I am on vacation this week…actually a stay-cation. We are training at home and working hard. I am down two pounds since my last mention of weight loss here. Slow but steady. My goal is to save muscle and cut the fat.
Eating is clean and work outs are hard. I will continue this process. As for my suits, I have them now and have the rhinestone crystals and glue…now I just have to come up with a design and start gluing. My one piece is a very pretty deep purple. My two piece will either be a dark blue or if I hit my goal, a hot pink. I will make my decision on the suit selection in the last days leading up to the figure show.
Last night I practiced posing with several other women at Dream Fit in Duluth, Minnesota. All the women are on target and will hit their personal bests on stage. It is a lot of fun working the same goals in a group…Donna Pesta is the main trainer and she has really helped a lot of people transform. She was my first trainer and help me prepare for my first figure show. I now work with Gary who trains clients at Dream Fit.
At the station I updated my tv promo pic. Here it is. Jeff Frey is a very wonderful photographer in Duluth, Minnesota. He helped me with my Body for Life contest photos too.
Gotta run. Sleep is also an important part of training!
I lost one pound this past week. But as I have mentioned in earlier posts weight loss is not the game right now its muscle memory. I am working hard in the jump toning and building muscle in a few key problem areas. My nutrition is still very clean. I am still working on drinking my water!
For me the hardest part is taking in enough protein. Protein powder is perhaps one of the best inventions in Body Building. Skinless chicken breast, extra lean ground turkey, water packed tuna, salmon, egg beaters and an occasional steak are high on my list.
Complex carbs; oatmeal, whole grain bread, sweet potato and brown rice are essential too. I will be giving up the bread in about two weeks.
I still weight about eight pounds heavier than my last show weight. But I have until November 1 to cut those pounds. My goal is to do it slow…and spare the muscles!
I ordered the crystals and glue to decorate my two piece suit. I am still thinking about a design.
The message in a bottle has been returned to Lake Superior. We put a treasure map inside that will lead to a buried treasure hidden somewhere along Duluth, Minnesota’s Lakewalk. Oofta I hope someone finds it soon!
This year’s summer games in China are fun to watch on TV…but I hope the games inspire people to get off the couch and go in search of their own venues for health and fitness. Really, don’t those strong and toned bodies make you want to go on a power walk, pick up the dumb bells and clean up your diet? They are an inspiration.
Today I have been surfing the web for suit designs and rhinestones. It is never to early to pull your suits together if you are working toward a figure show. Many suit makers want six to eight weeks to make them. Some offer suits on sale and you can get them as fast as you pay and Fed ex can deliver.
Another great place to search for suits is Ebay. Often there are gently used one and two piece suits there…and might do in a pinch.
Today I worked my abs and got my cardio done. My eating is clean and I have had no urge to binge on my ex-favorite cookies. Funny, ever since my Coach/husband washed my car and detailed the insides…I have not bought one cookie.
He simply said, “Your car is clean…no more eating cookies.”
It was like some magic mantra. And the magic is working!!!! I am not worried yet about weight loss. I will get more serious by mid September. As long as I continue my program and my food plan I will come in right where I want to be come show time.
This training is going so much better than the last one. I’m not sure whether I was simply burned out going into that show or my heart and head weren’t in the right place. This time…it seems they are both in the right place. It is not about winning a trophy. It is about reaching my personal best and feeling good about working to reach my next goal. Goals are essential.
Monday was busy for me. I worked a 10 and a half hour shift, commuted 1 and a half hours…and still worked my abs, did my cardio and fixed and ate all my clean meals.
This is amazing for me. I guess it proves to myself that anything is possible if you have a plan and stick to it!
Today will also be a big and long day. The Olympics show has shifted our late show even later. However, I will be working out between the early and late shows tonight. My meals are all packed and I look forward to my upper body workout.
I have also begun to work a little on my posing. Two big areas include posture and breathing. I have to shake my habit of sucking my gut in and lifting my shoulders. Those two actions throw off everything!
Today I hauled out the tri-pod and set the timer on my camera to take some before pictures to give me an idea of what body parts I need to focus on before the show in November. Looking at the photos…the answer is everything! Gosh, I only weigh about ten more pounds than I did at my last show…but it seems as if those pounds are all cellulite.
After my weighted calf exercises on Thursday I am still walking on tip toes. Ouch! The delayed muscle soreness is forcing me to stop and stretch constantly. My trainer made me tap my heels down off the step as I lowered the weight bar…I have never done that before and come to think of it have never had soreness before. Range of Motion…hummm. I guess it does make a difference. So does good form.
Today I will do some cardio and work on abs. I will also be lowering my carbs. Carb cycling has begun and non to soon!
PS. I am not ready to show those before pictures just yet. I’ll wait a couple of weeks and put up new pictures and the befores as a comparison.
It just dawned on me that readers of this new blog of mine may be wondering what I looked like before I started Body for Life. So I dug up my “fat picture.”
I remember the day it was taken. I felt so good because I was finally taking steps to transform my body and my life. I was 52 in this picture.
Today I had the great pleasure of sharing the Body for Life program with a small group of women seeking to make positive changes. They meet weekly as a fitness, health and weightloss support group. They had so much energy it really jump started my day!
When I share my transformation it reminds me how I got where I am and what I need to do to continue my success. It is so inspiring to see others take that first step in their own transformations. Within a few short weeks, attitudes change, skin begins to glow and the fat begins to melt. At the same time muscles wake up and start to grow. Muscles are a girls best friend. They will stay with you if you treat them well. They will help you grow gracefully to meet the future challenges.
Those who get it realizes it is so much more than looking good in a swim suit. When you reach your goal you need more than accolades. They fade as people get used to looking at the new fit you. Muscles on the other hand will be your friends for ever.
Today I will work out in the little gym at work on my own. I will battle the urge to go easy on myself…as I am feeling delayed muscle soreness…I plan to just work thru it and work around my shoulder which is healing nicely.
As I finished up my presentation this afternoon, one of the participants told me I had “Madonna arms.” It is the nicest thing anyone has said to me all this week! Just one more reason to keep my steady date with my trainer.
not quite Madonna arms
Lift heavy, eat clean and live your dream.
Saturday I will take before pix, measure and weigh. That will give me a great starting point and give me an idea what needs to happen between now and my figure show on November 1.
I hate cardio but I love what it does for me. Wednesday was a very busy day…I started at seven am with my cardio and then made my commute to arrive on time for a ten am meeting at work. I won’t leave work until 10:45 PM. It’s a long day, but that early morning cardio kick started my motor and gave me the horsepower I needed to meet the challenge.
TENNESSEE 2007
My water intake is going much better. If I had my way I would get all my liquids from Diet Pepsi. Love that DP! But I am switching it out for awhile with H2O for the time being. My third figure show is in early November. In October I will be traveling to Tennessee to meet up with my Body for Life buddies at the Champions weekend.
These are great goals but, the biggest one is to live my life the healthiest way possible. Being 56 years old can be challenging. I thank my lucky stars that I found a fitness program in my early fifties that gave me the tools to stay on two feet and to improve my attitude about life.
Exercise, balanced nutrition, goals and a support system have saved my life!
redbikinilady