Your mind is your most powerful ally. It can be your biggest foe - if you let it. This is the biggest mistake we all make at one time or another, we forget we have the choice to use our mind to our personal advantage.
My mind has been my enemy of late. Actually its been worse than an enemy, because instead of sabotaging me and giving me the opportunity to turn things around, it just decided to give me the silent treatment. I couldn't tap into my positive because my mind was not answering me - it had completley shunned me, broken down and left the party. I can't tell you how frustrated i have been. So where does that leave me with comp prep? Well im still in the game. Despite my ups and downs, i have still made really good gains over the last couple of weeks. g
The biggest question I get asked by friends, family and clients - 'are you on track?'...the answer is 'you better believe it!'.
Im holding a lot of fluid at present due to my elevated cortisol levels, but this will start to come down as i get mentally back on track.
So all of this has had me questioning things of late. Ive had a very stressful few weeks with events leaving me wondering what is important in life. What do I want out of life? Well i want to be fit and healthy, thats important - BUT i really want a better balance, something that comps will, and never can, give me. So after this years comps it will be a long time, if ever, before i compete again. I want to show clients and friends and family, that you dont have to compete to be a picture of strength and focus. I will hopefully continue to prep other girls for the stage, because i love the industry, but my body and my mind need a break.
The other thing that has become apparent to me just recently, is that having a family with my husband is so important to both of us. I recently turned 33, and although thats still relatively young, for child bearing, its not. I already suffer from Endometriosis and PCOS so my chances of having children is already limited and my chances of miscarriage are almost doubled...
So as part of this plan to rebalance my life I am back on fertility drugs to help 'the situation'!! Ok, so the downside is that fertility drugs and comp prep kind of dont go hand in hand - but its a risk im willing to take (to not get to the stage that is). I refuse to put that part of my life on hold any longer.
In having re-addressed this balance, im feeling calmer, happier and in control.
I have lots to look forward to in the coming months, i just dont know what it will consist of yet! Hmmm ive always loved a good surprise!
So what else has been going on? Well like i said i recently turned 33 and to celebrate Mick organised a surprise dinner for me...with a bunch of our closest friends! I rocked up to dinner thinking it was just Mick and I and surprise surprise there was a group of smiling faces there to greet us! It was wonderful and i thank all of you that were there from the bottom of my heart.
In other news Mick is currently doing a stint of personal training for....ROYALTY!!! No, im not joking! I cant say too much, but they are living at the Crown Casino for the next 4 weeks and wanted a PT for 5 nights a week whilst there here. Mick got the job, which he deserves because lets face it, he has earnt his well respected title of best PT after 12 years in the industry! Im very proud of him. He is chuffed that he is rubbing shoulders with people worth BILLIONs (no not kidding about that either!) and is learning very quickly that even though he does a PT session surrounded by body guards and has to refer to his client as Sir, that really they are just regular people who are easy to talk to. Oh and the money ROCKS! Ok thats really all i can say about that!
Alright im off to smash my legs people, so keep exercising, eating clean with the occasional treat and smile...it takes less muscles than frowning! xx
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
60 days...not that im counting or anything..
Yes so we start the descent...thank god. Im not goning to lie - this prep has been a biatch with PMS and a bad attitude. Let me explain. Since i competed last July in the INBA, I have wanted to compete again. I was really bummed that i never got around to competing in october last year - hey i was too busy eating.
My prep last year was tough, i had to try and build muscle, that i didnt have, and then try and trim all the fat, which i had a lot of, in 15 short weeks. It was a slow form of torture at times. At 15 weeks out i STARTED on 2 hours of cardio a day with weights chucked in!! I built up to 3 hours very quickly, and so my day consisted of 4hrs of workouts. So by the time i competed in July, the thought of having to maintain my physique for another 8-12 weeks for sept/oct comps had me convulsing. All i wanted to do was stay away from the gym, eat and socialise - something i hadnt done for 4 months.
