I did it, I did it, I did it!!!  I finally got that damn scale to move with hard work and dieting!  I participated in my first show of the season, the Tracey Greenwood Classic, in PA and took 5th place in my class!!!  Yay!!!  So excited for myself and looking forward to this weekends Maryland State/East Coast Classic!  Have a great week everybody!!!

Today I am just t -i -r- e -d.  I thought I had the going to bed thing down and I am still getting in bed SUPER late AND waking up SUPER early.  I am glad that I am starting to wake up at 5 w/no alarm but sad that I am so tired.  I know that I am not giving my workouts my best this week.  Feeling a bit un-inspired and ready to throw in the towel.  So I must re-group and not lose sight of the goal.  I have officially broken up with Starbucks (should have done that weeks ago), their sugar stays on my thighs no matter what I do!  Kickboxing tomorrow, need to change up the cardio and sleep in.  Praying that if the scale doesn't move, that the measuring tape does!  Keep Training For Life everybody!

This morning was tough!  I was suppose to be at the gym by 5:30am, but didn't get there until 6am and didn't really start working out until 10min after!  Everything about me this morning was slooooowwww.  I wanted to stay in the bed and almost did.  But I decided that I just needed to make it to the car and I would be okay.  It took me some time but I definitely made it in!  Glad that I did and glad that the workout was good. I ran into other competitors and friends that go to the gym for "fun"..lol.  We all wanted to be home and so the camaraderie keep me going.  I need to cook again today, chicken is the protein of the week.  Happy with my diet but may need to drop 100 calories if the scale doesn't move by Fri/Sat...we'll see.  Overall, it's been a good morning and leading into a great day!

My husband is great at reminding me how hard training for competition is.  It's funny to have someone who has never competed before tell me how hard it is.  Though it is a no brainer; when in the midst of training you forget that if this thing was easy, many more people would be doing it.  The training is hard but the diet is harder.  However, what I realize is that it is the same in every day life.  Going to the gym is easy for most of us.  It's the self control to put what you know is right in your body vs. what you want.  So the key is to make what is right to eat what you want to eat.  So I am definitely a work in progress!  However, to keep myself on track, I prepare my food ahead of time and I weigh EVERYTHING!  The hardest thing that I am going to deal with is stopping the Starbucks!  I love it; it's one of my few vices...and seems to be the hardest one to kick.  I decided to keep looking at the back of my thighs as motivation to kick the habit for the next 13 weeks!  LOL...scary sight!  The scale is moving in the right direction, so we'll keep at it!

So excited this week, I see progress and am closer to my goal for the end of this week.  Training this morning was a beast but I got it done.  The nutrition is getting easier and I am feeling much stronger now.  Its been difficult though getting up in the morning because I am so tired at night.  A lot of that is due to not getting to bed early enough.  So that's my goal this week, getting to bed on time!  I am eating salmon all the time; but I like it so I am not tired of it yet.  New pics this weekend, yay!!!

Aww man, this week was tough!  It was almost a wash and the towel was about to be thrown in.  I didn't prepare my food (ABSOLUTE NO NO) and getting to the gym was a bit of a challenge.  Getting organized and getting to bed on time just weren't happening the way they should.  And of course the most important issue was my cheating.  It was like once I started I couldn't stop; but my family is awesome and they reigned me in.  My husband made sure my food was here and kept reminding me of my goal.  So in spite of my crazy diet this week, I was able to still lose an inch in my hips and 1/2 inch in my thighs and maintain my weight..no loss but happier about the no gain! Slowly but surely I will get there.  I do know that I have to keep the cheat meal to ONE day and then cut myself off.  The only way I can do that is to have meals ready in the fridge.  Pics over the weekend, ya'll have a great day!

This week has been awesome, my clothes are loose, my legs are shaping up, and I feel stronger everyday!  I have started a new training program and have seen great results already!  I am really excited about getting back on stage and hopefully being a contender .  My diet has been redundant but that has been good.  It's great to not have to think when it comes to food, I know what I'm eating, when I'm eating and how much.  I know your saying isn't that what you did before..well yes and no.  This diet is literally the same thing throughout the day with VERY little variance.  Its easy to cook in mass amounts one thing instead of trying to vary up the protein.  For instance, I cooked chicken for the whole week...because that is the only protein I am having ALL week..no turkey burgers, no extra thinking...just chicken.  Next week is just salmon..etc.  I bought these great containers from Target that are easy to clean and store, I love them.  They come with these great ice packs that clip right into the lid.  Makes it easy to keep things cold if need be.  Looking forward to logging my results tomorrow, my new weigh day is Friday.  I like weighing in before my cheat meal day..lol!  Happy Training everyone!

