vis viva’s BodyBlog

Are you living your commitment to wellness?  Do you have a personal philosophy to get you centered around it each and everyday? If you don’t, you may consider writing one to keep you motivated and balanced.
http://visviva1.blogspot.com/2008/09/write-your-personal-philosophy-for.html

Frustrated with my training/diet.

http://visviva1.blogspot.com/2008/08/trail-tranny-or-track-gym-style.html

Getting frustrated with your long-term goal?  Quit worrying about losing % body fat, gaining lbs of muscle and focus on smaller goals to get you there. Setting yourself up for success each day will help you gain momentum towards your larger, long term goals.  Check out more at:
http://visviva1.blogspot.com/

http://visviva1.blogspot.com/

I’m struggling after a fitness competition to repair my metabolism and ease up on the training.  Blogging about it helps.  I have met so many wonderful people here on bb.com who were competing and we talked about the preparation process, but what about the repair process after?  There is support out there, let’s talk!

I am now blogging here: http://visviva1.blogspot.com/

I wasn’t expecting to see how I placed in the competition, so I was amazed to load the results page from the competition I competed in on the weekend and discover I was in the top 10 in both rounds.  It really wasn’t about the placing, but this is icing on my cake! Congrats to juliet_virgo too.

Having a good day so far- sticking to my meal plan is getting easier to do- although this week has been rather lax.  But getting back into it and appreciating it for it’s steadiness and healthy results. I want to be mentally healthy, and sticking to a nutritious meal plan, with no guilt, is the best thing for it.

Ran (into a coyote) this morning for 30 min, with some hills- great time! Then trained arms (higher reps, lower weights than during contest prep.  Might try rest-pause training as advised by my partner) and did another 25min cardio.  Feelin fine and have a lunch date with a friend.

How are you all doing today? Let me know!

Back into the routine I so loved during contest prep.  I was floundering the last couple of days- wondering why I felt foggy, confused and not confident about myself.  I hated the way I felt. I indulged in a few treats over the last couple of days that I normally wouldn’t (cookies, muffins- glutenous I know, and not very nice to me).  I also didn’t train.

this morning i thought I’d try something different- get back into my routine!  So at 520am I hopped into my running shoes and took it outside (first time since December). I jogged lightly for 25min and returned home to a healthy breakfast of egg white spinach omlette, with a side of fresh tomatoes and warm cream of rice cereal with cinnamon.  I also whipped up buckwheat waffles and scrambled egg/egg whites for my husband.  We had a wonderful breakfast together, sitting at our table (how rare is that?); I’d like to keep that routine.

Then I headed into the office, had a cup of coffee  (not taking caffeine pills and notice I need energy).  Just one cup though is all I will have- and only if I want.  Checked emails, voicemail, responded to fires that needed to be and then grabbed my gym bag and headed over to train.  I started my post-competition training with back, because I love training back and thought what better way to get back into than training something I love?  I even did calves- even though I hate calves.  Then i hopped on the treadmill for another 30 min incline walking.

Left the gym feeling great.  Sticking to my healthy maintenance plan given to me by my trainer from the competition.  Feeling happy, alive and confident again.