I vowed then, that I would compete in the start of the year comps for 2011. Xmas came and went, new years came and went, and everytime i thought of having to cook up a batch of brocolli, chicken and sweet potato, i became panic stricken and ill at the thought - not a good sign. It just so happened too that my coaches were moving out of the area - and everything just felt off. So fast forward to April and i felt things coming together a bit more. I actually felt like prepping agaain and so i went in search of uber coach extrodinaire. Mega fail. Sometimes this industry can be chock full of egotistical d!ck wads - and boy of boy did i meet a couple in my search for the perfect coach.
I finally found Rosa, who in the end turned out to be a complete flop for me. A coach is supposed to be supportive, motivating and inspiring. I found myself completly unsupported and unmotivated, which is when Glenn (my uber coach) came back into the picture and put me back on track.
Long story short - i feel like i have been treading water with this prep for so long. I have been prepping for AGES, with little results because the fit wasnt right. Now with 8 weeks until the Canberra State Titles im pleased to say for the last 5 or so weeks i have been on fire with my prep and im finally seeing results.
My weight is slowly dropping, my body fat is really dropping now and im starting to feel lean and very much in control.
I was really tired last week, and i just feel amazing this week and am still pumping out the same weights as last week. Win! This means that whilst i still need to get super lean with any prep, maybe i will look more muscular this time round, i really hope so. I also havent had to do any more cardio than my 45 mins before breakfast and 30 mins in the afternoon (walking home from work usually knocks that on its head anyway). This may seem like a lot to some of you out there - trust me, this is a walk in the park!
So the 60 day count down is on and i intend to give it my all.
This weekend marks my 33rd birthday. Argghhh bummer. I hate getting older, and usually it means bday cake...Glenn thought i was kidding when i asked if it was still ok to have a bday cake. What? So sue me for asking.
Anyway, Michael is taking me out to a 'Glenn approved' restaurant that will do plain steak and green beans for me. Yaaaaa. Yep, thats sarcasm people. I will be indulging inn a little something, maybe a sliver of cake or share a dessert with Mick, and only because i have had a good drop this week in weight and body fat. Its all about balance.
So there you have it, my prep is on the downhill run and im excited to see the results that have already started to come. Bring on Sept 18th!
Til next time...xx
My prep last year was tough, i had to try and build muscle, that i didnt have, and then try and trim all the fat, which i had a lot of, in 15 short weeks. It was a slow form of torture at times. At 15 weeks out i STARTED on 2 hours of cardio a day with weights chucked in!! I built up to 3 hours very quickly, and so my day consisted of 4hrs of workouts. So by the time i competed in July, the thought of having to maintain my physique for another 8-12 weeks for sept/oct comps had me convulsing. All i wanted to do was stay away from the gym, eat and socialise - something i hadnt done for 4 months.
I vowed then, that I would compete in the start of the year comps for 2011. Xmas came and went, new years came and went, and everytime i thought of having to cook up a batch of brocolli, chicken and sweet potato, i became panic stricken and ill at the thought - not a good sign. It just so happened too that my coaches were moving out of the area - and everything just felt off. So fast forward to April and i felt things coming together a bit more. I actually felt like prepping agaain and so i went in search of uber coach extrodinaire. Mega fail. Sometimes this industry can be chock full of egotistical d!ck wads - and boy of boy did i meet a couple in my search for the perfect coach.
I finally found Rosa, who in the end turned out to be a complete flop for me. A coach is supposed to be supportive, motivating and inspiring. I found myself completly unsupported and unmotivated, which is when Glenn (my uber coach) came back into the picture and put me back on track.
Long story short - i feel like i have been treading water with this prep for so long. I have been prepping for AGES, with little results because the fit wasnt right. Now with 8 weeks until the Canberra State Titles im pleased to say for the last 5 or so weeks i have been on fire with my prep and im finally seeing results.