So, I have finally found my rhythm!  This is my first true week of keeping it all together and it feels good  From my diet to my workouts.  The last post was the post of a good week; but that next week was a disaster!  I understand that it is all part of the process and now I have all of the "slacker" out of my system.  My hubby even pulled my card and was like,"look, if you want to win, you can't cheat on your diet and you can't miss your workouts, period!"  I was like dag, okay I better get real. It was the kick in the butt I needed.  My new motto is "Cheaters Never Win" and I want to win or at least come in top 5.  The support of your spouse or loved one(s) is so important in this process.  He told me that I need to focus and let some other things go; I'm over-scheduled.  And he was right, I do have a lot on my plate.  The funny part is that it's harder to un-schedule yourself.  I feel lazy and like I should be a chicken runnin' around with my head cut off.  As a mother of three (ages 18, 10, and 2) and a wife; it's hard to find time for yourself.  They all have so many needs!  So I have to get up and workout at 4/5am, just to get in the workouts, and so that I am available for everyone else later in the day.  So It will definitely be a challenge but with support I know I can do it!  Posing practice this weekend..yuck!  Me right now in a bathing suit is not appealing but it's part of the process!  Check ya'll next week

Today marks the first true day of training and dieting!  I have my sights set on competing one more time before I hang up the heels for a while.  A family requires a lot of attention and with 3 kids, my brain is already frazzled.  However, I have a fabulous husband that will be helping me through this season, like he did the last.  His support is awesome and I am blessed by it.  So of course, it always seems that right when you get ready to start an obstacle gets in your way.  However, you just gotta make do.  So this mornings workout  will now be done this evening.  The diet, will be started...but I am short a few items on the list.  Which means that I still have some grocery shopping to do. I am on my way and I am so excited to get started.  Hope you enjoy the journey with me.  Before pics coming soon!

Well, I can say that I am excited to see some progress but realize I have a long way to go.  The hardest part is getting back into a routine and the discipline to stick to it.  Having now three kids in the house (my step son came to live with us last year), I have been having trouble keeping up with everything.  The schedule of morning and evening cardio's, lifting, work, kids, husband, sorority, and my part time, gig is a completely crazy one.  So this past week was really tough and my body let me know it.  I was sore a lot, and really, really tired.  One day I just couldn't wake up, I literally slept till late in the afternoon; which is abnormal for me.  Of course it wasn't a restful sleep with the kids and phone ringing in between; but every time I could catch a piece of shut eye, I took it!  I am excited about what lies in front of me (pics soon to come) and the progress that I am making.  The diet has been, of course, the key.  I had a few days where I struggled to stay on it but that's normal; so I didn't get down on myself too much.  I just made sure that I corrected my mistakes and kept cooked food available to me so I could make the right choices.  Today is another day to keep pressin forward and I will.  Cardio day...here I come! 

So I have decided that I can't live my life in competition mode and this year my husband and I have plans that trump competing.  But that doesn't mean that I can't remain in great shape even though I am not training for competition.  I am going to conduct a little experiment on myself and see what happens.  We all know that eating clean is a must for weight control but it is also important for our health in general.  Eating real food instead of things with a million ingredients I can't pronounch makes a huge difference.  I'm in the process of eradicating processed foods from my family's diet.  Which means that I really have to plan my meals; because in a pinch it's easy to go back to opening a bag, adding water and wah-lah.  In addition to my overall cooking habits, I will be changing the types of workouts I do.  I will limit my weightlifting to 3x week and do 2 to 3 different types of cardio classes/at home workouts.  I feel that training for competition and training for real life shouldn't be the same.  Otherwise whats the point of an off season?  For me not changing my workouts has lead to injury, obesession, and, of course fatigue.  Now that's me talking..I know for many of us it also brings a sense of accomplishment; but I have to change my perspective...I have three kids that need my attention and so far my schedule has soley been about me.  And for competition it has to be, there is no other way to do it.  But this year my focus is on my family; oh and getting back into my bikini for our upcoming vacations..lol.  So I will add pilates, yoga, kickboxing, and swimming on cardio days.  My goal is to get back to 140 (even though I still look good at 150) and enjoy how my size 8 clothes feel again.  I can still get in them but it's a little more work than it use to be..lol.  I officially start this coming Monday..I'll keep ya posted!

