Spaceship Belinda

You set yourself one goal, run your little heart out, cross the finishing line, look up exhausted - only to see the next challenge ahead!  

So I achieved my goal of entering the Flex Magazine Online Bikini Model Search.  Voting starts on the 1^st of August and goes for 2 weeks.  The top 5 girls go before a panel of judges and the winner gets to compete in the finals at Las Vegas during the Mr. Olympia. 

My goal was to do my best.  I exceeded that goal in my own mind.  From here on in everything else is cream on the cake.  Right now I have a new trainer and we are working well together.  I see new races ahead already.  But right now, I just want to stop and savor the moment.  I really appreciate all the people on here who took the time to write little messages of encouragement over the last 3 months.  Thank you.  I am cheering you on in your race too!! 

I have started with a new trainer and we have set a goal of increasing my muscle and size, mainly in the legs and gluts but also working on the abs.  This means only 3 sessions a week, less cardio, resting and eating a really prescriptive diet.  He assured me that the session would be very intense and I would need to rest afterwards, and he was right!  So far we have have trained lower and upper body.  Upper body is always reasonable easy for me. Today it was just as hard as legs.  And my legs are still hurting from the first session.  So results will come, no idea what I will look like but hopefully in a month we will have some idea.  Here we go again………

Today I have a meeting with my new trainer.  I am really excited.  We are going to talk about diet, training goals and my plan for the next 2 months.  I have had the last 2 weeks off, resting, eating, sleeping, eating, relaxing, eating, drinking, and did I mention eating??? Anyway, time to start working out again, today will be just a bit of cardio and maybe some light weights, just to get the oil moving thru the cogs again……..

and right now it is my time to rest, eat and recover.  My first ever fitness/body building photo shoot is over.  I thought it was going to be fun.  But it was just plain "#$%&/(¡* hard work, physically and mentally.  Now I know why some people get paid money to have their photo taken!  Anyway, today I had some sun, a little swim and a massage.  Tomorrow I have a friend visiting from Australia.  Time to relax, slow down and smell the roses.  The weights will always be there……..

Two months ago I decided to try and get in the best shape of my life. I knew nothing about bodybuilding but after researching online I found this website.  Little did I know what a key resource it would be - of information and motivation.  Looking back I now realise I have been trying to do crash course in everything in an incredibly short period of time.  But one thing is for sure, I have been humbled by the members here, their honesty, dedication and hard work.  I never realised how much is required, mentally and physically to train seriously with weights and build your body.  I admire you for doing it and being here to share your experiences!

OK, I have been doing my 200 crunches morning and 200 mid afternoon, with a variety of exercises for upper, lower and obliques.  The abs are there but I am having trouble working out how to flex them properly so they show on call.  I feel like it works best when I push my stomach out and flex the abs….but you know, if anyone here can give me some advice it would be appreciated.  I am dropping the last bit of bodyfat and liquid so that will take care of itself….I hope…….the adventure continues….

A month ago I did all the lifting exercises on the profile page and yesterday I did them all again to measure my progress.  I was happy to see an increase in everything by about 10lbs.  I didn’t push myself to maximum, one because I don’t have the technique and second, I don’t want no injuries at this point in the game. I definitely have more capacity and strength in my upper body, the feeling of having that kind of strength was fantastic.  I need to do a lot more work on my lower body strength…that will be part of my next training phase and goals……..

I am on the last stretch before my first photo shoot.  The hardest thing is maintaining a consistent, focused effort, day after day.  I have incredible admiration for those of you that prepared for months in advance of your comps.  It takes a lot of discipline and you need a lot of inner fuel for the dream.  This experience has reminded me of when I was a professional muscian.  When preparing for a performance, you practiced and rehearsed over and over, day after day, so that on stage, you could relax and give your best, knowing you where fully prepared.  The day prior to performance is not the time to be working on last minute problems!  So I feel like that now, prepared, ready, in a good frame of mind.   After all the preparation is done, I keep telling myself, now relax, go and create some magic.  If you think this is a little perfectionistic you should have seen me when I had a real career!!!  Thankfully this is all about having fun……and I am!!!  Legs today, lots crunching to do and some glut work. 

I have never trained this hard physically in my life and followed such a prescriptive diet.  I have so much respect for bodybuilders and those who compete in the figure and fitness categories. It’s been 7 weeks now…but it hardly seems like a drop in the ocean compared to so many on this website.  I have spent a lot of time looking at training programs, photos, reading articles but in the end I realise, I have to follow my own path.  I guess this means, not trying to be someone else, copy another physique, but just explore my own and be the best I can be.  Also, I discovered I need to reduce get going with my reps to get that final definition.  I am worried about looking to muscley or skinny.  But in front of the camera I know that all changes.  Who knows what the end result will be, but I have learnt some really valuable lessons about myself already.  Off to train legs today…..oh yeah, I have kept up my 400 crunches 6 days a week…and I have some abs!  Belinda

Is pain necessary to grow muscle?  During my workouts I feel a lot of burn. Often I push myself to failure. But the next day I bounce out of bed just fine.  No stiffness or pain.  Sometimes when I begin training I can feel that my muscles sore and not in optimum form, but in general I can train some muscles everyday and never feel the effects.  That is why it is hard to rest.  I am doing everything my trainer says.  My calves and arms have gotten bigger. My legs are more defined but the same size.  I have some little abs.  Do I need to feel more pain????????? I am thinking I might need to do more reps for squats and lunges.  People tell me pain is necessary.  But for me it’s more of an endurance thing, to maintain the level of performace for the entire session.  Oh well, swim and legs today.  Now swimming, that’s another kettle of fish…