My weight is slowly dropping, my body fat is really dropping now and im starting to feel lean and very much in control.
I was really tired last week, and i just feel amazing this week and am still pumping out the same weights as last week. Win! This means that whilst i still need to get super lean with any prep, maybe i will look more muscular this time round, i really hope so. I also havent had to do any more cardio than my 45 mins before breakfast and 30 mins in the afternoon (walking home from work usually knocks that on its head anyway). This may seem like a lot to some of you out there - trust me, this is a walk in the park!
So the 60 day count down is on and i intend to give it my all.
This weekend marks my 33rd birthday. Argghhh bummer. I hate getting older, and usually it means bday cake...Glenn thought i was kidding when i asked if it was still ok to have a bday cake. What? So sue me for asking.
Anyway, Michael is taking me out to a 'Glenn approved' restaurant that will do plain steak and green beans for me. Yaaaaa. Yep, thats sarcasm people. I will be indulging inn a little something, maybe a sliver of cake or share a dessert with Mick, and only because i have had a good drop this week in weight and body fat. Its all about balance.
So there you have it, my prep is on the downhill run and im excited to see the results that have already started to come. Bring on Sept 18th!
Til next time...xx
Friday, July 8, 2011
Did someone say tupperware?
I get a lot of people asking me how it is i can be so organised to eat up to 8 meals a day. Well i believe the time spent in the kitchen prepping clean meals is JUST as important as yout time spent in the gym lifting heavy. Ok, truth is, id much rather be in the gym lifting than cooking my meals - but its all part of the process with competing. So here is what it looks like in our kitchen every 4 days....
Yes, that is 20 containers...4 days worth of brocolli, chicken, rice, sweet potato and a couple of other bland things. Being prepared like this, is half the battle of prep and something most people are not willing to do - hence the small amount of competitors each year!
So today I had a session with my coach Glenn. Glenn is a maniac. Glenn makes me do things that i would never have dreamt possible. Case in point, i did 140kg leg press this afternoon. That is 2 of me plus my dog Niko - and Niko is not slim. Sorry Niko.
At one stage i had Glenn on one side spotting me and Michael on the other...you know your in serious trouble when u have 2 big boys spotting u! I thought i might throw up, or cry, or scream at Glenn - or possibly all 3 all at once...hmmm tricky. But i love it. I love to train heavy. I love the ache in my legs for days afterwards, and more importantly, i love how it makes my legs look on stage when i have stripped off the fat!
So prep is going awesome. I have put all my demons to rest and am not playing anymore. No one can do this but me, im in the right mindset - i know what to expect with prep so im mentally prepared when the going gets tough - and boy oh boy does it get tough...BUT you will never see me bitchy or narky or miserable in the gym. Oh tired for sure, no question. But never moody. I think being in contest prep and being moody has got a bad reputation. Clients say to me all the time 'oh poor Michael, your in prep, he better get used to the mood swings huh?!!".
Ummmm no actually, i dont allow myself to be aggressive, moody, bitchy or disrespectful of people just because im in prep and short on carbs. If you walk around moody all day, then you probably should think about partaking in a different sport. I think people tend to give themselves a hall pass cos their in prep. Well i dont think that way at all. Check your attitude at the door people - u choose how you behave, carbs or no carbs.
So im plugging away, making great progress and enjoying the process again. I love the support i get from my coach glenn, my husband, the trainers at our studio and the clients - so thanku all!
Oh surprise surprise its nearly time to eat again...til next time...xx
Yes, that is 20 containers...4 days worth of brocolli, chicken, rice, sweet potato and a couple of other bland things. Being prepared like this, is half the battle of prep and something most people are not willing to do - hence the small amount of competitors each year!
So today I had a session with my coach Glenn. Glenn is a maniac. Glenn makes me do things that i would never have dreamt possible. Case in point, i did 140kg leg press this afternoon. That is 2 of me plus my dog Niko - and Niko is not slim. Sorry Niko.
