Dedication and Perseverance

As I contemplated on what to write this blog about a few things crossed my mind. At first I was worried about training for a figure competition to come across as annoying or negative. I don't want anyone to read this blog or any past or future blog and think, "Now why on earth are you doing that to yourself?" Or when hearing me talk about it to think that I'm portraying it in a negative light. Then I realized that I was over thinking this "blog" and just needed to write from the heart.

I am in no way complaining about training for this nor talking negative on it. Heck, I chose to do this! This is a choice and I could technically quit whenever I feel like it. There is no doubt that I could (and sometimes want to) go to the store and buy a dozen cookies and eat them ALL or get a huge Philly cheesesteak and devour it in under 5 minutes but I then have to remind myself, what will that accomplish? That may satisfy a craving during consumption and for about 2 minutes afterwards but what will I feel like on the inside? What will my insides be doing? You see, when you consume sugar (whether it be in sweets or in bread) your insulin levels spike which then sends your body in to fat storage mode. For what I'm trying to accomplish, this is not good! Let me tell you what a typical food diary currently looks like for me:

Meal 1: 3/4 cup of oatmeal w/ 1tbsp flax and 2tsp splenda
1 scoop of protein powder (shake)
Meal 2: 1 scoop of protein powder mixed with coffee.
Meal 3: 5 oz Turkey and Veggies
Meal 4: 5 oz Tilapia and Veggies
Meal 5: 5 oz Turkey and Veggies
Meal 6: 5 oz Tilapia and Veggies
Meal 7: 6 Egg Whites and 2 oz lean red meat

There is a regimen to get your body ready to compete on stage and I have ten weeks to go. Some days are a heck of a lot harder than others. Other days I have an insane amount of energy and fly through my workouts without thinking twice. Training for this has been one huge emotional roller coaster. (And you don't want to catch me when I'm at the bottom!) It seems that when I'm starting to have doubts I end up receiving a text or email with encouraging words which reminds me to keep on pushing. 30-45 minutes, twice a day, on either the stairstepper or the treadmill is actually doing wonders for getting my mind right! In the beginning, going back to the gym for that second cardio session almost seemed like a chore. Now, I welcome it! As my trainer recently blogged about, I close my eyes and visualize myself on stage, making each quarter turn flawlessly, smiling and having fun!

I would have to say that in the beginning, not being able to eat whatever I wanted was the most difficult part. Now that that craving is pretty much curbed, time management has been the hardest part. However, there is no "time management" when the only things there seems to be time for are to eat, work and workout. I feel that the person that has an even harder time then the one training is the one they live with, are dating, or married to. They didn't make the decision to train for a show, to have a limited diet, to only go eat at certain places at certain times, to go to the gym almost every single day commit to a 1-2 hour session! And yet, they're sucked in! Matt and I have had to make time and we are slowly figuring it out. On Sunday, he came to the gym with me and we did an insane leg workout and he even did my cardio with me afterwards! Now, that's Quality Time (and love)!


My clear stripper heels arrive last week and I've been eyeing up suits! I've decided to have a plain suit made for me and then I will bedazzle it myself with my own design. This will be time consuming but it will help me keep my mind off other things in between meals and it will give me an even bigger sign of accomplishment come showtime!