So I am 12 lbs away from what I consider a good place to walk around weight. I definitely lost almost all the work that I did on these legs of mine. But reality came and smacked me in the face. My last post sounded like I had a grip; but I really didn't. I was still yo-yoing in emotions, and that was definitely seen through my eating. I was still weighing myself every day and obsessed in the mirror. It took a wisdom tooth surgery to make me get a grip on reality. I had never weighed 130lbs in my entire life! In highschool I was 145; and have always carried a lot of muscle. So to think that without staying on a competition diet (which is not a realistic diet to keep for the rest of "my" life) and spending 3hrs in the gym isn't realistic. And I had to get out of the gym for a while, I was soooo worried about what others may say if they see me gain some weight back. I was totally obsessed with the wrong things. Lastly, I was on the verge of throwing my finger down my throat. COMPLETE and UTTER NONSENSE, cuz I know better. So I can truly say that wisdom tooth surgery saved me from myself. So now I am back to regular life and when I fail, it's okay. I plan on competing again this summer, I was originally looking at the spring but the summer is more realistic. So the goal now is to eat REAL food, no fake food. Clean eating is my goal..not just for competition but for life. It may sound funny but one of my goals for 2011 is to totally eradicate Doritos from my diet. No Doritos for 12 months! Listen that is a struggle, I LOVE THEM. They truely are one of my weaknesses. Last night was my first challenge and I passed. My son had a bag of Doritos and we were snowed in. I just wanted to eat one but I drank water instead. I kept telling myself no and I made it. I will almost be three weeks into my challenge..and not one Dorito. LOL, thats a feat. See ya soon:

Wow, what a time!  I took 3rd place in the East Coast Classic and 4th place in the Maryland.  I enjoyed competing so much!  I enjoyed the comraderie back stage and being on stage.  But it was about being on that stage, not to say look at me-even though that is what it looks like; it was really about look at what can be done if you just keep trying.  I failed more than I succeeded.  Days that I cheated seem to be the end of the world.  But I had to get back up and keep trying.  It can be done moms, women, men, anyone who wants it.  My story is only about perserverance and it continues to be.  I definitely went back to a few bad habits and enjoyed my little..okay 4 week do whatever I feel liike doing..binge (lol).  So its a struggle to find that balance.  I am not competing for the fall season and am a little lost on what to do and how to maintain without staying on a "competition" diet.  It's such a mind job...I am curious to know how many of us competitors suffer from some kind of eating disorder due to competing.  I mean, the minute I started to gain normal fat back to my body I almost wigged out.  I would go to extremes of not caring at all (as I finished a bag of chips) and then extreme depression.  But I am slowly finding my way, day by day.  I am getting back on track to a happy medium.  What I have learned is that once you kick up your metabolism you get a lot of leway...but there is a line.  I am on my way to crossing that line, so its back to clean eating...period.  I have literally had all the Rita's custard, doritos, and bread that I will ever need.  I am excited with my new body and my new life.  I have started making clean meals for the whole family and trying to take everyone with me to the gym.  I am back to teaching at my gym on Saturdays starting this coming Saturday.  And my daughter and I are getting on a regular schedule at the gym during the week.  Of course, with all my mojo back, my car went kaput.  So we are stuck at home; thank goodness for my bike.  I hate lifting at home...for some reason, so I hope to get back to it soon.  I plan to compete in the spring, so I will be back at it after New Years.  Thank you everyone, who gave me encouragement, stopped by to just say hi.  It's great to have brothers and sisters in iron that can identify with this journey.  Be back soon!  I will have more pics in a couple of weeks.

Sorry fam for being incognito for a while...been keeping my nose to the grind trying not to lose focus.  It's amazing how the closer you get to the show the harder it becomes to stick with anything.  The urge to cheat is immense and the will power is waning..but I am holding on.  I officially have 2 1/2 days before the show!  Its this Saturday  I am so excited and now starting to get nervous.  My nutrition coach is pumping me full of water...i pee like every 15 min..I know tmi, but its true!!  I am also carb depleting which really isn't soo bad.  My workout coach has lightened my load..so now I feel like I'm not getting anything accomplished.  Hilarious!  I had my first fitness photo shoot two weeks ago..it was fun and the photographer was great..not creepy at all!  I will definitely do better next time, now that I know what to expect. 

 I have gotten my hair done, my suit arrived last week, and I went tanning last night.  Tanning still cracks me up; I get dark pretty quickly so I don't think I need to go again..we'll see what my coach says.  LOL..who knew ALL of this went into competing?  I certainly didnt.  I have changed my body and therefore changed my life!  Thank you all for your encouraging words and I will keep you posted.  Can't wait for some brownies Saturday night!  Yep I said it BROWNIES!!! YESSSSSSS!