At one stage i had Glenn on one side spotting me and Michael on the other...you know your in serious trouble when u have 2 big boys spotting u! I thought i might throw up, or cry, or scream at Glenn - or possibly all 3 all at once...hmmm tricky. But i love it. I love to train heavy. I love the ache in my legs for days afterwards, and more importantly, i love how it makes my legs look on stage when i have stripped off the fat!
So prep is going awesome. I have put all my demons to rest and am not playing anymore. No one can do this but me, im in the right mindset - i know what to expect with prep so im mentally prepared when the going gets tough - and boy oh boy does it get tough...BUT you will never see me bitchy or narky or miserable in the gym. Oh tired for sure, no question. But never moody. I think being in contest prep and being moody has got a bad reputation. Clients say to me all the time 'oh poor Michael, your in prep, he better get used to the mood swings huh?!!".
Ummmm no actually, i dont allow myself to be aggressive, moody, bitchy or disrespectful of people just because im in prep and short on carbs. If you walk around moody all day, then you probably should think about partaking in a different sport. I think people tend to give themselves a hall pass cos their in prep. Well i dont think that way at all. Check your attitude at the door people - u choose how you behave, carbs or no carbs.
So im plugging away, making great progress and enjoying the process again. I love the support i get from my coach glenn, my husband, the trainers at our studio and the clients - so thanku all!
Oh surprise surprise its nearly time to eat again...til next time...xx
Monday, July 4, 2011
Bikinis and stripper heels...yes this is a sport
So the days are ticking over in my comp prep - in a good way. Things have finally clicked into place for me and im in that zone where i dont have to think about it - i just DO it. This, people, makes prep a breeze. The mental challenge with prep is trying to convince yourself, sometimes on an hourly basis, that you can keep going and you want to keep prepping. When things finally click into place mentally, its just easier.
So im about 11 weeks out to my first show in canberra and about 12 weeks out to my other comps on the central coast, sydney and melbourne. So we all know what that means...its bikini time!!!!
This is the equivalent to going wedding dress shopping - no, im not joking. So much thought and effort has to go into the stage bikini, because it can make you or break you. A bad colour or fit can make all those months of prepping a waste of time and effort. A good bikini can make the difference to placing in the competition. So this year im opting to go with the legendary Jo Rogers. Jo has been making bikinis for competitors for ever, and knows how a bikini should fit. Last year i opted for a fairly neutral bikini, bronze and gold colours. This year im going for something with a lot more dazzle and bling. But of course - you will have to wait to come see me, or photos for the big reveal! But let me say this - its GORGEOUS!
Im starting to feel a little fatigued this week, although im still trying to build my legs, im also in the process of dropping macros and calories, so the body has to work harder on less food.
Im starting to see the fruits of my labour...finally. Im in a much better position this far out than i was last year, so i should bring a much better physique to the stage this year - thats all i can hope for.
All my measurements are coming down and fat percentage is also steadily dropping. My posing is also getting much better, and im hitting some of the poses now with very little effort - win! To get on stage and be able to hit poses quickly and effortlessly is half the battle.
All in all, everything has dropped into place and im feeling strong and happy. I owe alot of this to my coach Glenn... he keeps me focused and calm, something a good coach should do at all times through prep.
Went to the INBA All females on saturday night - wow what an inspiration. Last year i was on stage not knowing what the hell i was doing! Now i can look at it from another perspective and see the areas i need to work on. All the girls looked amazing and there all winners just for getting up on stage. It has inspired me to do better still and I cant wait to step up on that stage again.
Ok im off to eat so keeping training hard and eating clean xx
So im about 11 weeks out to my first show in canberra and about 12 weeks out to my other comps on the central coast, sydney and melbourne. So we all know what that means...its bikini time!!!!
