress.

 -M

Alright, so many things have changed over the last little while with my gym preparing to close it’s doors in a month I was beginning to worry that I would not find a trainer to work with in order to get ready for my show. I approached one of the trainers from my gym and asked for her help, and she very professionally (due to the gym closing and not re-opening for at least a month or so) found me a fantastic trainer. I am now training with a woman who has won the Asian womens bodybuilding title numerous times!!

 I was intimidated to say the least, but she has been amazing. She has been supportive, and has re-done my diet plan and pushes me to work harder than I thought I could. I have so much energy and enthusiasm again and love working towards this goal once again (as I had hit a bit of an energy slump, a combination of being diagnosed with vertigo and not eating enough on a daily basis … then loosing control and eating everything in sight .. and I mean everything). It’s only been a week and although the diet plan is very limited the only thing I hate is eggs in the morning, but luckily I get to follow that up with my favorite thing .. oatmeal! I really think the structure of someone handing me what to eat, when and how much is what I need. When I was doing it myself it took so long to calculate calories from fat, carbs, protein … and I was way more likely to just add this here or there …now I can’t. If it’s not on the paper it doesn’t go in my body. Straight, simple and no exceptions.

 So … I am now preparing to do a small scale show in Toronto, Canada on August 2nd and to enter as a bodybuilder (although I know I will be really small). I just really can’t walk in heels, which all the other categories involve, and I know I could start practicing and it would be ok …. BUT …. I am going to work with this trainer when I return to China after the show in August and do a show here in October, in the bodybuilding division so the show in Canada will be a good stepping stone before I try to get on stage and have everything instructed in Chinese … yikes.

I know some people prefer to train on their own, but for me the discipline and structure I get from having a trainer, and especially one as qualified and professional as the one I am lucky enough to be working with is priceless. Especially for the first time, you can read things and learn how to do it but the reassurance of having someone with you who has been there and done what you are doing is good. The trainer I have has also been on judging pannels so she knows exactly what areas to give priority to! It will also be a great cultural experience as my chinese is very limited and her English, although much better than my chinese is also limited. It’s amazing what you can communicate through action and expression, and I just see it as part of this amazing adventure I have stepped into.

14 weeks till the first show .. feeling good, confidant and energized. I have lots of body fat to loose and muscle to gain in a short time. I will work hard and stay focussed and am comforted to know that I have someone who will be there for me every step of the way.

Wow, this is really sounding like a push for personal trainers everywhere!

Later,

Me

Well, I have entered the crutial training period, well almost. I am 3 months away, 13.5 weeks to be exact. I was doing really well with eating and exercise last month but then some injuries (that are mending now) came into play as well as a mental breakdown as far as eating. I have used the short break I have taken from my diet and training to re-focus and re-energise before the really hard part starts. I have researched and planned out a carb cycling diet that repeats after 4 days .. high-low-high-no. I have also looked into HIIT cardio and will be sitting down with a personal trainer next week to discuss my plan and tweak it where necessary. I am excited to begin and look forward to the good and the bad, afterall if it was easy it wouldn’t be nearly as rewarding !!

 It all starts tomorrow, and tonight I go out for my last dinner sort to speak, of "normal" eating before launching into 3 months of a very strick and percise diet. A co-worker and I made a chart in the staffroom of the school I work at and each had a goal to achieve (mine was following a diet, her’s not drinking). We both failed in our attempt to complete the whole month but it taught me what it will feel like and helped me learn when I am more succeptible to cheating. As a result I have made some guidelines to follow in order to curbe cravings and not give in. Tonight is our celebration night, although we didn’t really achieve our goals we are celebrating our attempt at healthier lifestyles! Again, at the moment I am excited and I know I will hit low points but I am determined to transform my body and see what it looks like RIPPED!  

I know I can do this, it is afterall 98% about determination (some space must be left for genetics, which I am told I have). I am learning so much about self discipline in the process and I know the next 3 months will be the true test. As we say here in China Ji - yao! Translation: Come on, let’s go!! BRING IT ON!!

I am 4 months away from my first figure competition and have started my diet officially on March 1st. So far so good! I have been eating between 1200-1500 cal’s per day and doing 45 min of medium-high intensity cardio (average heart rate = 70-80%max) 5 times a week. I lift weights 5 times a week doing legs, back/bisceps and cheast/shoulders/triceps on seperate days with a rest day after a 3 day cycle. On advice from my sister I have increased the weight I am lifting and decreased the amount of reps per set and have seen big results!

 For now this has been working and my weight has been dropping, quickly at first but more slowly now. If anyone has any suggestions, I am a rookie at this and would appreciate any comments or suggestions!