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Tuesday, August 11, 2009

A Decision Has Been Made

Hi All,

So, I have some news... After thinking about it for a couple days I've decided not to compete this fall. This summer has been insane and my current theatre camp kids are testing the very limits of my soul. LOL! Yeah, not the ideal conditions for trying to contest diet. I just couldn't give contest prep the attention it demands and didn't want to come in to contest feeling rushed or not looking my best. Also, as much as I hate to admit it, with my PCOS, I think my body just really needs a longer prep time to get itself together and I just didn't have that time.

So, my goal right now is to get my body fat back down to around 20% which means I have 3% to lose. My workouts have been good but my food choices have been crappy. That WILL change starting Saturday. I just need to get through the rest of the week and then camp is over and my life goes back to being more "normal". I took the last 2 weeks of August off so that I can breath and regroup before dance and theatre classes start in September.

In other news, I've decided to start studying for my nutrition coach certification. There is definitly a missing nutrition link at the gym I work at and an abundance of women who are frustarted with their dedication to working out yet lack of progress. So, I'll keep you updated on how that's going!

I will continue this blog and keep you updated on my off season progress. Have great nights!

Monday, July 27, 2009

Carb Cycling Here We Come!!!

So, my progress has stalled. Well, it's actually non existent which is so annoying, especially since I upped my cardio this week. I lost and gained the same pound over and over this week and my progress pics look the same as when I was 17 weeks out!!!

So, yesterday I emailed Julie about my frustration and today she emailed me back. She's carb cycling me which is just what my body needs. I'm super sensitive to carbs and I have to take them really low in order for my body to really respond. I also have to cut out the cheat meals for awhile. Thursday Derrick and I leave for a long weekend away so I emailed Julie back and asked if a cheat meal for dinner on Friday and Saturday would be ok. I really hope it will because, as much as I want progress, I also want to be able to enjoy vacation food a little.

So, last time I carb cycled, I did 2 high carb days and the rest low carb. This time, Julie's starting me with an every other day cycle where I take out my 2 complex carbs every other day. Since I have more high carb days there's really no carb up on my high carb days. As much as I hate how uncomfortable carb cycling can be, I'm looking forward to the results.

Ok, that's it for now. Hasta la pasta :-)

Thursday, July 23, 2009

I'm Baaacccckkk!!!!

Hello All,



I've been away awhile because I had nothing to write. But now I'm back in prep for 3 shows in a row, Oct. 24th, Oct. 31st and Nov. 14th. This summer has been crazyness! I teach theatre and dance camps in the summer and trying to start prep while entertaining 20+ children for 7hours a day is a lesson in futility (sp?). Right now I have a 2 week break from camp so I'm finally starting to hit prep hard.



I can't promise that I'll update you guys every day but I'll be on here frequently. I'm waiting on fabric swatches so I can order my suit. I've decided to order from Tamee this time around and then stone it myself. I just love the way her suits fit people.



Ok, have great days. :-)

Sunday, May 17, 2009

It's Over Already?

Wow, that was such a whirlwind of a day but so amazing and fun. I can't wait to do it again. If you didn't get to read my mobile blog last night, I placed 3rd in my class. There were 5 girls in my class and I'm very proud of my placing for my first show. I emailed the head judge this morning to get feedback. I also emailed the promoter to find out where and when pics will be posted online. We're getting proof photo packages in about 2 weeks but I'm hoping to see stage pics before then. Ok so I wrote about my expereince on the Oxygen Journal so I'm going to copy and paste it on to here...

Good morning Girls,Yup, I'm up early but I feel really well rested and I got the most consecutive hours of sleep that I've in the last few days. Ok, show details. Here goes... Oh, pics will have to wait until later today because our digital camera is horrible and they came out dark and very far away so I have to work on them and hope that some of them are salvageable. Anyway...The day could not have gone better or smoother. From Friday night when I got spray tanned to all day Saturday, there's absolutely nothing I can complain about. My tan, both full applications and my touch up between shows on Sat. went on great and looked really natural under the lights. A few weeks ago I emailed the girl who was spraying me and tried to explain to her how light I was for being black and she was like "oh, you'll only need like 1 coat or so..." Well, I get there and she's like "wow, you really are fair skinned So yeah, we sprayed me pretty heavily. Angie, (spray tan girl) was so helpful the entire time. She knew that it was my first show and that I didn't really know anyone so she kept checking on me and making sure I was ok and did my bikini bite and glaze and everything. She was soooo awesome!