This is the equivalent to going wedding dress shopping - no, im not joking. So much thought and effort has to go into the stage bikini, because it can make you or break you. A bad colour or fit can make all those months of prepping a waste of time and effort. A good bikini can make the difference to placing in the competition. So this year im opting to go with the legendary Jo Rogers. Jo has been making bikinis for competitors for ever, and knows how a bikini should fit. Last year i opted for a fairly neutral bikini, bronze and gold colours. This year im going for something with a lot more dazzle and bling. But of course - you will have to wait to come see me, or photos for the big reveal! But let me say this - its GORGEOUS!
Im starting to feel a little fatigued this week, although im still trying to build my legs, im also in the process of dropping macros and calories, so the body has to work harder on less food.
Im starting to see the fruits of my labour...finally. Im in a much better position this far out than i was last year, so i should bring a much better physique to the stage this year - thats all i can hope for.
All my measurements are coming down and fat percentage is also steadily dropping. My posing is also getting much better, and im hitting some of the poses now with very little effort - win! To get on stage and be able to hit poses quickly and effortlessly is half the battle.
All in all, everything has dropped into place and im feeling strong and happy. I owe alot of this to my coach Glenn... he keeps me focused and calm, something a good coach should do at all times through prep.
Went to the INBA All females on saturday night - wow what an inspiration. Last year i was on stage not knowing what the hell i was doing! Now i can look at it from another perspective and see the areas i need to work on. All the girls looked amazing and there all winners just for getting up on stage. It has inspired me to do better still and I cant wait to step up on that stage again.
Ok im off to eat so keeping training hard and eating clean xx
Friday, June 24, 2011
Its go time
I have been a bad blogger...normally I like to blog once a week or more and it just hasn't been happening *sigh*. I will attempt to be a better blogger from here on in.
So what has been happening? Well, I finally found my mojo. It appears it had taken a much needed holiday to Torquay and had forgotten to let me know. Ok let me explain...
Last year when i was prepping for comp, i was in the zone. I was focused, i was mentally strong - nothing was going to get in my way of stepping up on stage. You could literally (and Michael often did) sit in front of me and eat a burger and a chocolate bar and I would not even think of cheating. This prep though has been completely overwhelming, stressful and emotionally draining. I have been sick, unmotivated, uninspired and generally not really wanting to compete. I thought I was going crazy, and I was getting really down about it. I was waiting for it all to click and it just wasnt...
Over the weekend Michael and I took a much needed break to our favourite place on earth - Toruay. It was also going to be an opportunity for us to catch up with my old coach Glenn who has recently moved to geelong and opened up his own supplement store 'Athletes with Attitude'. We wandered in to Glenns store, he took one look at me and said - whats going on with your prep? Ahhhh yes prep...
Glenn instantly saw my lack of fire and wanted to know why after I had achieved so much with my last prep with him, i was unable to do the same this time around.
Over lunch Glenn made me an offer i couldnt refuse. He offered to coach me - once again for free - because of one simple reason. He believes in me.
Its been obvious that my new coach just hasnt offered me the support i have needed to move forward in this sport. So as of Tuesday i have once again been under the reigns of my old coach - and loving it.
My passion for the sport is back, my desire to succeed is back and now i have 13 weeks to bring my body in for late sept comps. Bring it.
This whole thing has taught me a lot about this sport. You dont need the perfect program or the perfect coach on paper - you need to be INSPIRED by your coach and surround yourself with others who have a passion for bodybuilding. Glenn oozes bodybuilding, he lives and breathes it. He instills that very same desire in myself - he wants success for me as badly as i want it for myself.
Im finally excited about comp season, and Im even booked in next week to see helen my bikini lady to splurge on a new stage bikini with lots of bling!
So what does this next stage mean for me? Well this is go time, this is when you will start to see me lean out and be able to show all the muscle i have been working so hard to get. I will be upping the anti in terms of cardio and my food becomes blander. This is, despite how it sounds, the best part of prep. This is where you start to see all the hard work pay off.
