sbogard08’s BodyBlog

So here I am in the home stretch to the stage.  I am trying to stay focused and not get too overwhelmed.  I am getting so much unsolicited advice by so many different people that it’s hard to not be frustrated.  Everyone has something to say about final week diet….carb deplete, keep the carbs, carb cycle, sodium deplete, yadda, yadda, yadda.  In the end I have decided to low (<50g) carb x 2 days, no carb x 2 days, then start adding back on Thursday (small amount of oatmeal and 3 oz sweet potato only).  Cheesecake and steak on Friday night.  Have been trying to get in 1 - 1 1/2 gallons of water/day.  Will stop all water Friday at 6pm and starting Xpel on Thursday.  I tried it yesterday, and it made my head woozy.  I work nights on labor and delivery, so I cannot be fuzzy in the brain while taking care of patients.  Unfortunately, I have not been able to get in my 2 cardio sessions.  I’m not so sure that it is all that detrimental though.  Looking in the mirror, I am happy where I am overall, knowing that more definition will come in when the subQ water is gone.  When I was doing 2x daily cardio sessions I was dropping weight like crazy and started looking too shredded.  I really want to keep a softer look, in line with the trend that figures in moving toward.  Of course, I wish my quads/hams were bigger. But the steps, lunges, and squats will be waiting for me after the competition.  My posing seems to be pretty good, although my transitions aren’t flowing the way I would like.  I am constantly working on it though.  The biggest nono that I can’t seem to fix is that I am still eating my almonds.   My plan was to drop them completely this week and get fat from flax oil, but I got weak at work last night and bought a bag of almonds.    I didn’t take them home, though, in order to keep from eating the entire bag in one day.  I did the wax thing last Friday (ouch!#@!), and I have been tanning under lights for past three weeks (3x/week). So I am now a nice chocolately brown.  I removed all my body hair today (including "girlstache") It really does make my skin look soft and smooth.  The only thing left to do is get my nails done…….to be done on Friday.  My suit is all stoned up and fits like a glove and my hooker heels are waiting by the door.

 So with all that said and done…….I am ready to hit the stage. 

Tomorrow I will be 2 weeks out from my first Figure’s competition.  I honestly donot know if I am ready.  There are so many things about my physique that I wish I could tweak just a little.  I will say that the past 12 weeks have truely been a journey for me.  I have learned so much about my body and how it responds to different things.  Some days I have felt as if I was on top of the world.  Others I have felt the weight of the world on my shoulders.  Somedays it seems as though everyone has been rooting for me.  Other days, it seems as though everyone is critiqueing me and telling me that I’m too skinny.  It has truely been a roller coaster, but one that I donot regret.  I feel great!!! I am definitely in the best shape that I have ever been in.  Everyday in the gym I am getting stronger.  When I started this journey, I could only do "girl" push-ups.  Now I can do 15-20 regular push-ups.  I can do 4 UNASSISTED pull-ups……a major fete, and only require about 20lbs. of assist to complete a full 12 reps.  Those are the things that keep me going.

I am really trying to figure out how to do my diet for the next two weeks.  I have been getting so much advice, that I am not certain what is best.  Should I carb-deplete  3 days and add-back for three.  Should I do no carbs for entire week, and then throw in fats night before show.  I’m trying to stay between 1200 and 1250 cals.  I have been tryingthe carb-deplete/add-back thing for the past 2 weeks.  I’m usually tired most of the time and don’t smile very much when the carbs are out.  I’m not really sure if I’m adding back correctly, though.  As has been stated many times over…..the diet is the hardest part.  Knowing what to eat and when to eat it and what to combine it with is a mind-boggling thing.  I guess I willl get better the next time around.

Right now I have a piece of chocolate cheesecake in my freezer that i am waiting to devour as soon as the show is over.

Tomorrow I will be 2 weeks out from my first Figure’s competition.  I honestly donot know if I am ready.  There are so many things about my physique that I wish I could tweak just a little.  I will say that the past 12 weeks have truely been a journey for me.  I have learned so much about my body and how it responds to different things.  Some days I have felt as if I was on top of the world.  Others I have felt the weight of the world on my shoulders.  Somedays it seems as though everyone has been rooting for me.  Other days, it seems as though everyone is critiqueing me and telling me that I’m too skinny.  It has truely been a roller coaster, but one that I donot regret.  I feel great!!! I am definitely in the best shape that I have ever been in.  Everyday in the gym I am getting stronger.  When I started this journey, I could only do "girl" push-ups.  Now I can do 15-20 regular push-ups.  I can do 4 UNASSISTED pull-ups……a major fete, and only require about 20lbs. of assist to complete a full 12 reps.  Those are the things that keep me going.

I am really trying to figure out how to do my diet for the next two weeks.  I have been getting so much advice, that I am not certain what is best.  Should I carb-deplete  3 days and add-back for three.  Should I do no carbs for entire week, and then throw in fats night before show.  I’m trying to stay between 1200 and 1250 cals.  I have been tryingthe carb-deplete/add-back thing for the past 2 weeks.  I’m usually tired most of the time and don’t smile very much when the carbs are out.  I’m not really sure if I’m adding back correctly, though.  As has been stated many times over…..the diet is the hardest part.  Knowing what to eat and when to eat it and what to combine it with is a mind-boggling thing.  I guess I willl get better the next time around.

Right now I have a piece of chocolate cheesecake in my freezer that i am waiting to devour as soon as the show is over.