In terms of the number of figure girls, it was much smaller than last year. Master's class was the biggest with about 8-10 women, Class A had 3, Class B (my class) had 5 and class C had 2. Oh, and bikini had 1 in tall and 2 in short. The tall girl won the overall in bikini and she totally deserved it, she looked like she had just stepped off a beach.

For Prejudging, I felt like I did a really great job, I remembered to smile the entire time, I remembered to thank the judges. I was 3rd in line so when we went to do comparisons I was in the center and they kept me there through quarter turns. They only moved 2 girls but I felt like I was in top 3 based off them not moving me. As for physiques, the 2 girls who came ahead of me were a little leaner (but not by a lot) and more hard and dried out. I emailed Julie after the show and told her that I felt like I was still holding some water throughout the day. Also, I was kinda timid in my carb up because I was so afraid of spilling over so I didn't feel that I was full as I could have been. Even so, I still had the biggest V taper.

The woman that one overall also won Masters and short class. She was by far the most muscular and the hardest so her placing was no suprised and much deserved.

It's so funny how totally different everyone eats during comp day. I pretty much stuck with goo for my carb ups (pp, honey, pb mixed together) and did a couple candy bars and sweet potato before the night show. Others were doing rice cakes w/ pb or goo with oats in it. What was really unexpected to me was how many girls went out for junk food in between shows. One girl did pizza, another did McDonald's quarter pounder and fries. The McDonald's girl said that she depletes all week and then starts loading up on crap food on Friday Hey,whatever works for you I guess. Then there were those who were eating chicken and asparagus through out the day and did basically no carb up. I dunno, just interesting.

As for my post comp eats....Can you believe that I from like noon on I was totally not interested in Ihop? I think this whole time I've wanted it because I couldn't have it and now that I could I was like "I've eaten sweet junk food all day, not as excited about it"....but we still went!!! HAHA! I got the smokehouse sampler w/ smokehouse sausage, 3egg whites, hashbrowns and 3 harvest nut and grain pancakes w/ sugar free syrup (I actually like sf syrup!). I didn't eat much of the egg whites because they tasted sooo salty after not eating salt for the last 3 days. Everything else was perfect! I ALSO had a lemon bar and an apple fritter.

Today, I'm trying to start clean things back up a little but still enjoying myself. For breakfast I had Kix w/ blueberries (an entire small container), sugar snap peas, and reduced sodium bacon. Oh, and 2 pieces of my Godiva Chocolate although they tasted a little too sweet for me. Soooo weird!

I had a blast competing and would probably keep going and do the other 2 shows I had planned if A-I didn't feel like my body needed a break B-I didn't feel like Derrick needed a break! So, the plan for now is to go on maintenence and not gain back all my hard work then to start prepping for Oct/Nov shows sometime in August. I'm definitly doing atleast 2 shows in the Oct/Nov. window.

Ok, question. How do I clean my suit? It's disgusting and I want to sell it but need to clean it first.

Once again, thanks for all your help and guidance everyone. I could not have done any of this without you guys and your encouragement, advice and support. I apologize for my whineness and hope it didn't annoy any of you too much :-) I think now that I know what to expect, and now that I'm NEVER starting 19 weeks out, ever again, comp. prep will go more smoothly.

Ok, can I just say how much I LOVE what is left of my tan after my shower last night. I actually look tan, not weird contest tan but just browned and sunkissed. I wish I could keep this color all the time because it looks perfect!

PS- I kinda want to go to the gym and just do a little cardio. I've been off for 4 days and I miss it :-(

Have great days all!

Saturday, May 16, 2009

3rd!
5 in my class they kept me in the center
Just testing my mobile blog