On that note im off to eat my rice, chicken and avocado YUM! (and i genuinely mean that!)
Til next time xx
So what has been happening? Well, I finally found my mojo. It appears it had taken a much needed holiday to Torquay and had forgotten to let me know. Ok let me explain...
Last year when i was prepping for comp, i was in the zone. I was focused, i was mentally strong - nothing was going to get in my way of stepping up on stage. You could literally (and Michael often did) sit in front of me and eat a burger and a chocolate bar and I would not even think of cheating. This prep though has been completely overwhelming, stressful and emotionally draining. I have been sick, unmotivated, uninspired and generally not really wanting to compete. I thought I was going crazy, and I was getting really down about it. I was waiting for it all to click and it just wasnt...
Over the weekend Michael and I took a much needed break to our favourite place on earth - Toruay. It was also going to be an opportunity for us to catch up with my old coach Glenn who has recently moved to geelong and opened up his own supplement store 'Athletes with Attitude'. We wandered in to Glenns store, he took one look at me and said - whats going on with your prep? Ahhhh yes prep...
Glenn instantly saw my lack of fire and wanted to know why after I had achieved so much with my last prep with him, i was unable to do the same this time around.
Over lunch Glenn made me an offer i couldnt refuse. He offered to coach me - once again for free - because of one simple reason. He believes in me.
Its been obvious that my new coach just hasnt offered me the support i have needed to move forward in this sport. So as of Tuesday i have once again been under the reigns of my old coach - and loving it.
My passion for the sport is back, my desire to succeed is back and now i have 13 weeks to bring my body in for late sept comps. Bring it.
This whole thing has taught me a lot about this sport. You dont need the perfect program or the perfect coach on paper - you need to be INSPIRED by your coach and surround yourself with others who have a passion for bodybuilding. Glenn oozes bodybuilding, he lives and breathes it. He instills that very same desire in myself - he wants success for me as badly as i want it for myself.
Im finally excited about comp season, and Im even booked in next week to see helen my bikini lady to splurge on a new stage bikini with lots of bling!
So what does this next stage mean for me? Well this is go time, this is when you will start to see me lean out and be able to show all the muscle i have been working so hard to get. I will be upping the anti in terms of cardio and my food becomes blander. This is, despite how it sounds, the best part of prep. This is where you start to see all the hard work pay off.
On that note im off to eat my rice, chicken and avocado YUM! (and i genuinely mean that!)
Til next time xx
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Changing the mindset
Ooohh how cold is it at the moment? I do believe that Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) does exist. I think i suffer from it. I know others that do too. Its when the seasons shift and change and we have to find that balance of adjusting to colder weather, less sunlight and trying not to comfort ourselves with food.
I have always been a comfort eater. I eat when im happy, sad, nervous, bored - you get the picture. I have had to teach myself over the years that if I am going to eat for comfort then i need to make better food choices. I tend now to reach for herbal Tea in the colder months. It has a soothing and comforting effect without the calories. Win! I have had a real battle on my hands of late though because im recovering from a chest infection AND battling SAD! So my supply of herbal teas has taken over our house and the Studio!
For those of you that have been asking, yes i am 100% now and fighting fit (finally) and YES I am still competing. I had to have 2 weeks off to let my body fully recover, and although that was important to do - 2 weeks is a long time when we are talkign about comp prep. Its 2 weeks i have lost and now have to work harder to make up.
Because of all of this i have been left feeling a bit flat, a bit blah, and not particularly excited about prep the way I should be. I made a concious decision yesterday that I was done feeling sorry for myself. Its really that simple. Ok i have been sick and ive lost valuable prep time - now its time to move forward and blow the next 15 weeks out of the water.
Its all about changing your mindset.