The competition is actually over; yes it is.  Wow, it was only 3 days ago and it already seems like it never happened in some ways, but the consequences of it being over are also being keenly felt in others. The day itself was long:
6:45am: Hair appointment (make sure you discuss your hair ideas with your stylist before hand, even do a practice round.  Tip: make it as natural and as close to your everyday style as possible- with a little glam.  If I had to do it again,  I would go more natural)
8:00am:  Dream Tan (get a friend to come over and do it at your place before you go to the competition site.  Dressing rooms at the competition are for EVERYONE to use- there is no privacy and you don’t want anyone to see how intimate your friend will be getting with your body while painting it.)  Takes about 30 min to do your entire body.  Use gloves! Don’t want orange stained hands.
9:00am: Make-up (self- explanatory- but don’t use foundation unless you buy a special bottle to match your tanned skin for that day only.  I tried mixing a darker tint with my regular, and it looked like I was wearing a ghost mask.  You don’t really need a foundation- your skin will be dark if you’ve spray tanned it or tanned it at all.)
10:30am: Check-in (not really a check-in, just an arrival an hour before scheduled to go on-stage.  Stake out a spot for all your stuff to sit for the day.  Have someone in the audience (partner) hold your wallet for the day- you won’t need it.  Pack everything in a wheely suitcase- you will NOT have the energy to haul your shit around). Do not drink anything still, at this point you want to sip something, but believe me even the slightest bit of water will make you look bloated.  Ladies, it will make your beautifully flat stomach distend, so just don’t do it! It’s not worth it.
11:30am: Scheduled to be on-stage, but is running behind (expect this but be there on time, and just be prepared to wait patiently and calmly.  Get away from the other competitors as much as possible and find a quiet place to relax and clear your head.  Your game is the only game that matters)  Again, no water! nothing!
1:30pm: Finally on stage with my height class.  Stomach in, shoulder relaxed, muscles tight, smile! Do posing round, theme wear round (pack all accessories for each costume in separate ziploc bags, so you don’t have to fuss between costume changes.)  Help your fellow competitors out, they may need help with a button, snap or some accessory.  This is where you will find the fun in the day- by getting to know the others around you.
5:30pm: Day show ends, you have an hour to yourself before having to be back for the night show.  Go lay down- no energy, no food, no water all day gets one down.  If you’re shooting liquor, you will also be drunk/hungover at this point and not very happy.  Get away from people who will bring you down, and get together with those who lift you up.  I ran to my sister’s house, near to the theater and recharged by talking about her upcoming wedding and enjoying her company.  It was the best decision I made that day.  Don’t drive-have someone drive you.  And don’t cave- nothing to drink unless it’s the liquor for vascularness.
6:30pm: Check-in for evening show.  Wait around for your time on stage.  Relax, you’ve done this before.  Make sure your accessories are ready to go between costume changes.  Support the others backstage.  NO WATER!
8:00pm: On-stage with my height class again.  More lights flashing, louder music, less time on-stage.  A show for the audience.  At this point there was standing room only available to get into the show to watch, and a waiting list to buy tickets should some become available. it was a big show.  The theater is hot- audience members, drink water.  Competitors- hold off until after the finalists have been announced- if you win you don’t want to have your victory pic with a water bottle in hand and a bloated belly after winning because of your disciplined physique.
12:30am: Show ends, finalists announced.  Everyone clears out.  Help others pack up their stuff too, we all want to get home and we’ve all been through the same thing today.
1:00am: Go into the theater, kiss your partner who has been there all day. It’s now about making it up to him who has been through so much so I could do this for me.  Lavish attention and love on those who supported you.
1:30am: Drive through the city to find the only open pizza joint in town.  Have one piece because your stomach is so sore from not eating anything for days…and rest.
Sunday-Fabulous brunch with friends and family who supported you.  Take one of everything, but only have one bite of them all- your stomach will not be able to handle copious amounts of food.

Lastly, find a moment to sketch out your day to day for the next week.  Plan a healthy meal plan and recovery time for the next week.  If that means indulging for a day or two on any food you wish (I did!) then do it.  But your metabolism needs to heal- so get on your planned meal structure within 2 days of the competition.  Workouts can wait for a couple of days- go with how you are feeling.  I am three days from it and am just contemplating doing light cardio and weights this afternoon for stress relief.  Sleep is most valuable to me, and until I am rested, I will not be doing much.  Also, food has been hard on me, throwing up most of it- even water- since the competition.

Journal on what you have gained from the process.  Consider the question everyone will be asking you- How did you do? If you didn’t place (like me) then be at peace telling them that "It was a 16 week competition that I finished!" and be excited about it.  Also, be prepared to answer- would you do it again?  Wait a while before deciding to compete again- listen to your body and it’s symptoms. and to your mind and it’s symptoms.  Can your family handle it? Your body is amazingly resilient and it can.  Can your mind?  Is it what you are passionate- really passionate about? Or are there other sports and endeavors you can’t wait to try?

Last night, between the 3 hours of sleep I did get, I was lying awake with a million thoughts in my head; mostly- how am I going to get all the cooking done for next week if I’m at the competition all day Saturday- obviously i’m just a little cookoo- that shouldn’t matter.  But it did curtail into thoughts about the ‘afterglow’- when the competition is over.

I can say I will be so relieved!  I am not a fitness model by trade- I love my day job, my relationships that I build doing it, and most of all I love my life in it’s entirety.  It’s ok that this will be over- I have so much to look forward to afterwards.  Playing in the kitchen again with healthy ‘clean’ recipes that branch farther than ‘chicken and rice or carrots’.  I will now be able to structure my clean recipes within a structure defined by what i’ve learned about meal planning from this competition.  I will be able to fashion my workouts with what I have learned as well.  And most importantly, I will know that I do it for me and for my health- not for ‘competition’ reasons or (let’s face it) vanity.  I will be pleased to be farther from the weight on appearance when this is over.

I will go back to being ‘me’, lauging, caring for others, and being more comfortable there.

But in the meantime- I have one more day of deplete to go, one more restless night dreaming of Gramma’s banana bread and one full day of ROCKIN’ 5" stilettos in a bikini.  Take it as it rolls babe, it’s gonna be an epic day.