So in order to help me along the way I have invested in some meditation/hypnosis downloads from a very famous Professional Figure Competitor Nancy Georges. Its very common for elite athletes to be taken through professional visualisation techniques before their games/events - and this is the same. Nancy's series is called the Competitve Edge for Figure Competitors, and im really intrigued to see how I find the visualisation. For those of you that dont know, i have a background in Pyschology and a Degree in Social Work and used to work as a therapist. I used alot of NLP (neurolinguistic Programming) with my clients back in the day - i guess now its my turn!
I love that Michael is so supportive of all my crazy ideas - even if he does tease me about this particular one!
So tomorrow my prep shifts into a slightly different gear. Im almost done with my bulking stage, and I have built some good muscle. The next few weeks will see my carb content drop gradually so as to not stress my body. Im actually now ready for this - i want to start seeing all the muscle i have built!!
The next couple of months will also see me working very hard at my posing routines. Its an area i really lacked in last time on stage and i intend to rectify that this time round. To know how to pose equals confidence on stage - something that hours at the gym simply cant provide.
Well thats it for today. I promise to keep you all updated on my progress from here. ill also be posting progress shots soon....
til next time xx
I have always been a comfort eater. I eat when im happy, sad, nervous, bored - you get the picture. I have had to teach myself over the years that if I am going to eat for comfort then i need to make better food choices. I tend now to reach for herbal Tea in the colder months. It has a soothing and comforting effect without the calories. Win! I have had a real battle on my hands of late though because im recovering from a chest infection AND battling SAD! So my supply of herbal teas has taken over our house and the Studio!
For those of you that have been asking, yes i am 100% now and fighting fit (finally) and YES I am still competing. I had to have 2 weeks off to let my body fully recover, and although that was important to do - 2 weeks is a long time when we are talkign about comp prep. Its 2 weeks i have lost and now have to work harder to make up.
Because of all of this i have been left feeling a bit flat, a bit blah, and not particularly excited about prep the way I should be. I made a concious decision yesterday that I was done feeling sorry for myself. Its really that simple. Ok i have been sick and ive lost valuable prep time - now its time to move forward and blow the next 15 weeks out of the water.
Its all about changing your mindset.
So in order to help me along the way I have invested in some meditation/hypnosis downloads from a very famous Professional Figure Competitor Nancy Georges. Its very common for elite athletes to be taken through professional visualisation techniques before their games/events - and this is the same. Nancy's series is called the Competitve Edge for Figure Competitors, and im really intrigued to see how I find the visualisation. For those of you that dont know, i have a background in Pyschology and a Degree in Social Work and used to work as a therapist. I used alot of NLP (neurolinguistic Programming) with my clients back in the day - i guess now its my turn!
I love that Michael is so supportive of all my crazy ideas - even if he does tease me about this particular one!
So tomorrow my prep shifts into a slightly different gear. Im almost done with my bulking stage, and I have built some good muscle. The next few weeks will see my carb content drop gradually so as to not stress my body. Im actually now ready for this - i want to start seeing all the muscle i have built!!
The next couple of months will also see me working very hard at my posing routines. Its an area i really lacked in last time on stage and i intend to rectify that this time round. To know how to pose equals confidence on stage - something that hours at the gym simply cant provide.
Well thats it for today. I promise to keep you all updated on my progress from here. ill also be posting progress shots soon....
til next time xx
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Water logged
Well I am finally nearly over this pesky chest infection. For all those of you that have been asking after me and sending me messages - thankyou! Its been a long week, in fact it has felt like 4 weeks! The time has been ticking away ever so slowly as i laid in bed feeling sorry for myself and keeping my poor husband up at night with my coughing.
Actually one morning i wandered upstairs to find Michael crashed out on the couch. I have no idea how long he had been there - i wondered what un godly time in the morning he had moved himself upstairs onto the couch instead of smothering me to death with my own pillow. Poor guy - he had obviously had zilch sleep because as i quizzed him over the sleeping on the couch - he looked just as confused and dazed as i was responding 'on the couch?' looking at himself curled up in a ball, and muttering something about 'not sure' and 'i dunno'. Its been a long week.
Enough said.
So here I am puffy and water logged, runny nose and chesty cough and i feel soooo much better than i have in days! I have been drinking water like it might dry up at any given moment, and as a result - i can hear the ocean when i move. Hmmm nice huh?
It is true though - drinking water is so important when your unwell. It just flushes everything out. But the result is often that you look more puffy for a little while until it filters through. Ahhhh who am i kidding? The puffiness is also from the huge quantities of sugar I have been ingesting.
Ok before you panic (trust me, i beat you to it) it has not just been refined sugar. Actually it has mainly been natural sugar from fruits. However people - this reacts the same way in your system if you have enough of it. The result is quite simply, weight gain.
I made myself a promise to give my body whatever it craved this last week. So i have been eating apples, dates, almonds (ok so it was the coles tiramisu flavoured ones, so sue me), cereal, milk, yoghurt and wholegrain bread with peanut butter. These are foods I would never normally touch. Why u ask? Cos they make me fat. But there are certain things in each of these foods that my body has needed and required to heal. It has been hard to relinquish control and just go with it, but that being said, i start my prep on Monday.
Monday is the day I jump back into my comp prep. Its going to be hard. Its like starting from scratch, not an easy thought to get my head around. But i have big goals i want to achieve this year and they all require i look and feel my best. With this in mind, it makes my prep alot easier.
Since being at home and unwell, it has given me a great opportunity to get a lot of work done on my new business venture. Im really excited about it and all will b e revealed in time...
So expect to see me back and training as of monday, maybe with a little less intensity to begin with but hey it will be a start.
Til next time
Train hard, keep focused and eat clean
xx
Actually one morning i wandered upstairs to find Michael crashed out on the couch. I have no idea how long he had been there - i wondered what un godly time in the morning he had moved himself upstairs onto the couch instead of smothering me to death with my own pillow. Poor guy - he had obviously had zilch sleep because as i quizzed him over the sleeping on the couch - he looked just as confused and dazed as i was responding 'on the couch?' looking at himself curled up in a ball, and muttering something about 'not sure' and 'i dunno'. Its been a long week.
Enough said.
So here I am puffy and water logged, runny nose and chesty cough and i feel soooo much better than i have in days! I have been drinking water like it might dry up at any given moment, and as a result - i can hear the ocean when i move. Hmmm nice huh?
It is true though - drinking water is so important when your unwell. It just flushes everything out. But the result is often that you look more puffy for a little while until it filters through. Ahhhh who am i kidding? The puffiness is also from the huge quantities of sugar I have been ingesting.
Ok before you panic (trust me, i beat you to it) it has not just been refined sugar. Actually it has mainly been natural sugar from fruits. However people - this reacts the same way in your system if you have enough of it. The result is quite simply, weight gain.
I made myself a promise to give my body whatever it craved this last week. So i have been eating apples, dates, almonds (ok so it was the coles tiramisu flavoured ones, so sue me), cereal, milk, yoghurt and wholegrain bread with peanut butter. These are foods I would never normally touch. Why u ask? Cos they make me fat. But there are certain things in each of these foods that my body has needed and required to heal. It has been hard to relinquish control and just go with it, but that being said, i start my prep on Monday.
Monday is the day I jump back into my comp prep. Its going to be hard. Its like starting from scratch, not an easy thought to get my head around. But i have big goals i want to achieve this year and they all require i look and feel my best. With this in mind, it makes my prep alot easier.
Since being at home and unwell, it has given me a great opportunity to get a lot of work done on my new business venture. Im really excited about it and all will b e revealed in time...
So expect to see me back and training as of monday, maybe with a little less intensity to begin with but hey it will be a start.
Til next time
Train hard, keep focused and eat clean
xx
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